[McFrosty]

Hi all, I got some new girls at the weekend, three toggenburg girls 8 weeks old (Charlotte, Emily and Anne). They are settling in wonderfully but two questions.....
1. Charlotte has a manky ear where she was tagged. Just one side and she seems fine in herself. It is oozey and producing discharge. I have cleaned it all and removed the crusty bits and put antibiotic powder on..... What else should I do? The tags were done prior to me arriving to pick them up. I really can't stand tags  
2. Is it weird that Esme (my milker) milk production has nearly doubled in the course of five days ? She must think they are babies that want feeding..... (they are weaned). Always the mum of the herd

[jaykay]

I pour teatree oil on our goat and lamb ears when we tag - I'm sure it stings a bit but it keeps it clean while it heals. Superdrug do quite a cheap one. Can pour a bottle into a bottle of surgical spirit too - seems to work as well and goes further.
Hopefully the same will help your new goat's ear.
Lol on Esme  

You realise, of course, that we will be requiring pics of new cute goat kids 

[plumseverywhere]

Re: question 2 - I had a young female goat, never mated, come into milk as soon as we took new lambs into the paddock next to the goats. She is now milking 3 pints a day as a maiden milker. my MIL swears its linked to 'babies' being onsite!!

[little blue]

how exciting, new additions!

Our Max has a manky ear... he was tagged a while back, but its become infected and he REALLY HATES me going anywhere near it so its a bribe and a quick spray in his case!!

wish the proximity of her own babies and the forever-bleating lambs next door would encourage Geraldine to give us abit more milk, she ever so tight with it!

[plumseverywhere]

really don't like their ears touched do they? I suppose its one of the first places they 'nip' on each other when they bicker over hay or feed.
I wonder then if my little saaenen girl was always destined to be a maiden milker? I'd put it down to the lambs being so vocal but having said that, if they crawl under the electric fence into the goat paddock vannah is first in line to prod them up the bum back under the fence lol 

[Anke]

Isn't 8 weeks quite early for weaning? Mine are 10 weeks now and still getting 1.5ltrs a day from the bottle - but hen I am a softie with my (goat)kids....

Hope they settle in well, and yes, disinfect the ear regularly (either use the colourless spray or a Savlon solution). They can get infected at any time, it just takes a tight head squeezing through the fence, and you are back to that one....

[ballingall]

8 weeks is quite early for weaning- they generally grow on better with having milk for longer. However, some goat mum's will only produce milk for 8 weeks!

Regarding Esme coming into milk- some goats are more maternal than others, and will start producing milk for other babies. I once had a milker whose milk production would go up by half a litre every time another goat kidded. She would lean over the pen gazing at the kids, and so wanting them for herself.

Equally well, I have also know dogs start to produce milk for kittens in need as well......

Beth

[Roxy]

Weaning at 8 weeks?  Not on your life says Finlay, Catrina and Jinty, and Lily who is even older ......they enjoy their bottles

[McFrosty]

I realise that most smallholders let the wee ones wean later but these kids came from a commercial herd where they are always weaned at 8 weeks. I won't be doing that with my own kids ( next spring if all goes to plan). Can't always get everyone to work the same way ..... They are big healthy girls who are now getting lots of good food and veg and lots of lovely grazing and plenty of hay.... Hopefully all will be well ....

[Roxy]

I am sure they will be fine with plenty of food.  Lots of people wean kids very early and then sell them, and some new owners do not give them milk, and they seem to get by ok.

I will be pleased to wean my gang .....save a bit of time on work mornings!