I think I need to cull/sell a couple of my does

Cheryl in SD · #1 05/07/06, 11:54 AM

Anyone want to help me decide?

Paige had 3 boys, was a TERRIBLE mother, still is. Her bag is so low it keeps catching on things. Then she got mastitis and 4 weeks later, having maxed out the amount of antibiotic I can safely give her, she still is showing traces of it. I am following advice on that, but now have been told I should dry her up, then possibly do another round of antibiotics and MAYBE she will be better next year. Ok, we can do that. I would dry her up, THEN sell her, after another round of antibiotics to be sure she is clean, if I am not convinced she is clean once she is dry. I should also say she is getting better. I test both sides every other day, and yesterday there was only a VERY slight difference.

I just got Clarabelle. She was in with the buck all winter. They assured me she is bred. No signs of being bred, I finally had her tested, she is NOT bred. We don't even know if we can breed her.

My dh is recommending (old farm boy) that we sell off these two and either find ONE that is milking and has a proven record of breeding OR just sell them and not have a milking doe until our yearling and her girls have kids in the spring. I KNOW the track record of the yearling and her doelings, and am pretty confident I will do ok that way. I do have a source of raw milk that I can keep using.

I hate to sell them, but I think dh is right. What do you all think?

Joyfully,
Cheryl

GrannyG · #2 05/07/06, 12:49 PM

Keep your hubby happy, sell the goats. LOL. I had to downsize lately, due to a Nasty Neighbor, but I laughed all the way to the bank as goats brought a great price. I just could not believe it when I got the check. Out of their hatred, the Lord blessed me many times over. I cried and cried over which ones to let go, but after the check came, I felt so much better. You need a better milker.

KSALguy · #3 05/07/06, 01:36 PM

i had a spanish doe that would not breed with my Boer buck at all, she was just so wild she wouldnt socialize with the rest of the herd or something, so i sold her to a friend of mine just because they liked the look of her and just wanted a goat to have, they had her for several months after i sold her when they were given a big stinky pygme buck, he was all over that spannish nanny like white on rice, she had twins from that encounter.
SOO its POSSIBLE that the doe that hasnt bred just hasnt been "wooed?" right??
the other doe if her bag hangs that low it is a hazzard to her, even if you dry her up and try again, her bag wont be smaller next time, and she will probably get BAD Mastitis and just be worse off for it, if you sell her be carful who you sell her too, i would Cull her, she should eather go to someone who can Baby her and not breed her like a pet, or to a processor, she wont be productive anymore
the other doe i wouldnt waist any more time on her your self but she possible could have a second chance with someone else.

TexCountryWoman · #4 05/07/06, 01:45 PM

Cull them both. It's hard to do, but in the end, it will be a great releif. You will ultimately improve your herd and remove two big headaches. If I sell a cull to anyone, I tell them why, that way it will not come back to haunt me. We also eat goat meat and have been known to put culls in the freezer. No need to pass poor traits on to offspring. Get yourself a goat that you can enjoy and that will improve your herd.

crowinghen · #5 05/07/06, 01:53 PM

I agree with your hubby. It will be better in the long run.
Susie

Caelma · #6 05/07/06, 02:03 PM

I agree with hubby also, sorry.
I wouldn't sell them though.
If you were here I would suggest the goat rescue, she has a huge farm and
will let people at petting zoos and exper pet homes adopt them.
But please don't sell them, most don't want a doe that can't breed and the poor things will end up either neglected or passed from home to home.

Go to www.petfinders.com
there is a box on the side,
farm animals, see if there is a farm animal rescue near you.
Clean them up and eat them or adopt them to a rescue group or petting zoo.
Next time buy a doe in milk. You get to see the udder and her health at that time and you know she had babies.

Cheryl in SD · #7 05/07/06, 04:46 PM

I talked to my neighbor this morning, she is willing to trade me one milking doe for both of these does. I would jump at it, BUT as I have little children I have tried to stay away from goats with horns.

