Update from the Goat Pen

Yep, the goats and I are still around.  However, the goat farmer has been experiencing a whirlwind schedule, which leaves little time for blogging!  Here is an update from the goat pen:

The goats are enjoying frequent scraps from the compost bucket.  Last week, Edna weighed 47 pounds and Elly May weighed 52 pounds!

Edna is now weaned!  Not having to heat up a bottle makes the morning routine go much faster!

I am also trying to wean Elly May.  She is about 15 weeks now, so it is the perfect time to wean.  But look at this picture...She nurses every chance she can get!  Right now, she is separated at night then let out after I milk in the morning.  I pen her up during the day and she takes a "bedtime" sip after the evening milking.  The system is working well.  Without Elly May, Charlotte is producing over 8 pounds (a gallon) of milk a day!

With all of that milk, I am experimenting with some cheeses.  I finally created an excellent curd from the milk.

Here is some feta cheese I made that is aging overnight in a salt-water brine.

I have also been working on getting the goats registered.  I have the paperwork sent in, now I am just waiting for the registrations to be processed!

Until next time...

Bottle-Feeding Re-visited

Edna and Elly May are growing day-by-day!

Edna is already 10 weeks old and weighs about 30 pounds.  Just six more weeks of bottle feeding!

Elly may is 7 weeks old and at least 30 pounds, too!

Even after bottle feeding for 2 months, I am still tweaking my methods:

With Charlotte milking in both the morning and evening, I typically feed Edna the warm milk directly after I milk.  For the mid-day (2:00pm feeding), I heat a little bit of milk from the fridge in a bottle.  Elly May gets it easy by nursing!  However, Charlotte still doesn't let her nurse very much, so I try to encourage it by holding her still so Elly May can get a sip!

I have been using the lamb nipples, as Edna seems to like the larger nipple.  However, these nipples pop off easily causing milk to pour out of the bottle!  I am trying a new nipple which is designed for the a lambar (bucket feeder).  It has a hole instead of a slit like the lamb nipple.  It is also made of a heavier plastic.  It is a little harder to get on the bottle, but it is definitely makes for a more pleasant bottle-feeding experience.

Raising a goat is an interesting endeavor, always something to learn, research, and experiment!

As a side note, I sprinkled peppermint essential oil on the milking stand in an attempt to combat the flies.  A friend recommended washing down the stand with peppermint soap, but I didn't have any on hand so out came the essential oils!  Hopefully those pesky flies with stop bothering me and Charlotte during our special milking time!

Frustration

My sister and I were discussing the word “frustration” today.  We were talking about how it is an abstract word which is difficult to precisely define.  Frustration comes in many shapes and sizes.  The New Oxford American Dictionary defines frustration” as “the feeling of being upset or annoyed, esp. because of inability to change or achieve something.”  I especially relate to the last part of the definition…“because of the inability to change something!”  Yesterday brought a situation that I was powerless to change, yet it frustrated me.

I woke up early Saturday morning looking forward to a relaxing, restful day.  It had been a long week of learning to milk and care for the goat, and I had carefully planned to get up and milk then go snuggle back in bed.  Ha!  The life of a “farmer?”  Anyway, I prepared the scale, milk strainer (which consists of paper towel on top of a pitcher right now), the iodine teat wash, and the bottle for Edna.  7:30 am and I am out the door. 

The night before had been “perfect.”  Charlotte had eaten all of her food and we had a lot of fun directly squirting the milk into our mouths (nothing like milk straight from a teat!).  Well, I went out to milk and Charlotte would NOT eat her food.  She nibbled a little bit, but she is supposed to eat 2 quarts!  Then, she just laid down on the milking stand.  I set the little bit of milk I had milked outside of the goat pen because the kids were trying to drink out of the bowl.   Another uh-oh: The puppies came bounding up to the milk bowl and spilled most of it!  Frustrated, I next tried bottle-feeding Edna.  She has always had a voracious appetite, but this morning hardly sucked.  Why do I worry myself silly over these ridiculous goats, I thought to myself!  So much for my relaxing morning.  I did go back to bed, but it was more in retreat than in relaxation.

