The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: ballingall on February 03, 2013, 11:35:12 am
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So what's everyone up to this month with your goats?
Beth
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Vaccinating,cleaning,feeding,foot trimming and wandering when the kid is gona pop out :excited:
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Lol, when's she due Carl?
I have just finished mucking out the 'big' pen (haven't been to wash yet, so I still smell very ripe!). This has meant we can do a reshuffle round the goat shed, in advance of kidding. Don't have any due this month, but 4 due in march, all have 6 weeks roughly to go.
So, last years kids got moved into the big pen, Kia and Kola got moved into the pen the kids vacated as it is bigger than the one they were in, and Rula and Rima were split into a pen each, as that is them both with 6 weeks to go. Mum went and vaccinated a friends goats this morning, so we will do ours tonight as well while the vaccine is nice and fresh.
I need to start work this month on this springs project's, which are tweaking the fencing around the mini paddock, putting in a field gate to it, and also getting a new billy shed sorted out!
Beth
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Unsure when she's due as she lived with the billy but the ex owner says about march
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I've just popped Puffin on the milking stand to see if she can play a part in Its Baaath Time while we wait for Savannah to be a maiden again (or not if thats the case!). Puffin still has some milk in her udder and stood really well considering we've let her just feed Sixpence and not milked her for us till now.
Will see how we go, she's in really good condition so don't think it will be harmful for her to be milked a bit for a short while :)
Other than that - feet trimming more often than normal for some reason?! suffering with mud, swapping goats into drier paddock, praying poached land will look better soon, enjoying watching them in the sunshine
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CAE test on Tuesday, first lot of booster vaccinations (two are due to kid in March) and another go at foot trimming (still lots of shelly hoof ??? ). Probably setting up a "maternity wing" in the haybarn, as it looks increasingly unlikely that the new extension will be ready in time for the first two kidders....
I am down to two milkers still in milk (they are running through), and have found that the 4 litres per day are just a lot less than I could use... (at the moment I would still have time to make cheese)...
Plums - definitely worth milking Puffin, she may even go up as the days get longer again. She will probably milk through the summer, maybe not as much as she would have if she had been stripped out daily since kidding, but should be ok!
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I hope so Anke - going to be giving it my best shot. Her teats are diddy!! not going to be easy but have done it once before and intend to again ;) Savannah on the other hand has a nice sized udder and large teats, hope she starts producing again march time!
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On hoof duty mainly, we too have had a problem with shelly hoof, and poor Enid had a dreadful case of rot but she is Sound now!
I bought a new to me product by Teisen (?) called hoof gel. It is a mixture of chelated copper and zinc plus some other stuff and you can just paint it on. It is a miracle worker in my opinion! :thumbsup:
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I bought a new to me product by Teisen (?) called hoof gel. It is a mixture of chelated copper and zinc plus some other stuff and you can just paint it on. It is a miracle worker in my opinion! :thumbsup:
May just have to try this - otherwise I am worried that my hoofs will not be in "show" condition at all this year... But I have also gone back to feeding seaweed powder more regularly.
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I don't know if it will cure shelly hoof as such, but it has certainly cleared up the worst foot rot I have shamefully ever had in an animal. We tried 3 antibiotics, foot baths etc but in the end a very thorough paring (took back more than I have ever dared before) and a good painting of this stuff and she has been sound as a pound :relief:
It cost about £12 a pot, and comes with a free applicator ; a paintbrush! So not bank breaking to try it ;)
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Where did you get it from CW? I'd like to try it too. :) Is seaweed good for hooves then Anke? I hadn't realised that...must buy another pot!
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Where did you get it from CW? I'd like to try it too. :) Is seaweed good for hooves then Anke? I hadn't realised that...must buy another pot!
I got mine from Mole Valley Farmers but hang on a tick.......
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........
http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/teisen-hoofcare-gel-400g?add=1721459&quantity=1 (http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/teisen-hoofcare-gel-400g?add=1721459&quantity=1)
I don't know if they deliver everywhere, but I'm sure you can google other suppliers :thumbsup:
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Thank you :)
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Re seaweed: It is just a general feed supplement, loads of iodine, trace elements, and I sprinkle on a little maybe a couple of times a week. (We ordered a huge bag ages ago...) The Americans feed it ad lib in a "serve yourself" box. Was told at some point that it is good for shelly hoof, but in moderation as it could also cause excessive hardening of the hoof... Jury probably out on it...
Have to say that mine are not lame with it, it is just unsightly.
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Thnk I'll give that hoof gel a go. I'll also get some seaweed. I presume the stuff that is sold for horses will be the same as for goats.
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I'll also get some seaweed. I presume the stuff that is sold for horses will be the same as for goats.
Yes
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Thank you, Anke.
Mine have also been CAE tested as Pom should be off on her honeymoon next week.