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Author Topic: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X  (Read 5125 times)

New Riverside Farm

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2017, 11:50:32 am »
They're all falling about the same size - though I expect the 2 x's will outgrow the straight guernsey a bit.

I can be set up to separate in-kids to the not in kids. We set up our barn to be common, but it is set up to allow for eventual 3 separate stalls. I know sounds strange but we built it, so put 3 doors for 3 stalls but at the moment, leave the barriers down in the stalls as there is no need to separate them. I wanted it designed this way so that if we had any in-kid on their own, they'd have their own space to sleep and eat.

The field wouldn't be though - but I didn't think that was a problem. It was more for concentrates and the ability to have her kids with her. I think I'd struggle a bit though to do 3 at one time, on many levels. The stalls whilst allowing for 3 would be less 'roomy' which can be fine but would prefer to not do 3 like that at one time. And I wouldn't really know what to do with all that milk and I am inexperienced with kidding, and would like to have a go at watching for any signs, and if there are any complications, I am too busy with one to maybe notice the other? It wouldn't be second nature to me as it would to many on here.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #16 on: December 01, 2017, 10:45:27 pm »
If you're not confident (I I don't think I would have been in the beginning) to have three in kid at once, why not one this year and two next. You will still have too much milk but can make cheese and yoghurt. If you get a separator to take off the cream, it makes lovely ice cream as well.

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2017, 07:37:44 am »
Going slightly against the grain here..

I find that if your lambing (or kidding) its as much work to check 30 ewes as checking one. Its not the checking that takes the time, its the frequency of it.  Most of lambing/kidding is just waiting around. If you have 3 kidding you'll be three times more experienced at the end of it as before. You could leave the kids on 2 of the goats too.

New Riverside Farm

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2017, 01:21:35 pm »
If you're not confident (I I don't think I would have been in the beginning) to have three in kid at once, why not one this year and two next. You will still have too much milk but can make cheese and yoghurt. If you get a separator to take off the cream, it makes lovely ice cream as well.

So by doing one now and two next year...sorry to be pedantic but what does that mean in actual dates and ages of the goats? At the moment they are only 7 months old - so cannot go for breeding at this time...I am pretty sure that is a definite. They are too young. But wasn't sure if there was some time in the Spring that might be possible? And then do the other 2 in the Autumn (2018)/Spring (2019)? Or are you saying 1 in Autumn 2018 and the other 2 in Autumn 2019? I'd want a good space between the first, and the other two - not one kidding and the others needing to be bred in the same space of time. Otherwise I am worrying about the kids on one, whilst worrying about the pregnancies of the others.

New Riverside Farm

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2017, 01:25:45 pm »
Going slightly against the grain here..

I find that if your lambing (or kidding) its as much work to check 30 ewes as checking one. Its not the checking that takes the time, its the frequency of it.  Most of lambing/kidding is just waiting around. If you have 3 kidding you'll be three times more experienced at the end of it as before. You could leave the kids on 2 of the goats too.

I am sure you are right that it will be the same amount of work. It isn't quite so much that, that is the worry - though it is still a considerable one! But mostly that I have no experience with kidding - so I need to know what to look out for, what to be concerned with - and if one is showing more obvious issues and I am focusing on it, I may miss more subtle signs with others? I want to give myself cushion room being so inexperienced, and not allow my inexperience combined with a rushed schedule to impair their health and well-being.

New Riverside Farm

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2017, 01:29:48 pm »
You will still have too much milk but can make cheese and yoghurt. If you get a separator to take off the cream, it makes lovely ice cream as well.

I will definitely be going for loads of cheese, yoghurt and ice cream (have an ice cream maker so ready there)!!! Can't wait for that! : ) But I'll need to learn about separators!

Talana

  • Joined Mar 2014
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2017, 02:13:18 pm »
they don t necessary be kidding at the same time, goats tend to be seasonal breeders especially dairy goats, in season from about september to february. So if your goats are goatlings in 2018 then you could put one in kid the first season and another one depending on when it comes in season a bit later same with the third. When in kid you are supposed to give them their vaccination booster about a month to 6 weeks before you kid so antibodies are in the colostrum so if they are spread out you need 2 bottles. Also with different age kids they will get their vaccinations at different times. You can kid a older kid but in my experience not younger than 15 months. Also they do need extra care. You can go 1 each year but occaisonally older goats kidding for the first time increases chance of problems especially if too fat. Generally especially as you have guernseys and first kidders they will only have enough milk for their kids perhalps a little to spare especially as you start to wean the kids so unlikely to be awash with milk but it does depend on genetics. Also the advantage of goats over sheep you know which day they are mated so can predict the week around 152 days they will kid. I dont know if this helps but sometimes goats have their own plans! Milking twice a day and bottle rearing the kids is the easiest option for managing dairy goats as you can feed to know yeild and split the milk evenly between kids and have the spare to yourself. in my experience leaving kids on and trying to hand milk or hand milk later can be more difficult but depends on goats preferences.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: breeding guernseys/Guernsey X
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2017, 05:56:37 pm »

If you can book yourself on Tim Tyne's lambing course - kidding and lambing are very similar and it will give you lots of confidence! I agree doing three is as much work as doing one or two, and if you have a billy on-site (maybe you can borrow one for a few weeks), but not running with the girls (as in he lives next door) you will be able to mate them individually when they are in season and will know pretty accurately when they are due to kid. Maks life a lot easier. If your house is not right next door to your goathouse I would be thinking about a camera, either linked to mobile phone or computer, so you can check without disturbing them during the night. Most goats kid during the day time - often first thing in the morning or tea time.


Do you have a friendly goatkeeper nearby who may be able to contact you when a goat is due to kid and you can see the whole thing? Also lambing being very similar  a sheep would be ok too.

 

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