I learned to spin today

I learned to spin today. Not that new-fangled spinning class you see at gyms, but spinning fiber into yarn. Now I'm googling louet wheels and Angora goats. LOL

Just what I need - another addiction. The first was horses, now its goats, is yarn next. Who knows? But it was fun!

Goat licking

So my 7-year-old says to me today, "Mommy, why is Oreo licking the barn?"

I answer, " I don't know." (because I truly don't - she has all she needs in her little goatie kingdom)

My 7-year-old answers brightly, "She's polishing the barn."

I smile and think to myself, now only if I could put her to work on my hardwood floors.

Another Teat Dip Recipe

Use this after milking-
Teat Dip
Mix four litres of water, 5 ml of lavender oil, 5 ml pine oil, 2 ml eucalyptus oil, 12 ml cottonseed oil (available in drugstores) and 5 ml methylene blue.

courtesy of Proverbs 31 Nubians and Nigerians on Double D Ranch

Two Goats in Love

Saturday April 12, 2008

from Molly's Astrology Blog

Capricorn is surefooted when it comes to climbing mountains, but in love, can be secretive and wary. They like to dominate, but want someone they can respect. They're often stubbornly wed to their way of doing things. They're sensual, loyal and mysteriously wise. They're full of quirks of thrifty behavior, dark humor and a melancholy that is at times, enveloping. Only another Goat can truly understand the "crazy cappy," and love them from deep inside the cave.

Stackyard

Visit a new goat finder site:
www.stackyard.com

Goats for Sale

3 AGS Registered Nigerian Dwarf Bucks for Sale
in Western Maryland
disbudded, up-to-date on CDT shots, AGS Registered

Looking for Registered Nigerian Dwarf doelings? Reserve your March 2009 kids today

An adorable solid white buck with blue eyes
Great conformation!
Rocking-M Buttercream $300
Born February 2008
Proven (he has does bred that are due in March)

Gold and white buck with blue eyes
Rocking-M Butter Goldie Spots $200
Born September 2008

Black and white buck with blue eyes
Great conformation!
Rocking-M Butterdoodle $300
Born September 2008
SOLD! Thanks P.A.

Email for pix info@rocking-m.com

Goat Vets recommended by other goat breeders

Here is a list of goat vets listed by state courtesy of CyberGoat....

Pink Eye Remedy for Goats

The absolute best is Coni Ross's recipe 1 part Dexamethasone
1 part Gentamicin
1 part sterile water

I use a small eyeglass spray bottle and spray once a day. One or two times and it's done. I checked with a vet and he said that it's so much better than the puffer because the puffer requires moisture to make it work and Pinkeye dries the eye out (no moisture)

Funny Goat Story

Nigerian police detain goat over armed robbery

Fri Jan 23, 10:55 am ET

LAGOS (Reuters) – Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.

Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.

"The group of vigilante men came to report that while they were on patrol they saw some hoodlums attempting to rob a car. They pursued them. However one of them escaped while the other turned into a goat," Kwara state police spokesman Tunde Mohammed told Reuters by telephone.

"We cannot confirm the story, but the goat is in our custody. We cannot base our information on something mystical. It is something that has to be proved scientifically, that a human being turned into a goat," he said.

Belief in witchcraft is widespread in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Residents came to the police station to see the goat, photographed in one national newspaper on its knees next to a pile of straw.

(Reporting by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

Build your own milker instructions

Build your own milker instructions here...

More notes...

From: http://www.mohairconnection.com/goathealth.htm

FEED

As a general rule, we feed grain year around -l lb. pound per animal per day. If you choose not to feed grain throughout the year, begin feeding ½ lb. per day when pasture is no longer available (usually October through April). Growing kids need 1 lb. of grain a day until they are one year old. In severe cold weather, feed extra grain at night to provide energy . A handy measuring container is a margarine tub. One "fill" is a pound. Goats are fussy eaters when it comes to cleanliness - if their grain has been fouled in some way they will not touch it.

For pregnant does, we feed 1 lb. of grain per day until the last four weeks of gestation, at which time we gradually increase feed to 1½ lb. per day and keep them at that level until kids are weaned. (Do not overfeed during early gestation since this can result in kids that are too large boned to be delivered.) For does with twins or triplets, we increase grain to 2 lbs. per day and keep an eye on them. If they look like they are getting too thin, we increase the grain, or vice versa. You get the idea.

We have our grain ration mixed in 1,000 lb. lots. Here is the "formula" (with rounded percentages) for a 12% protein feed: 350 lb. (36%) cracked corn, 300 lb. (32%) rolled barley, 150 lb.(16%) whole oats, and 150 lb. (16%) 38% Dari Blend, which is cracked and mixed with 5 lb BioBaby Premix (kelp fortified with other plant based minerals), 5 lb. PYK (a yeast culture that feeds the rumen microbes), 10 lb. Icelandic kelp, 25-30 lb. diatomaceous earth, 160 lb. (17%) liquid molasses and .4% ammonium chloride (to prevent urinary calculi in males). The Biobaby Premix, PYK and Icelandic kelp are nutritional supplements that we buy from Midwestern Bio-Ag (as well as our diatomaceous earth) . We also feed kelp free choice. Kelp has just about every nutrient in it that a goat needs. You’ll be astounded how the animals fight over it.

When making any change in grain "formulas", or when beginning grain in the fall or ending grain in the spring, do so very slowly to allow the rumen to adjust. Similarly, introduce any new food very slowly.

As to hay, a mixed grass hay is best for goats. Alfalfa is too rich and will cause all kinds of health problems and diarrhea. During severe cold weather, feed the poorest hay you have—this stimulates the rumen, which acts as the goats’ "furnace"
.
Also, allow some bedding to build up during the coldest months of the year—the urine and feces provide healthy heat. Goat urine and feces do not smell — although you may notice an ammonia smell in the Spring just before you clean the barn. In this event, sprinkle a liberal amount of barn lime about and that will take care of it. Goat urine and feces do not contain urea, and for this reason the bedding can be used to directly on your garden for fertilizing and mulching and will not burn plants. A healthy goat will produce feces that look like black, shiny marbles

.Make sure that your goats have mineralized salt (the kind sold for sheep—not the kind sold for cattle) available free choice. (It can be tricky figuring out where to put the mineralized salt feeder so they can’t poop in it!) We feed a salt/Icelandic kelp mix and have observed an increase in overall sturdiness as well as fleece quality since we added this to our nutritional regime. If you don’t have a source, ask us about it.