I thought I would try giving her more grain later.  I tried, but still she didn’t eat.  More frustration—I couldn’t change the situation.  I noticed Charlotte laying on her side in the goat pen.  I tried to keep from over-reacting, but I didn’t know if skipping a meal and laying down funny was serious or not.  Did she have some sort of “disease?”  Was the weather changing?  Could Charlotte sense something I could not?  Did I need to give her any type of medicinal “boost?”

Dinner-time rolled around.  Charlotte only ate a handful of grain.  I called the farm where I purchased Charlotte and they graciously told me to just wait.  It is probably the heat, they told me.

Thankfully, this morning and evening Charlotte ate about a quart of grain at each feeding!  She still needs to eat more, but at least she has an appetite.  Edna drank her milk, too. 

What I learned from my frustration:  A friend was recently explaining about worrying about new animals.  She explained about having a lot of “head knowledge” but only a tiny bit of “experience.”  I must gain the experience in order to truly understand what is worth concern.  I learned a little bit more about the nature of frustration, more about how Charlotte reacts to weather changes, and how to trust the Lord in all situations (like when the goat doesn't eat!).

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6&7

Got Milk?

My #2 reason for owning a goat is for the excellent milk production. (My #1 reason, of course, is to enjoy the goat adventure!)  Goats produce more milk for their body weight than cows (from what I have read).  The entrepreneur in me understands that that is a better return on my investment.  I have "milky" dreams of drinking cool glasses of yummy milk and even trying to make soft cheeses.  

The ironic aspect of raising a "bottle-baby," is that I first have to put milk "in" to one day make milk come "out!"  Edna doesn't seem to be gaining as much weight as I would like her too (she is maybe a pound or two under weight).  So, I have started adding a little bit more fat to her diet.  There is a common bottle-feeding recipe circulating using whole milk, buttermilk, and evaporated milk.  I poured out about 1/3 of the whole gallon, then added the can of evaporated milk and a cup of buttermilk.  I refilled the gallon with the milk I had poured out, shook it up, heated it up, and fed it to the goat!  Hopefully, it will help her gain weight at a steady pace now!

 Poor Edna!  She had to wait to be fed until I took this picture for the blog!

 Got Milk?  Yum! Yum!

The other excitement of the day consisted of getting a new collar!  Edna now has a sporty pink collar which is a lot stronger than her previous ribbon around her neck.  She is getting quite zippy when I open the gate and sometimes needs to be puuuuullllled back into safety!

 Edna happened to be munching on a flower in this picture!

The permanent shelter in the goat pen isn't up yet, so she is still sleeping in a dog crate filled with hay on the front porch!  I still have a heat lamp on her, not because it gets that cold at night, but because I like the warm, comforting glow as a night light shining in the window!

Edna is ready for bed!

Thoughts for the Day

Springtime is here, hopefully to stay!  The day was glorious: a deep blue sky with lazy, wispy clouds floating overhead, a wonderful temperature of 75 degrees, and bursting wildflowers scattered on the lush grass carpet.

As I sat outside, rubbing the puppies tummies and petting Edna, I thought of how much I enjoy being with the animals.  I thought of my amazing Creator who made them.  I also remembered how God strictly warns us about worshiping the creation:

"They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."  Romans 1:25

When I enjoy the animals, they remind me of the amazing Artist and Designer who made them.  Instead of worshiping the animals, I worship the One who made them!

Today I gave Edna her first dose of wormer.  I mixed up the herbs with a little bit of water in a plastic Dixie cup.  Then I sucked up the herbs into the syringe and squeezed the mixture into Edna's mouth.  I am not sure she got the full dose, Edna had a green mustache afterwards and I had herbal mixture running down my sleeve!  Oh well, I am planning to repeat the process again soon.  (The herbal wormer I am using has two parts.  One is a strong formula to be given every several weeks.  The other is a "maintenence" formula to be given every week.  I gave the weaker, "maintenence" formula today and plan to give the strong formula later this week.)

 

The Wormer

 The Drench Syringe

Ahhh...the empty milk bottle.  It seems that I keep leaving these things around and finding them hours later!  On a fence post, on top of the dog food barrel, next to the sink... Goat care is an endless adventure!

