C&D Farming..oh what a life!

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Ok, I thought I had to feed her the rich feed....I’ll have to seriously talk to Chris. I realize the commitment, and I have no problem, if I could handle it in less time? Today he said we need the milk, because he doesn’t want to go to the store. I, not sure either of us, have realized all it takes.... The kids try to nurse off her but she kicks them off, or walks away. This is kind of why I always had to put her on the milk stand to nurse. She seems to not love nursing when she’s full. But, I can cut the feed way back...to regular pellets, oats...then we’d have enough milk for us. BUT, I’m still going to try to convince him to let me buy the milker....either way I have 7 female goats....that I’m not parting with. It would be a good investment for the long haul. He’s funny, we bought that tractor...used...he’s already spent $500 just buying a new seat and stickers and paint, etc....you know...a man and his toys...ugh

 

[farmerjan]

Give him an ultimatum. Seriously, if you want milk, then I have to be able to get the goat(s) milked. Or you are going to have to do the milking. Or you are going to have to buy milk.
And I would suggest you get a good book on raising goats and learn about the feed they require.... kinds, amounts etc., for different periods of their life/lactation. A goat or horse or cow or a sheep or any animal that is not lactating needs maintenance feed. If you go to dry up your goats you need to change the way you are feeding so their systems can dry up without causing distress and damage to their mammary system. We certainly don't feed our dairy cows the same feed all year round regardless of what stage of lactation they are in. The beef cows systems will naturally decline in milk as the calf gets older and uses less as it is eating more solid feed. Plus they are usually pregnant and the milk production will decline as the body gets ready for the next stage. But animals that are bred for dairy have had years of their genetic makeup concentrated on producing more milk, and you HAVE TO FEED APPROPRIATELY for that.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

@farmerjan ...I did put my foot down to Chris and I ordered the milker!! Yeah!! Will be here on the 20th!! So excited!! As for the feed...before this forum, I was on (the goat spot)....they were pretty mean. But, they drilled it into me how to feed them, during pregnancy, so they do gain at the beginning, then stop gaining, then gain during nursing and in milk. They told me what grains to mix, etc. I listened to everything they said because, we’ll, I was literally bullied on that forum. They had my head in a tizzy. Chris put his foot down and told me to get off of there and I found this place...and it’s been great! But I never questioned the feed, because, it was drilled into my head by so many big goat farms, dairy, regular, boar farms, etc. I plan to cut back on the rich feed, because Busty alone is making more than a gallon a day. We don’t need that much milk, and I haven’t heard back from our friend that ‘wants’ to buy it...her store is shut down, so I don’t want to bother her about goat cheese. She has bigger issues. But, we already are set to get the insurance for selling goat products. We know we’ll never make any real money...but, I don’t work..haven’t had a paying job in more than 25 years, due to my disability, so this makes me feel like I’m contributing in some way? And, if we make any money, it can go towards new farm stuff. But, not the milker...that comes out of the bank account, not the farm envelope !! Thank you soooo much, all of you, for all of your words of wisdom and for lighting a fire under my bumm. Honestly...I think when I said that you said ‘ I was doing a disservice to Busty’ by keeping her on the milk stand so long...I think that really sunk in to him... so...thank you guys..once again..this forum has helped me sooo much.... now to do some reading on feeding my girls...I suppose more alfalfa pellets....Busty will love that!

 

[farmerjan]

LESS alfalfa pellets if you want the milk to slack off. You are feeding too much high protein feed if you are wanting her to slow down her milk production. You need to get back to more natural common hays, the timothy is good for production but nothing like the high protein alfalfa. Timothy is also good as a roughage to maintain body condition and still get return. Cut back on the grain also if you want production to decrease. Many use beet pulp as a forage extender and it supplies several needed nutrients as well as being a very digestible fiber and is used as a filler as it should be fed wet and will fill the animal up quite quickly. I believe @Mini Horses uses it for her older horses as well as it helps them to gain/keep weight.
There are some basic books put out by Storey Publications on dairy goat basics. JD Belanger has written some for basic beginner stuff and it is mostly all pretty good. I have his copy of a homestead family cow or some title.... There is a dairy goat magazine that I have seen at TSC as well as some of these basic books.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

I will look those up, see if I can read them online? Can’t you do that now, pay to read it on a computer? I’m much better reading on here than a book. I though the alfalfa pellets didn’t cause them to gain weight, ie: less protein? Guess not. I have a lot of research to do because of Willy also. Some of th3 reading out there says wethers cannot have anything buy hay and minerals. Others, all over the goat spot, said that they do just fine with grain, like pellets, oats, BOSS....as long as they have a salt block...which I read was bad for their tounge. But it said having the salt will make them drink more water. I feed them all together. Not sure how to separate just one little guy?

ok, enough goat talk!! We made homemade goat milk ice cream tonight...yummy!! Easy too...you shake it in a bag. I can put up the directions if someone wants. Chris is putting together a nice greenhouse, 10x12, and another three that size!! We made a small one last year just for some tomatoes. This will be great since we can’t plant as early as the rest of you!!

He also got the pig cut out of the tin for the race care...it gets wrapped tomorrow, with our name and #.... free advertising!! The lady does want our cheese so I sent in the insurance papers to legally be covered to sell goat milk, cheese. PA is one of the 46 states that allow you to sell it raw.

Heres a couple other fun pictures from the farm today. Who knew goats love cranberry sauce?? . Oh, and the V’s helped me with my min8 pigs...the one doesn’t seem to be breed. Darn it!! But the other has an utter and she looks like she could go this week? Fingers crossed!
the one is Busty....before her nighttime milking...then two showing pregnant Petuna, and if you look close, you can see she kind of has an utter? Apparently mini pigs bag up, rather than getting a milk line? Then some chickens, the Roxy and Busty eating cranberry sauce, then the pig cut out, and the start to the green house!! ok, have a good night everyone!!

 

[Grant]

The ice cream looks great.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Why is it you didn't show me this recipe??

 

[Bruce]

I though the alfalfa pellets didn’t cause them to gain weight, ie: less protein?

I believe that alfalfa is higher protein, that is why it shouldn't be fed to alpacas. For whatever reason, they aren't supposed to do well on high protein feed. I GUESS it has something to do with how they "convert" the feed?

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Pretty sure also calcium as well if memory serves correct me if i am wrong. You generally give it to growing animals and lactating from what i have seen.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a54721/ice-cream-in-a-bag-recipe/ .....there’s the recipe for the ice cream...it was a little more runny because we used milk, but it took 7minutes, so we didn’t care. The other ones require boiling it, etc, and you don’t get to eat it until the next day!! I did a ton of readin* last night...it took me into the goat spot...but I only read...about how to feed Willy, so he doesn’t have urinary issues. Basically everyone on there said they’ve never had an issue? I find that hard to believe. I’m sure I didn’t dig deep enough. I asked a friend near us, she said she feeds grain and pellets once a day...but she’s not milking. I suppose I can just feed the moms in the milk stand...but, I can’t imagine only feeding any of them once a day!! Would break my heart!