Farm Management
Our Farms Management
Here at Guajira's Farm we do our best to raise our animals as organic as possible. This is not to say we are an organic farm, no. We do our best to source chemical free hay from local farmers, non GMO feed and supplements. Only use chemical de-wormers and antibiotics in extreme cases and when absolutely necessary. Having hardy, parasite resistant goats is one of our main breeding goals. On this page I am going to share our herd management. This will answer a lot of questions to potential buyers of our Nubians or Boer goats. If our management practices align with yours, it is a much better transition for the animal in their new home. It can also give you a better look at the compatibility of the animal to your farm and how they will fit your plans with them.
Feed Management
On our farm we feed premium quality Alfalfa to our dairy goats. Our bucks also get a variety of oat, or wheat hay depending on the growing and breeding season. Our Boer goats do well with wheat and oat hay, but we also provide Alfalfa from time to time. They are much easier keepers, so we have to manage their weights a bit more than the dairy herd. We source all of our hay from two local farms that are within 5 miles from us, with one of those farmers managing a field directly across the street from us! We get to see the entire process of the alfalfa we purchase from growth, cutting and bailing. Some of the best Alfalfa we have ever seen comes from this farmer. It makes me so happy at how good the quality is, the girls leave NO waste from those cuts!
On the milk stand our does get sweet feed, which can be a challenge to source organic, whole barley, and Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS). We also purchase Alfalfa Pellets in bulk and mix those feeds for the dairy does.
Parasite Management
We practice preventative measures to parasites both external and internal. Copper Bolus and Sweetlix Loose Minerals are our number one defenses against parasite and mineral deficiencies. In the cases of external parasites like biting lice or mites, we try Diatomaceous Earth baths for mild cases and Cylence chemical in extreme cases. Those in conjunction with Ivermectin, which is one of the safest paraciticides work really well to quickly get a goat back into shape. This is a problem that only really happens with new goats to the farm. Their immune systems get compromised with the stress of travel and acclimating to their new home. They become more sucseptible to parasite overload during these times.
Raising Kids
Our farm believes in raising kids with their dam. It is the healthiest option for dams udders, and kids growth rate. It is extremely important to us that does posess keen mothering instincts. We have a busy life with three children, one having special needs, so I need my does to be good attentive mothers in those first few months of life. It takes a huge stress load and responsibility off of my shoulders when a doe is an excellent mother. I am the main caretaker of the goats during the week and long kidding season nights, so this is a very important trait for my does to have. This is one of the reasons we do not show our goats. I cannot afford to expose them to diseases that pass through milk because we manage our herd this way. Not only is this more natural, but kids who are dam raised and stay with their dams for an extended period are extremely prolific growers, are far healthier and more likely to be productive earlier. I have learned this lesson so many times pulling kids from their dams too early. Of course, every season we are bound to have a bottle baby or two, but that is a manageable number for us. I cannot stress this enough, this is an important trait for us in our herd and I do not tolerate bad mothering instincts in a doe.
Are Dam raised kids friendly?
There are a lot of misconceptions on dam raised goat kids. Yes sometimes kids become fearful of us if they are dam raised, even when their dams are friendly. The best way to manage this behavior is to handle the goats as much as possible when they are born and spend a lot of time with them. Dairy goats are extremely hands on animals. You must form a bond with them, afterall the goal is to someday milk them! When that day comes, believe me when I say they come around! Another thing that helps is their genetics. There are lines out there that have the best temperaments and friendliest demeanors. Those traits absolutely get passed down to their kids. An example of those lines are Goldthwaite Nubians and Black Mesa Ranch.
Once kids are old enough they are separated completely from their dam into another pen. They will spend a minimum of 6 months, or until the dam has kidded again so that they are no longer bonded. I have had to work really hard on this with new does that absolutely hated me, and kids that were extremely bonded to their dams. I cannot stress enough how much time and patience you must have, but it is very rewarding in the end. Again, Dairy goats are a huge time investment and commitment, not for the impatient personality!
Not to mention, we spend an enormous amount of time with goat kids. Our children do an excellent job at socializing them. Kidding season is the funnest time of the year!
Breeding Season and Keeping Bucks
Here at Guajira's Farm we have five bucks that we chose for our breeding program. They each have strengths in different areas. When we are doing breedings we take does to the bucks and do a pen breeding. Observing the breeding is best so we know when to expect kids. This way we know exactly who bred with who. We keep bucks together in pairs unless they are in a breeding pen or needing a break from each other. Bucks rough house a lot and need to be in groups compatible with their size and age. We haven't had any issues and are very hands on and manage them accordingly.
Milking Does
Here on our farm we believe in being able to hand milk as well as machine milk! Our breeding program focuses on well attached but easy to hand express udders, which means we take notes on our does teat sizes, openness of their orifices, as well as udder skin texture and softness. This is something that we admire of the Black Mesa herd. The Does that carry that name in their pedigree in our herd express these traits very well! All of our does are both hand milked and machine milked on a wooden home made stanchion. We use the milking routine to trim hooves and ultrasound to confirm pregnancies.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