Bottle Feeding Basics

Bottle feeding a goat is lots of fun.  But it is a "life-consuming" task.  Although I have written a little bit about bottle-feeding in previous posts, here is my routine:

Times: Four times a day, typically 7:30am, 11:30am, 3:30pm, and 7:30pm
Amount: 9 oz. per feeding, 36oz. total
Type of milk: Alternating feeding between raw goat's milk and whole cow's milk from the store
Heating the milk: Measure into a glass soda bottle, place in a small saucepan of boiling water, heat 103 degrees.

Thermometer: I have a "cool" laser thermometer to check the temperature.  I point the laser at the milk, pull the "trigger," and the digital screen tells me the temperature!

Nipple: I am still using the lamb nipple.  It has popped off a couple of times (making milk spill everywhere!), but now I just make sure to hold it on the bottle myself.
Feeding: about 5 minutes, my goat is greedy!
Other: Edna is also drinking water from a bowl, and she has crushed goat pellets available to eat.  She has hay in her pen to nibble on as well.

Crushed grain pellets (Before I crushed these with a hammer, these pellets were several inches long and about a centimeter in diameter.  Hopefully Edna will be able to eat them whole when she gets a little bigger!)

Edna has a new toy!  An old tractor tire made its way into the goat pen and Edna thinks it is great fun!

Edna likes to play in the hole...

She also runs around the rim...

Unpredictable.

I truly intended to post yesterday.  In fact, I even had the post written.  But being an aspiring goat farmer is sure to be unpredictable!

In my communication with the goat breeder where I purchased Edna,  I expressed an interest in seeing a goat give birth.  She said she would try and call me when some does were in labor.

Last night around 8:30pm, I was finishing up the day's duties.  The phone rang.  "Does in labor…Do you want to come?"  Within minutes, the car tires were crunching the dirt road while the full moon and twinkling stars smiled down.

When I arrived at the breeder's farm a little after 9pm, I found two little bucklings from two different does.  One goat that had given birth to a strong baby buckling.  The goat kid was a little bit premature, so his pointy Alpine ears were flopped down. Another doe had given birth to another buckling shortly before I arrived, but this buckling was in trouble.  His umbilical cord looked funny, and he was very lethargic.  The doe was supposed to have twins, but the second kid had not arrived.

I helped with the healthy buck.  For being only a few hours old, he was quite strong.  In the early hours after a kid is born, it is crucial for the kids to get their colostrum (a pudding-like milky substance full of antibodies and nutrients for the kid).  I fed him some out of a bottle, then helped him latch on to his dam.  The mama goat was really short, and the baby could hardly fit under her tummy to nurse.  He eventually resorted to laying down to get underneath her!

We kept waiting for the other doe to kid.  I got to feel her tight tummy, trying to feel if there was another kid or if she was contracting.  I had to leave at about 10:30pm, and there were still no more births.  However, I am still thankful for the opportunity to help with the newborn goat kids.  It was a sweet time!

Edna all cuddled up...

On the home front, I am experimenting with a new bottle-feeding schedule and some shelter changes.  I am especially trying to get the puppies to "bond" with Edna.  Although the puppies and the goat are only together with supervision, the new shelter arrangement allows them to watch each other 24/7.  Edna seems a bit more "tired" than usual, so I am watching her closely to make sure she is not getting sick or stressed from the changes!

Edna being "Protected"

Puppy and Goat Love!

Coming up next: To worm?  Or not to worm?

What's in a Name?

Edna!  Edna. Edna!  Edna?  EDNA. EdNa…

Edna

This name is shouted, whispered, and squealed around the barn almost all day long!  The cute little goat often comes bouncing towards the caller of the name.  The meaning of this Hebrew name describes exactly what I feel when I call her: "pleasure!"  Edna sure has brought much pleasure on the goat adventure!

One way Edna brings pleasure is by the way she briskly "wags" her tail while being bottle fed.  That little thing is like a fan!

Another way Edna brings pleasure is by her hopping and jumping and prancing!

Edna also brings pleasure when she is cuddled!

Edna will always be just a "goat" (hopefully a productive dairy goat!), but like her name's meaning,  she brings much pleasure!

Blessing and Goats

So the Lord alone led him, [Israel]
And there was no foreign god with him... 

