February 27, 2009

A Warm, Lazy Afternoon with Attitudes

Yesterday was 70 degrees, overcast and a bit of wind. Before the rain and storms came in I thought I would spend some one on one time with a few of the critters. I miss spending time with them. Guess they were mad at me for abandoning them while I was under the weather.

Angus is not interested in having his photo taken. He also wanted nothing to do with me which is very unusual. The boys normally rush the gate to get their pets and find out what mom may have for them.

From left to right Kirby, Kelly(black) and Aberdeen - more interested in their hay than being photographed. Didn't lift their heads to even look my way.


Our 5 yr. old pet Pygmy wether Manolito Montoya aka Monte, he is a little ham. He knows if he stands still for the pic, a cookie follows.

Barb, our one and only dehorned goat(she was a show goat at her previous home) and totally earless La Mancha. She was napping, definitely didn't appreciate being disturbed. She also wanted nothing to do with mom.

Isabella (Barb's 2 yr. old daughter) a La Mancha Saanen cross.
What? Just give me a cookie!
The marks on her nose are from where the hay feeder rubs the hair off their noses.

Sarah Beth our Saanen
Not even she cared to get up and be photographed

What do you want Mom I'm resting?
Barb, Isabella and Sarah Beth are my dairy girls. Barb and Isabella are bred at this time. Due in June. Sarah Beth will be 9 this year. I am giving her a year off from kidding. Sarah Beth also is my top producer. At peak she gives 2 gallons a day. Right now she is giving a gallon a day. She will be bred again in September 09.

Cookie our 9 yr. old Alpine
Hun? What? Someone said cookie!

Cookie is one of our very first goats, actually the 3rd to come to the farm. She was a rescue. She is an hermaphrodite. We are training her to pack.

Below is Camel. She is an Alpine Boer cross. She was an accidental breeding. She takes after her father an Alpine, who was a jumper. She is the only one who can jump on the top of the hay feeder.

Come on Mom, I'm really comfy!
OK, OK I am getting down.

Hope everyone has a great day.

4 comments:

ChristyACB said...

Absolutely gorgeous animals!

A hermaphrodite goat? I'm assuming they are sterile. What sort of personality does it (he or she) have? Male-ish or female-ish? Do other goats react differently to it? Whatever she is, he sure is beautiful with gorgeous eyes.

That is a LOT of dairy! What do you do with it all?

JK said...

Thanks Christy :)
Yes the hermaphrodite goats do not reproduce. Cookie has been a companion to each buck we have brought to the farm over the years and never was bred. She is a very sweet natured goat to humans. She is female in appearance, personality and actions. The other does steer clear of her due to her herd queen attitude. The bucks love her.

I try to have 2 gallons of milk coming in daily. I make cheeses (generally takes a gallon of goat milk to make a pound of Chevre. 3 gallons to make feta), yogurt, ice cream, use the milk for cooking, drinking etc. We also supplement bottle babies. When Barb and Isabella kid (they give a gallon a day each at peak), I use their milk to raise the babies til weaned.
Surprisingly 2 gallons goes fast.

Jennifer said...

Great looking goats, maybe the coming bad weather had some of them acting a bit off. Though there are some days I get the good old goat snub from some of mine for no particular reason too.

JK said...

Thanks Jennifer.
Guess even the goats have bad days once in awhile ;-)