Does
Kidding
Our Does have the option to kid where they want! Some choose to kid in the barn, some in a grove of trees. Our does are never given assistance and must be good mothers or they are culled from the herd. We put a very large emphasis on how much total weight each does weans. A doe that weans one really nice 60 lb kid is less valuable to us than a doe that weans two 40 lb kids. We use the OSU kidding record keeping software to help us gauge the productivity of each doe. We record weights of all kids at birth and at 90 days old. Only doe kids with an index of over 100 who are at least twins from a dam with a great udder and great mothering ability are retained as replacement does.
Forage Based
Our does are forage only Spring through Fall. We rotationally graze and move the doe herd every 5-10 days. Once the pasture runs low, they are given hay and protein tubs to get them through the winter months while having the pastures still available to them. They always have free choice mineral available to them throughout the year.
Maintenance
Every quarter we do a health check on our herd. Each doe is famacha scored and wormed if needed. They also receive a hoof check and trim if required. If a doe needs to be wormed more than once a year or does not have sound feet, she is culled from the herd. Each Winter, approximately a month before kidding, all goats on our farm receive the annual CDT shot.
