Learning About The Doe Heat Cycle For New Goat Owners

It’s a fact about goats that some females, or does, experience heat cycles year around. Others come into heat only during the fall months. Throughout the breeding season, a doe periodically comes into heat or estrus.  

During the peak of estrus, known as standing heat, a doe is receptive to a buck’s attention and can become pregnant. This phase of the reproductive cycle may last between 12 to 36 hours.

The time between the start of one estrus and the start of the next is called the estrous cycle. Different individual does have different estrous cycles. A doe’s cycle can range anywhere from 18 to 24 days, with 21 days being typical. Keeping track of the length of each of your doe’s cycles is a valuable breeding aid.

The female goat is called a “doe” or “nanny.” Up to the age of 12 months, she is sometimes referred to as a “doeling.” The doe can reach puberty between 4 to 12 months of age, depending on the breed, season of birth, level of feeding/nutrition, and overall health status. 

Under-feeding can lower her chances of getting pregnant and having kids and can also reduce milk production after having kids.The genetic makeup of the animal also determines when puberty occurs in the female. Puberty is reached when the female exhibits her first heat (estrus) and ovulation. 

The gestation period, or length of pregnancy, of the doe ranges between 145 to 152 days, or 150 days (5 months) on average, and under normal circumstances, the doe can have multiple births.

Signs of doe being in heat ( may only show a few)

1. Constantly seeking attention
2. General attitude change   
3. Nervousness    
4. Mounting other goats                                                   
5.  Doe gets talkative/bleating                                          
6. Her tail gets sticky                                              
7. Doe urinates often                                                           
8. Swollen Pink Vulva                                                         
9. Mucus discharge from the vulva                            
10. Tail "Flagging"                                                          
11. Standing to be mounted                                          
12. Fighting/headbutting others                                  
13. Stands by buck pen                                                       
14. Pacing down the fence line 

Note...Your doe may desperately try to get to the buck if there is one nearby. She may also be unusually uneasy OR abnormally affectionate (depends on the goat). If your goat doesn't show any of these signs above, it's called a silent heat.

The Buck

Male goats (called bucks) can breed pretty much any time. ... They'll only breed when they can smell that the female is in “heat”. Bucks can go into a “rut” which basically means they get a surge of hormones and ready to breed before a doe is ready.
They urinate all over themselves and will be covered from head to toe and be sticky, stinky, and slimy.

While in rut the buck will do a lot of tongue waving, blubbering, spitting, stomping and singing the wonderful song "wup", "wup", "wup". He will drink or sniff the does urine if given the chance then raise his lip and curl it back and make the funny“buck face” smelling the air all around him. the lip curl is called the Flehman response.

Keep in mind Bucks can and will breed through a fence if given the chance. 

G6S - What is it and why do we care?

A Genetic Defect and its Management

By Dagny Vidinish

All animals, including dairy goats, have numerous genetic defects of varying severity. We are all familiar with the occasional multiple teats, for instance, and with such defects as undershot and overshot jaws. Other defects are rapidly fatal, and it often is unclear whether the death of a kid should be attributed to genetics or to misfortune. The exact inheritance of many of these defects is often obscure; for instance, although most people believe that multiple teats show up when both parents carry a gene for this trait there is evidence that in some cases they are actually caused by environmental factors. In order to manage these undesirable genes breeders usually have to fall back on the "don't repeat that breeding" strategy, which is very crude and unsatisfactory. 

This article will describe a recently discovered genetic defect which is easily managed and eliminated because its mode of  transmission is straightforward and, more important, because a foolproof DNA test is available to identify carriers of the gene.

This defect's full names are mucopolysaccharidosis IIID, or G-6-Sulfase deficiency, and it is usually referred to as G-6-S. It was first identified in 1987 at Michigan State University, and subsequently the researchers tested nearly one thousand goats in Michigan and concluded that about 25% of Nubians carry this gene. All cases are the result of a single mutation, and appear to be confined to Nubians and their crosses; other breeds were tested initially and they do not have this particular defect.

The affected goats lack an enzyme (G-6-S) and this results in a variety of symptoms of varying severity. The main symptom exhibited by affected goats is failure to grow. Sometimes the kid is smaller than normal at birth, and  grows slowly. Some breeders have reported kids which grew normally for the first three months and then stopped growing. Other affected goats grow to what appears to be normal size but is in fact small for the particular bloodlines. They lack muscle mass, appear "slab-sided", sometimes with blocky heads. Immune function appears to be compromised, and sometimes they become deaf or blind. The longest-lived goat known to be G-6-S affected died at just under four years of age, and death is usually due to heart failure. Unfortunately affected animals can and do grow up to breed, although they often experience reproductive problems.

