One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update

Another thing.
Zamia will be 1*M and Clarabelle will be 2*M.
Clarabelle is 2nd generation.
So, if Ginger does make it, then Taffy, Cocoa, will be 2*M (Opal too if she makes it).

If a doe makes it on Volume and Fat, then their sons get the *B designation.
So, if Rosie and Zamia can make it on volume then a number of Bucks will get the *B.

I think they also get AR in front of their name. So, Zamia will be :

ARCH Little Tots Estate Zamia 1*M

Congratulations; you should be very proud of your goats. I would like to do milk test some time but I wish they would let me only do a portion of my herd. Having to test 40 goats is insane and I know that some of them would never get a star so other than the data on fat, etc what's the point? I do want to install milk meters in my barn for my own records though, but those things aren't cheap. I could do one and rotate the goats onto the stanchion but some of my girls don't appreciate the change in the milking lineup.

babsbag said:

Congratulations; you should be very proud of your goats. I would like to do milk test some time but I wish they would let me only do a portion of my herd. Having to test 40 goats is insane and I know that some of them would never get a star so other than the data on fat, etc what's the point? I do want to install milk meters in my barn for my own records though, but those things aren't cheap. I could do one and rotate the goats onto the stanchion but some of my girls don't appreciate the change in the milking lineup.

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I'm pretty sure you can get Dairy One to test for fat and protein even if you aren't doing the full 305 day test.

I will have to look into that. The other thing with 305 days is that I don't want to freshen the entire herd at one time. This year I will, but ultimately my goal is to have goats in milk for a longer time by staggering the breeding from Sept. to Feb.

One thing I didn't realize with Dairy One.
When we do our tests in Dec and January, they can do pregnancy tests too.
Might be beneficial if we AI any of them.

babsbag said:

I will have to look into that. The other thing with 305 days is that I don't want to freshen the entire herd at one time. This year I will, but ultimately my goal is to have goats in milk for a longer time by staggering the breeding from Sept. to Feb.

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You don't have to freshen at the same time. You add them once they kid.
@OneFineAcre I don't remember but isn't it 45 days you have to add them?

Southern by choice said:

You don't have to freshen at the same time. You add them once they kid.
@OneFineAcre I don't remember but isn't it 45 days you have to add them?

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You do have to start by a certain days into lactation. And, you also have to complete your verification test within a certain point in lactation as well.
I'm not the certified tester in the family

I did some calculations.
I used the total lbs they had produced and divided by the number of days in lactation to come up with their average daily output.

I then compare that to the last test. I think my girls are pretty steady at this point in lactation. Of course, maybe I've got my barn goggles on.

So, Clarabelle has averaged 2.7 lbs per day for 173 days and produced 2.5 lbs on day 173.


Goat Avg Daily Prod Days in lactation Last Test Prod

Clarabelle 2.7 173 2.5
Coco 2.9 184 2.5
Ginger 2.7 182 2.4
Opal (FF) 1.7 200 1.7
Rosie 2.7 181 2.9
Shea(FF) 2.2 161 1.8
Taffy 3.3 179 3.2
Zamia 3.1 177 2.8

2lbs = 1 quart
3lbs = 1.5 quart

So it looks like Matthew is going to come a little further North before he turns
We are getting soaked with rain
Wind isn't too bad but gusting pretty good
Bad thing is we have already lost power and haven't seen the worst winds
We are moving the Bucks into the stalls in the girls barn

stay safe!