Day 1 of Dairy Goat Farm Internship.

I am doing this blog mainly for reference...but if you find it amusing please feel free to follow me!

Topics talked a/b:

~feeding (where everything is located)

*it is easier to feed if you take all the buckets out first
*hay is in eighteen wheeler trailer/ storage
*1 flake of hay per hay bin (which is in each pen) 2 outside end pens get a whole square bale.
*'cookie crumble' recipe (3 cups fat stuff, 2 cups of the other 3 buckets)
*only milking goats get the crumbles, will cause edema in dry goats
*custom feed 1/2 scoop per goat + 1/2 if they are growing or working. ex: 3 goats = 1 1/2 scoops (all goats get this)
*once the feed bowls are set you have to wait for a free space and drop it in! Viola! Dinner served!

~kidding/birth of a baby goat/kid

*if cord breaks kid needs to come out quick due to inhalation of fluid
*kids come out 'superman style'
*shoulders can be the hardest to get out
*if a stillborn kid is first to come out complications can arise b/c they don't produce the hormones a live kid would which could cause labor to stall or not come
*once the sac breaks kids must come out
*C-sections make a goat useless :(
*to be continued

~future garden plans (for me)

*chickens; we are moving our chicken tractors out to the farm this weekend b/c Ms. Chicken is getting some friends
*saw my garden area (well what the headlights could show)
*discussed compost/ goat poop mountain
*discussed grants
*possibly doing cut flowers
*more will come after Saturday when it is day light

~brutality of farm life (sometimes you have to make business judgements)

*sometimes animals have to be put out of their misery :( end of story.

~Tags
*LE (left ear- not as you are looking but as you are the animal) the farm they were born on ID ex: Lone Palmetto Farm could be LPF
*RE (right ear- ^^^) Letter provided for you (dont quote me) number given to the animal by the farm.
*2011 letter is A... and how our farm does the number is based on the number of kids born stillborn or alive. ex: A (year) 18 (# of kids born this year)

~Goat Names
*It will take time for me to learn them all but I remember 3 as of right now Charm, Nicole, and Peek A Boo. I remember the names but placing it w/ a face..I'm not there yet..

I shadowed... mostly got in the way but they said they expect that so I'm okay w/ that. I'm so eager to get the feeding down, they (S & M) really need a break every now and then. Plus, it will allow S&M to catch up on other barn chores that need to be done. I'm also eager to start building the soil up in my garden area! Oh snap diggity...I can't wait! Tonight my goal is to feed the goats by myself. I may need a little guidance but I dreamed a/b feeding the goats all night..process just kept repeating..we'll see ;) See ya tomorrow until then I'm 'Knee Deep In'.