We interrupt your normally scheduled Saturday, update Sunday

With the first Tornado of the Kansas season.







It ran north of the Neophyte homestead, but is headed for the farmstead. Wonderful! We are preparing for hail and straight line winds here. I had to introduce Murrial to the others sooner than I had planned on. Sure, they smell each other through the fence, but haven't been placed together. I had to open up the barn to everyone so that they could get out from the upcoming storm, which should be here in about 30 minutes.







Murrial is stronger than Mama, but Mama has horns and knows how to use them. I am concerned about eye damage. Murrial pushed our oldest heifer, Uma, out of the way. Uma is a lot like her Mama, and trying to be the next alpha female, but Murrial put her in her place.







I think they should be ok together.







Here is the storm from my porch







Doesn't look like much here, but trust me, it will be a decent one.







UPDATE



Hail!
Small hail, but plenty of it.




We are waiting on another storm. The TV promises a long night.

Morning!

A few tornadoes popped up around us. I think the total was four, but I haven't checked the local news yet for the official count. The cold front is through, so we should be done with the storms for now. And it is officially Swing Season. For those new to my blog, Swing Season is a term that we use to describe that time of year that Mother Nature can't make her mind up on, neither winter nor spring, summer nor fall. And it is the time of year that Kansas gets nailed with tornadoes.

We are also in drought. But the storm last night should have lifted the burn ban for a few days. Thank goodness, I need to burn.

Murrial seems to have found her spot in the herd. Not sure what the order is yet, we will officially find that one out when she is included in the milking. Who gets first choice in the stanchion. She is hanging out in the pen with the group now. Unfortunately I have to separate her from the herd, just until her training is closer to be done. She has to come when called before I will let her out into the field.

All is well. Hope my other Kansas readers fared well.

Woe is me

Apparently I have decided that Friday will be a very bad day. No, don't try to change my mind, I have already made up my mind.

I messed up my ankle rather well yesterday. Luckily I have a bone doctor in the house that proceeded to giggle and make jokes about my pain. (this is where I cross my arms and huff). Ice, an ace bandage, elevated foot and anti-inflammatory where prescribed.

I hurt so much last night, that I repetitively woke myself up crying out and leg throbbing. Even this morning I am having a whole lot of trouble with it. Now let's top in off with this wonderful head cold I seem to have discovered in the middle of the night. The ache in my joints is not making this injury feel any better.

I might whine, complain, and gritch, but I still have many things to do.

I pulled Murrial's treats yesterday because she wasn't coming over, even though I was the two feet away she required. It seemed to have done the trick, because when I went out to milk, she made her way up to the barn. I gave her the treats. She is still weary, but she needs those treats.

ok I need to go ice my ankle again, maybe soak in a bath as well. Wish there was more to tell you. If you got a subject you would like more info on next week, let me know. Otherwise we are going to talk about caring for newborn goats.

Week One

We have had slow process with Murrial this week. She isn't as brazen as my Dexter's, and this will take longer. But I do have a full month before she's due to give birth. I will take my time.


When she first arrived she wouldn't have anything to do with me. She wanted to be out in the field so badly. I don't blame her, that is what she is use to. The first two days she would pace the back of the corral, nervous about my presence. Now she stands up and watches me, her ears perked in curiosity. She knows that I have the treats now.

Murrial doesn't like the barn, wants little to do with it. I move the treat bucket closer to it everyday. I didn't see the set up of where she came from, but I don't believe she had anything to do with a building, at least for not anything pleasant.

Murrial is now at the point, that she will eat her treats with me standing there. But, I have to be on the other side of the fence, at least 2 feet away, and one of my other ladies has to be present. My gals could care a flying kick about the new girl, except Mama. Now this is funny. My bully of a cow, the one that likes to threaten me, and push around all the other cows, has been sucking up to me. Since I have been paying so much attention to Murrial, Mama has been allowing me to scratch her, and she is eating out of my hand without the head shake. She is a changed woman I tell you. (she wants more treats)

Where was I? Oh yes, Murrial allowing me near her. While she is eating she keeps one of those huge eyes on me at all time, but if I am smooth in my movements, I can get next to the fence and lay my hand on it. Yesterday I carefully scratched her head. She took it for a moment, lifted her head and sniffed me before taking a step back. This is real progress. She is learning that I am the one with the tasty treats, and after a time, when she is ready and desperate, she will put up with me. After the putting up with, she should accept me as a calf, and milking can commence.

And it is so odd having a cow with a light pink tongue. I am so use to the black of my gals.

