New Product Update
Well we have been hard at it making soap for sale soon! All natural soaps made with organic oils, natural colorings, and so far fragrance free - I am planning to have an orange calendula soap that will have essential oils in it though too. I was hoping for some input from everyone! The larger bars are around 4"X3" and the smaller (only square ones pictures is the Castile soap) and those are 3"X3" and then I have the flower of each type of soap. Obviously the larger soap is going to be more expensive but I personally like that the best. I was wondering what everyone's opinion is: Would you prefer the larger soap bars, the smaller square bars, or the flower bars?
Disease Test Results
We finally were able to get all our tests sent out. We have them back and all clear again. We ran blood for CAE, CL, Johnes and also did the fecal PCR for Johnes. Dr. Collins - one of the leading researchers of Johnes in the US and helps run the Johnes.org website - stated that the Johnes PCR testing is the best and should be used instead of blood if able. The Elise is a great low cost method of testing but it can have about 1% false positive, which the PCR does not, and Elise blood testing does not catch the disease as quickly as the PCR testing. We may move to all future test being preformed PCR fecal instead of blood. We had a "scare" this year. We had purchased animals from a farm that later had a positive doe. Thankfully, and with the help from Michael Collins again, I found out that due to the time she purchased the goat, when it was tested negative blood/PCR, when I purchased the animals, and that they were negative on my farm and no longer on my farm, that I am not at risk. It was a scary couple weeks but thankfully Dr. Collins (and the vet lab at UND) was willing to take time to answer tons of questions in regards to that positive doe from that farm. If you have any questions or concerns about Johnes, feel free to send me a message as I may be able to help as I haven't included all the info. he sent here.
Ninety percent of all cases are exposure before 6 months of age and the remaining ten are from six months to a year. It is impossible for an adult goat to get Johnes by natural exposure. They had to force feed massive amounts to cattle to get a positive. So, if you buy a goat that tests positive, all goats that were 12 month or over at the time of purchase are not at risk of the infection. This also means that showing goats, as far as Johnes is concerned - as their are other risks such as sore mouth, is not dangerous if the goat is above 12 months of age.
If a goat test negative per fecal PCR during pregnancy then the babies will not contract during pregnancy. They must be pulled asap though to avoid the milk and be placed in an area without any risk of getting exposed to any fecal matter if you do ever have a positive on your farm to prevent the spread. All milk must be pasteurized before feeding to kids or use an alternate method such as the milk mixture I use when I have to bottle feed.
Kidding Schedule Update!
All Reservations For Does Are Likely Closed For The Year - We are re-filling our stock and unless we get an exorbitant amount of does, we likely will retain all. We waited to post this until I got the results back for the pregnancy tests and unfortunately not one of the three new does I purchased from MT took. They are all still open. I was so bummed out! We will be watching for heat and if we can we will still try and breed the rest this year besides Woolly Worm whom we will be waiting until fall.
Fire bred to Beryl: Kid 2/28 Triplets - 1 polled doe retained, 2 pet wethers for sale
Mari bred to Spearmint: Pregnancy Confirmed Due 3/20 (Twins as FF)
Rose bred to Brec & Spearmint: Pregnancy Confirmed Due 3/21 (Triplets as FF)
Star Garnet bred to Brec: Pregnancy Confirmed Due 3/21 (Twins as FF)
Citrine bred to Spearmint: Pregnancy Confirmed Due 5/10 (Twins-Quads)
Star Beryl bred to Brec: Pregnancy Confirmed due 5/30 (FF)
Cocoa bred to Brec: Open
Delta bred to Beryl: Open
Allie bred to Beryl: Open
Woolly Worm: Unbred
My last bucks finally coming in!
Rosasharn - if anyone has been in the goat world for any amount of time, you have likely heard of this herd. They have been breeding for 20+ years and have had their goats both champions and also they have had some major milkers. They still are on the Elite list frequently. With my horrible luck finding a good buck I decided that it would be the best idea of paying alittle more but getting the best from someone with a steller reputation. I have put in reservations for two bucks from Rosasharn. They would be grandsons of two of their best milking does. They will be flown in as they are not very far from Boston. When we get final confirmation that the does gave boys we will let you all know. They likely will be too young to breed this fall though so I won't have offspring from them until the following year.
Nigerian Dwarf Goats For Sale!
Pair of Pet Kid Wethers $200 & Mother Daughter Pet Unbreedable Doe Pair $300
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