The doe is a yearling, GOOD udder, 3/4 nubian WITH horns, beautiful markings. I tried milking her and she was pretty good for her first time and gave good milk. I tested her for mastitis and she was clean. She raised twins this year with no problems.

Should I do it?

Joyfully,
Cheryl

crowinghen · #8 05/07/06, 07:18 PM

Hmmm, there's a dilemna.
Perhaps you could do the trade, then breed the doe. Next year hope for girls, get them de-horned, and you're good to go.
I've had horned goats before, only on the ornery ones were they an issue. But definitely an issue with THAT one! We put tennis balls on the ends of the horns, that basically took care of the problem.
Nice that you already know she gives good milk, easy milker- that goes a long way in my book.
My opinion, I think I'd do it.
What does your hubby say?

Susie

dezeeuwgoats · #9 05/07/06, 07:43 PM

I definately would not keep them. As far as the trade - I really can't say. I have one goat with horns, a boer buck. He head butted my son in the knee (gently, didn't do any damage, it was a warning). I won't have a goat with horns around here - he's my only exception, as I bought him too old to disbudd.

niki

barnyardfun · #10 05/07/06, 08:23 PM

I have goats with horns.....don't cause any problems as long as their a gentle goat in the first place. I have 4yr and 2yr old children and don't have any problems when they are in the pen. I would do the trade!! Seems to good to pass up.

**mygoat** · #11 05/07/06, 08:59 PM

I also have goats with horns. Never had any problems except that Daisy used to get her head stuck in the fence... Now she knows how to un-stick herself, lol. You can always duct-tape a pvc pipe to her horns, or attach tennisballs if they are an issue. They've never bothered me, though. I rather like horned goats.

Cheryl in SD · #12 05/07/06, 09:42 PM

Ok, can you all stand one more twist to my convoluted tale?

DH and I took a good look at Clarabelle. She is putting on weight nicely. To keep her until fall and see if she could be bred won't cost much and she IS a purebred Nubian, and could be bred to one too. (Neighbor has a purebred nubian buck now). Also, we rescued her (for $100) from a guy who didn't feed his goats. She was in pathetic shape. DH wonders if that is why she didn't breed this year, if she just didn't have enough nutrition to carry or concieve. I don't know, but I suppose it could be??? So he would like to give her a chance. (In other words, his head says cull/sell her, his heart says she is making progress, she deserves a good life. I sure do like my dh.)

SOOOOO, dh has changed his mind, he thinks we should keep her and give her one more chance. He is suggesting I talk to the neighbor and see if she would trade Paige (the one with mastitis, she runs them with her horses) and some cash for her milking doe (Thelmalita, the one with horns.) I think she would do it, as she WAS willing to take both does for her one.

I THINK this should work????? I will let you know.

Joyfully,

barnyardfun · #13 05/08/06, 07:32 AM

Sounds even better! GO FOR IT GIRL!

JAS · #14 05/08/06, 07:51 AM

I would go for it--give the one a second chance and trade the mastitis plus cash for the other doe. You can always sell her if she doesn't take the second time.

The only problem with horns would be to your other doe(s) if she does not have horns. Most of my herd has horns and I have no troubles but they bully the ones without horns. But, after the the ranking is established, they usually live in peace. Actually, I perfer the horns. The only trouble I have ever had was when the grain pan got pushed between my legs and they went after it!!!!

TexCountryWoman · #15 05/08/06, 11:09 AM

It is very possible that the doe that was in such poor shape did not concieve for that very reson. Improve her nutrition and give her proper minerals and see what happens. If she does not conceive the second time around, cull her.

I will never own a goat will horns if I can possible help it. i certainly would not willingly bring one into my herd. I would find a goat elsewhere as all they do is cause me grief. I find them hanging in the fence in the heat of summer, they become aggressive towards other goats. They can hit you in the face when you bend over to put feed in their pan. Not worth the years of trouble they will cause. Keep looking I say. Just my opinion.