He made him ride in the heights of the earth,
That he might eat the produce of the fields;
He made him draw honey from the rock,
And oil from the flinty rock; 

Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock,
With fat of lambs;
And rams of the breed of Bashan, and GOATS...

Deuteronomy 32:12-14

This verse came up in our Scripture reading today, and it seemed so appropriate!  When God blessed Jacob, He blessed him specifically with goats!  I feel that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has blessed me in a similar way.

As a side note, my parents, siblings, and I are reading through Bible in a year.  We read about 3-4 chapters per day, just enough to enjoy each day's reading, but not so much to feel overwhelmed.  It has been a great exercise and just like today's reading, it often speaks directly to the events of the day.  I have posted the link to the reading plan HERE.

Edna is going through milk like wild! She's a hungry and happy goat!  I went back to the breeder to milk Edna's mama yesterday.  It was so much fun!  Squeezing the goat's warm, squishy teats between my fingers, feeling the teat tighten, then hearing the pressurized "zing" as it streamed into the milk pail was a satisfying thrill for an aspiring goat keeper.  I was able to get about 20 oz. from the milking.  Since Edna is drinking about 8 oz. per feeding, 4 times a day, (36 oz. daily) I am starting to supplement with whole cow's milk from the store.  According to what I have read, cow's milk from the store is better than a powdered goat's milk replacer.  I plan to alternate goats and cows milk.

The weather has been lovely.  Such a wonderful change from the ice storm that had settled on our community a mere week ago.  Edna has been frolicking in the goat pen, although she doesn't like to be left alone (and she lets me know!).  Edna performs a funny little dance by rearing up on her hind-legs then flopping back down.  It is quite the show.

(You can see the reflection of the sunset in this picture!)

At a week old, I weighed Edna.  I did this by weighing myself, then weighing myself with the goat and subtracting the amounts.  She is a hearty 9.6 pounds.  Goat kids should gain about 10 pounds per month, and Edna is right on track.  

 

Next up: Disbudding Time!  Edna should be disbudded at the vet tomorrow.  I have heard it can be a uncomfortable procedure, but it is absolutely necessary if I don't want a goat with horns!

New Goat Ownership

There is something awe-inspiring about a tiny creature being entirely dependent on you.  The first full day of goat ownership was filled with many of these moments.

Edna seems to be thriving!  She frolics around the yard, her wobbly legs bouncing up and down as she chases me around.  It is amazing how she can climb (She is a goat!), and she easily jumps up into our troughs we use as flower beds.  She has also been socializing with the Pyr Pups (our twelve-week-old Great Pyrenees puppies).  "Blue Bell," the female dog, seems to be especially protective of her new "charge," licking Edna all over and showing attentive interest in her.

Kisses!

With Daylight Savings Time today, it seemed to take all day just to bottle-feed and care for the goat!  The lamb nipples are still working excellent for bottle-feeding.  I purchased them at Tractor Supply Company in a package of 3 for about $8.  I cut a tiny slit in the top of the nipple.  The milk drips out slightly when turned upside down, and it squirts out in a steady stream with the slightest bit of sucking! The nipples fit over a standard soda bottle.  I am using a glass bottle from a Mexican Coca-Cola, which makes it easy to heat the milk in the bottle.  At each feeding, the milk is heated to around 103 degrees, although I don't think Edna is too particular about the exact temperature.

Bottle Feeding! 

Edna has been guzzling down the goat's milk.  At her last feeding, she drank a whole 12 oz.!  I presume missing several meals yesterday has added to her greedy appetite...

Hungry Girl!

Shelter is still a bit of an issue.  The original "Goat Cave" on the front porch didn't seem to work out, so Edna now has a dog crate in the barn.  She has a "play yard" around her crate, but she is almost able to jump out of it.  So, if the weather stays cool, it will not be too much longer before she will be sent out to the big goat pen waiting for her!

Other points of interest:
I took her temperature for the first time, and it registered 102.7, absolutely perfect for a goat (normal temp is 102-103)!

Her nose seems a bit stuffed up, so I gave her a little bit of Probiotic paste (Acidophilus) to boost her immune system.

Taking care of a goat is hard work, but it is very rewarding!  It was a wonderful "first day!"