The Good Neighbor came over the other day. Did I mention that his Boer Kidded twins? They are adorable. Good Neighbor told me that he may not be a cattle man, but Murrial was one good looking cow. And I couldn't agree more.

I think it is time you learned about the birds and the bees

If mom and dad haven't had this talk with you, go ask them now. I will wait for you.

Gross! Right? Way too much info coming from your parents. But it is more accurate than the junk your friends will tell you. Most of them lie about it anyway (friends, not parents well. . . sometime they do to) So now that you have the basics down, let's get a little nitty gritty and talk about going into heat.

Heat in a doe seems to come on awfully young, but you don't want to breed them until they are at least 10 months old. So keep them away from your bucks. 15-18 months in an ideal age for their first breeding. 10 months is fine, anything younger and you are looking at kid death, difficult births, stunting the does growth, and poor milk production. Your doe can have anywhere between 1-4 babies, and they tend to repeat themselves. Some breeds will have more kids as in multiples as they get older, so be prepared. She may start off having one, and in later years popping out 4. The prime age that a doe can reproduce is 3-6 years. After that they are old biddies.

Does are seasonal breeders. Typically only going into heat in the spring and fall. If you have a choice, breed them in the fall so that you can have lush greens available for the doe and her new kids in the spring. Feeding is cheaper that way. Heat only lasts 1-3 days, in intervals of 17-21 days. So pay attention if you don't have your own buck, you have to catch it fast!

I have heard and read over and over that your doe will be loud and demanding once she is in heat. That was true in my mutt goat Trina.

However my unicorn is always loud and demanding.

Signs to watch for are constant wiggling of the tail, being loud and demanding, spotting blood, and labia swollen. A good test to this is to touch her upper thigh, next to her rear. If her tail stays in the air she is in heat, if the tail quickly goes down, she is not.

Gestation lasts 5 months minus 1 day. Don't allow your goat to get fat. If you are not milking her, don't grain her. Over weight goats will have kidding problems. If she has a lot of milk, feed her grain and top quality hay, until kidding. If she has a little milk, stop milking her 2 months before her due date. Trim her hooves, shear her if she is a fiber goat, give shots and worm her 6-8 weeks prior to birthing.

You want to be careful of Ketosis. This is a drop in blood sugar content. Make sure she is fed and exercises regularly. Feeding her molasses during the last 2 months of pregnancy will help. Do not overfeed her or underfeed her. If you see that she is disinterested in food, constantly pressing her head against something, grinding her teeth or wondering aimlessly, contact your vet.

BABIES ARE COMING!

There are a few signs of a kidding that happen within a month to a few weeks. You want to look for a full udder and a clear vaginal discharge (not the pus looking one that happens a month before birthing) Kidding can happen up to a week earlier than her due date.

A month before her due date, I would place her in a separated section of your land, close to her shelter. Goats aren't picky, and will drop their kids off anywhere. You'll have to go round them up out in your field asap if that happens. You can lose them to the cold and to predators. A goat that is higher up in the herd will be pickier than a lowly one. Give her a lot of hay, and clean water in a small bucket. You don't want her to drop that kid in the water.

We have all heard that goats give birth early in the morning. Unfortunately many of us seem to have goats that get their days and night confused. Patch gave birth in the early evening. Most of the time goats want to be left alone during the kidding process, while sometimes you have a more pet like doe and she feels more comfortable with you around. Try not to interfere with the process. If they have a herd, make sure that she can see the herd, it will reassure her.

When hard labor begins, she will pant, lie down, stand up and call out. This can last for several hours, with her just hanging out and chewing in between.

When you can see the kid showing, check what is coming out first. It should be the front feet and only 2 of those. The head should be resting on them. This can take up to an hour, if things seem to be moving right along, let it be. But if it seems to be going a little slow, go ahead and clear off the kids nose and mouth. Yep, right where it hangs.

Time to Help!

There are times that you might have to help your doe out with the birthing process. If you know that the water has broken, and it has been 2 hours and no kid, wait no longer than 30 additional minutes before helping. If your doe is acting exhausted, wait no more than an additional 15 minutes.

Now for the fun part.

If the kid is presenting, but seems stuck, your going to have to help. Most the time it is as simple as pulling the kid down gently with each of your goats contractions. But, if your kid is in the wrong post ion, you gonna haft to go in. Wash your arms and hands thoroughly. Scrub those nails out good. And oil yourself up. Now your are physically ready, mentally, well. . . you are just going to need to go for it. Remember that the life of your kid is on the line here.

If you see the front feet but no head, you can correct that easily. Reach in, find the head and gently straighten it out. If the kid it upside down, gently rotate her into the correct position. Breech births should go smoothly, but if it rump first, you will need to push the kid back in, and find the feet. Guide them to the exit, and gently pull down with each of your goats contractions.

