12″ of snow fell on December 9th, 2018!! How beautiful!!
The snow does make the farm chores more difficult but I still LOVE it!!!
The goats do not like it as much as I do. They prefer their individual cozy stalls with clean/dry shavings. They stay in during rain or snow but I let them out for 30 minutes to ‘play’ in it.
UPDATE 1/11/19: They didn’t eat it at first but finally started eating it and are now going through a 33.3 pound block every two weeks.
Our two bucks have had a stressful rut season and have lost a lot weight. Particularly, MLRT Caesar, who rarely stops pacing the fence line. He doesn’t take time to eat! Their fecals are great with very, very low EPG so it isn’t internal parasites.
We have always grained the boys twice daily and they have free choice hay, loose minerals, cobalt, and copper sulfate. And they keep great weight and superb growth outside of the rut season. However, we just started using a Dumor Goat Block that is like a grain but has a 10-12% salt content which serves as a “limiter” to keep them from overeating it. It is a soft block that holds together well yet allows them to eat it easily. The idea is to let them eat 24/7 when they feel like it and maybe they will consume more calories.
We now have frozen semen available!
Both MLRT Caesar and MLRT Hiro were collected today! Capra-Gia (Mark Stevens & Brandon Leigh) did a good job getting mine and 13 other bucks collected at Old Cedar Ranch in Chester, SC. We are very grateful to Perry Troutman for hosted the collection at his farm, Old Cedar Ranch, in Chester, SC.
The boys on deck!
MLRT Caesar and MLRT Hiro. If only you could catch a whiff of what this smelled like in person. Two very rutty bucks in an enclosed trailer! Both ready to work for sure!
MLRT Hiro; he really does have a gorgeous head. LOL
One of Perry Troutman’s bucks OCRB KYLO REN
The view of Perry’s backyard from the barn. I loved the Christmas lights on the palm trees!
Parasite Resistance is Real. Be informed. Know when & how to treat.
By utilizing the McMaster method of testing fecals along with judging the goat’s appearance, appetite and FEMACHA, we are able to determine if/when to treat, which goat to treat, and which medication and ultimately know if the treatment was successful. We do whole herd testing twice a year and individual testing as needed. We also retest any goat that was medicated 10-12 days post medication to ensure a 95-99% reduction. Anything less 95% is considered ‘resistant’ and the treatment method should be researched for modifications.
I just used my new Am-Scope 40-2500X LED Lab binocular Compound and love it!!
This tool is a must-have to properly manage livestock animals. We use it for our dairy goat herd to determine when to treat for internal parasites and also to check on the efficacy of the medications used to treat them with. Knowing when to treat and if the treatment is successful is critical to maintaining a healthy herd.
This is my THIRD microscope and I REALLY wish I would have purchased this one first. HINT: do not scrimp on this device. You get what you pay for! And how much nicer this scope is than the previous two! The clarity, easy of use for the mechanical stage, focus and eye pieces. LOVE IT!!
We had a great time at the Raleigh State fair again this year!
We took 5 goats (2 milkers, 3 doelings)and they won two 2nd, one 3rd, and two 4th places in the very competitive classes!!!! 
I am very happy with the their placings!
Awesome placings for my girls!! The classes were huge and the competition was amazing.
The girls relaxing at the 2018 Raleigh State Fair.
