7/29/2019 0 Comments Healthy HerdOver Independence Day weekend we had a chance to spend time with family. They helped with some of our morning chores, spent time with the critters and played in the sand pile. Our neighbors clued us in to a fantastic swimming spot in just the next town, where we enjoyed a few hours before heavy rains came. The rain gave us the perfect opportunity to have an inside BBQ together before heading out to do the evening milking. I was able to have my sister-in-law, a nurse by trade show me how to do the blood draws on our goats and sheep. She made it look quite easy, showed me how to find the vein, position the needle and tube and we ended up collecting samples on all 6 adult goats and 4 adult sheep. Over the last few years we have purchased our goats and sheep from tested farms and all had Negative recent tests at the time of purchase, we tested single goats, but we hadn't done a full herd test until now. Now we have everyone on the same testing schedule.
The results came back from SageAgLabs and we are pleased to say our herd is NEGATIVE for CL, Johnes, CAE and OPP.
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7/3/2019 0 Comments On to His New FarmFor the last few weeks Mr. Jaeger was the little prince of our Guernsey does. Eating choice hay, as much milk as mama Ruthie would stand for and acres of pasture filled Jaeger's days. He tousled with all the does. They showed him the moves with gentle posturing, and head butting. The does let him use them as a step ladder to reach the low hanging leaves, albeit briefly. Jaeger is growing into a fine buck with a thick neck, wide chest, nice topline and hips, and it looks like he'll have a long coat, too! Last weekend he made the trip....10 minutes down the road....to his new farm where he'll be Guernsey herd sire this fall and hopefully many falls to follow.
Mama Ruthie raised a good one, now she can spend her summer days browsing peacefully. |
We are the Lowers....a homesteading, homeschooling, family of seven living in central Maine. We aim to be purposeful in what we do each day as we strive to be good stewards of God's gifts. Archives
February 2021
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