If no kid is showing after the 2 hours after the water has broken, you will need to go fishing. If her cervix isn't open, call the vet. Before you go in there, you will need to do a little massaging so that you don't tear anything.

If you see 3 or 4 feet emerging, you probably have more than one kid wanting to get out. You know how children are. Push one back up, and assist the first one out.

If you have birthing problems for 2 consecutive years, you might want to think about butchering the goat. It will not get any better.

Give your doe warm water to drink after kidding. Add molasses if you have it.

Leave the afterbirth alone. It will come out on it's own and may take some time doing that.

Hope that helps some of you, hasn't disgusted some of you and a question from a few of you.

Would you like goat with that?

As many of you have noticed by now, I am no longer writing for Woman Not Dabbling in Normal. You can still catch the other ladies, and now a man or two on Not Dabbling in Normal.

Here are a few more tidbits for you first timers.

Many books will tell you that goats are not social animals. I was very surprised the first time I read that, and I saw it over and over in many different goat specific books. But let us not get confused between needy and social. Goats are very social, they play, they protect each other, and they are happier when they have a play mate, no matter the goats age. The majority of the time a goat isn't needy, or clinging to a companion, like sheep do. A goat needs someone or something to play with, be it another goat, a cow, a sheep, your kids or yourself. Don't just stick a goat out in your yard by herself and only deal with her at milking and feeding times. Go out and play with her if she is alone, and no, chickens don't count.

When you buy your first goat, make sure to find out how the owners move her. The preference would be a goat that has been trained to lead. Usually this is a dog collar and a lead rope. You don't want to have to carry her or grab her by the horns. If you don't have a large herd, or other livestock, shaking a grain can will work as well. Just don't get trampled.

You know you can interrupt at anytime and change the subject for the day.

Escape artists. Goats test fences. You can stop that by using a Y shaped tree limb. Place their head between the V of the Y shape and tie it. Not to choke or be super uncomfortable. This make it almost impossible for them to squeeze through holes or jump over fences. It will take a good 6 weeks before they are broke of this. Remove the yoke, and it should be over with, if not, replace it for a day or two as a reminder. If the doesn't work, picket the goat like you would a dog on a chain. All this will help you to prevent he goat from escaping. You don't want to have to reimburse your neighbor for their trees.

Tomorrow (if nothing good happens here or you change the subject) I will talk about pregnancy and kidding.

Murrial is a good strong name

I missed out on the adventure. But my husband and Medium got to go (Medium is my middle son). They left home around 9 am, off to Missouri. This was the first time Medium got to leave the state, and he was thrilled about it.

I don't know what really happened between here and there, except that Medium is now in awe of his father because he could feel them crossing the State Line.

Medium managed to take a few pictures for me, before falling asleep during the 4 hour drive.

There are more, most of them are of snow.

They made the long trip and arrived at Nile Valley Farm. Turns out that the animal we were after, were all gone. Someone showed up the day before and bought them out. The rancher I guess felt bad that we had traveled all that way, after just one, that he took my husband out into the fields and showed him a few of his breeding stock, the worst of his best. If ya know what I am saying. A deal was struck, a very good deal I might add, and they were headed home.

The rancher has some very special awards. Out of 247 farms, his animals have won first place many times. I had no idea of this when I set up a time to come out. I am stoked! Not only are these animals the best, but I managed to get one that he would not have normally sold, but was willing to part with. A Top quality animal.

This is Murrial. To be honest, she doesn't have a name, but her great Dam was a Murrial, her tags proclaim Murrial, thus we dub thee Murrial.

Murrial is an American Milking Shorthorn, polled, Roan. She is 4 years old, and due to give birth in a month. The American Milking Shorthorns are on the Conservatories short list, meaning critical. ( For those of you that don't know, the Conservatory lists American Barnyard Animals that are endangered) She is 58 inches tall. This makes her larger than my Dexter (42 inches) but still in the medium sized category. She shouldn't eat too much more than our Dexter's.

After Murrial gives birth (bull= Houstus, Heifer = Courage) She should start paying for herself within a few months. I have all of that figured out, but due to legalities of my state I can't get into all that.

Murrial has spent her entire life as a breeder. She has never been touched or trained. Sound's familiar doesn't it? Just like my Dexter Dams, I will have to train her from scratch. If one is willing to do such a thing, one can save themselves a lot of money. A well trained cow that isn't being culled for various reason, can cost a pretty penny. oooohhh shinny. Something we don't really have.

Was the news worth the weekend wait? ha!