We’re happy to give You this Video Update, and how cute these Kids are!
At just a week old these little darlings are jumping, nursing, and appearing to be very happy and healthy.
The little Buckling will be for sale in March 2024. For details call Brian at 902-907-0770
I love finding time to spend with our girls and kids. At this point we just have the two Kids. Although we are still expecting more!
This video shows their Woodland Pasture, we practice Silvopasture techniques here at Briden Farm. Creating Woodland Pastures, or pasturing animals under trees.
On the 6th of July, our Nigerian Dwarf Goat Doe, Nanna, freshened and gave birth to Terry and Romeo. A little Doeling and a little Buckling. You’ll see how they’re progressing in this video. They’re doing great, been eating grain, hay, grass, shrubs, bark, and so on, since they were just weeks old. Nanna still nurses them, but has them pretty nearly weaned.
Our other three Girls, Saanen Goats, spent six weeks with a small young Saanen Buck for six weeks in February and March.
The gestation period for Goats, the period from the time a doe is bred till she freshens (gives birth) is about 145-155 days. The little Buck we had breed our Saanen Does was here till March 27th. So, any kids being born, should happen by August 29th. Although most Goats average 150 days, so we hope to have all three Does giving birth within the next two weeks. Although I still find it difficult to tell exactly when… kind of like the Second Coming! We may know the signs and the season, but only the good Lord himself knows the hour! 😉
Now would be a great time to book a Farm Tour to see our babies, goats, bunnies, chicks, and more!
Call Brian at Briden Farm to Book Your Farm Tour.
902-907-0770
When it comes to Milking Goats, I really enjoy it! At least I do when the Doe is a willing participant! Our old Saanen Doe, Eve really enjoys being milked. Whereas Nanna, our Nigerian Dwarf Goat, has never been quite sure! We’ve had some over the years that just didn’t want to be touched!
I prefer milking by hand, while I know some others prefer machine. I am sort of thankful that I’ve never had over one or two goats to milk at the same time! I think if I had too many I might be tempted to turn to using a milking machine! Not sure though!
Although I may find out, we currently have 4 Does, and they just had the visit of a Young Buck for a month and a half! So, come July, we potentially could have four freshen, that would mean probably having four goats to milk! It could also mean our having anywhere from 4 to 14 kids! Not likely to have over 5-8 kids though.
I know I look forward to being back in milk though, we enjoy making cheese, yogurt, buttermilk and whey! The extra will go to our Berkshire Pigs, Larry, Curly, and Moe!
Curious, do you prefer milking by hand?
What’s Your experience with Milking Machines?
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Our Goat, Eve, come to us this past Spring and has been giving a Quart, or so, of delicious, creamy, milk. Eve is an eleven year old Saanen Doe (Female) Goat who was last bred over two and a half years ago. She is loving, and gentle, and a treat to milk.
Although we know that Saanen Goats often only live to about 11 or 12 years. They sometimes reach the age of fifteen. We hope that’ll be the case for Eve.
Since we started using Human Grade Hemp Seed , for Livestock Feed, last month, Eve’s over all condition has shown remarkable improvement, including a nice thick winter coat, that has an incredible sheen. Although her milk seems to have dropped off a bit.
I really think the drop in her milk production has little to do with the Hemp, and more to do with the shorter days, cooler temperatures, and the probability that she may be coming in Heat. This is the time of year when standard size goats go in heat, and are ready to be bred.
Most goats, especially of standard size, go in heat from about November through January, about every three weeks if not bred. Whereas, non standard size breeds like our Nigerian Dwarf Goats can come in heat pretty much year round! That’s what happened to Nanna, our Nigerian Dwarf Doe. She come in heat, and was bred, in August.
Believing Nanna to be pregnant, I chose to dry her off in October. It’s also the reason we got our third goat, Ella. Ella is also a Nigerian Dwarf and she’ll be old enough to be bred in May, 2022 and hopefully freshen and have her kids by October 2022. Thus, the plan is, next year Ella will start milking just after we dry off Nanna; next year.
The whole breeding, milking, drying off, freshening, and kidding of a Goat, or Goats, can be a Science unto itself.
So, at the moment, Nanna is dry, and not milking, Ella is to young to be bred and milking, and Eve has been milking for over two and a half years! Usually a Goat needs to be bred annually to produce milk.
Now, I may be wrong, and stand to be criticized a bit, but because Eve is such a good goat, and in such good shape, I hope to breed her on her next heat. Hoping that will happen this month. To that end, and seeing a slight drop in her milk production I’ve made the difficult decision to dry her off, and give her the best chance of having a successful pregnancy. Although drying Eve off, at a time we have no one else milking, is a difficult decision, I think it’s in Her best interest.
It’s also a decision that leaves us looking for another Milking Goat. Or at least wondering where we can get Goat Milk, which is easier on my digestion and creates fewer stomach issues for me.
Unfortunately, finding Farm Fresh Goat Milk isn’t easy! Unfortunately the Government, or perhaps the Dairy Industry itself, makes it very difficult to buy Farm Fresh Milk of any kind! Even at a time some Dairies are being forced to dump their milk! It’s not because of lack of demand, despite what some may say! Anyway, that’s a whole other issue! Or is it!?
Anyway, I’ve decided to do what’s right for our Goat, Eve, even if that leaves us without milk, and in a situation where we’re probably going to look for another Milking Goat, and preferably a Saanen Buck to breed Eve!