The same symptoms can have many other causes, so that affected animals are seldom recognized as having a genetic defect. Often they grow normally for the first few months and may be sold before any problems become apparent. In that case the breeder may blame the new owner for the goat's failure to thrive and early demise.

Every animal has two genes for every trait, one inherited from the dam and one from the sire. In turn, that animal will pass only one of those genes to each offspring, and which one it will be is a matter of chance, like the flip of a coin. On the average, half the offspring will inherit one gene and half the other. If the two genes are different, then there is a question as to which of them will determine how the animal actually looks or functions. The defective G-6-S mutation is a simple recessive gene, which means that a goat which has only one copy of it will appear perfectly normal and will not show any of the symptoms described above. Such a goat is referred to as a "carrier". A goat which inherits the defective gene from both parents shows symptoms and is referred to as "affected". A "normal" goat, in this context, is one who has two copies of the normal gene.

If a normal goat is bred to a carrier, then all offspring will inherit a normal gene from the normal parent. The carrier parent will pass a normal gene to half the offspring, and a defective gene to the other half. Thus such a mating will, on the average, produce half normal kids and half carriers, and no affected ones. If two carriers are bred to each other, then one quarter of the kids will be normal, one half will be carriers, and one quarter will be affected. If an affected goat is bred to a normal goat, all offspring will be carriers. An affected goat bred to a carrier will produce half carriers and half affected.

As stated above, research shows that 25% of Nubians carry the defective G-6-S gene. Almost all of these are carriers, since most of the affected animals which are born would be culled, and the rest die early. Most people find it surprising that something which is in one quarter of the population can have escaped notice for so long. However, random matings in such a population would result in only one out of sixteen being carrier to carrier, and only one quarter of the kids from these breedings would be affected. Thus only one kid in sixty-four (1.6%) would be affected. Given the variable and obscure symptoms of G-6-S affected kids, it really is understandable that most Nubian breeders believe that they have never encountered affected kids.

However, many Nubians are line-bred, and this practice will concentrate certain genes in some lines while eliminating them from others. It has been observed that the G-6-S mutation is very prevalent in the same lines which are known for high milk production. Thus breeders who have been selecting for milk may have inadvertently also been selecting for the G-6-S defect. Fortunately it appears that the two traits are actually independent, that you can cull the G-6-S carriers without at the same time culling the high producers.

Usually it is difficult to eliminate a genetic defect without losing all the good genetics for which a line is known. For instance, if a buck throws double teats, then there is no way of knowing which of his offspring will do the same and which will not. You can cull him, but that seems rather heavy-handed since the bad gene will undoubtedly live on in some of his relatives. With G-6-S we are very fortunate to have a foolproof DNA test available which will tell us whether a goat is normal, or a carrier, or affected. This test makes it possible to save the good genetics and eliminate the defective gene if that is our wish. If a superior animal is a carrier, then we can test the kids and manage them in such a way as to avoid the birth of any affected individuals.

What is a good management strategy? What is the most efficient way to save the good and get rid of the bad? The usual recommendation for such testable defects is to cull carrier males, but not the females. Remember that if a normal buck breeds a carrier doe, then only half the kids will be carriers, and none will be affected. Thus if there are some carrier females in the herd, then using only normal bucks will reduce the incidence of carriers in the next generation by one half. The average herd would start with 25% carrier females, and if only normal bucks were used the next generation of females would be down to 12.5% carriers, and the next generation to 6.25%, etc. This is in sharp contrast to what a carrier buck would do in the same herd: if used to breed all the does, his daughters would be 50% carriers and 6.25% affected. Clearly there is much to be gained by testing buck kids and retaining only normal ones for breeding.

While it is relatively easy to cull a buck kid, one might hesitate to do the same with a proven sire. In particular, there are some very popular bucks whose semen commands a high price and who are carriers for the defective G-6-S gene. A reasonable strategy here would be to use these bucks only on normal does, thus avoiding affected kids. Then one would test the kids and cull carrier bucks.

Although the DNA tests are expensive, if testing one's bucks prevents the birth of even one affected kid then it is cost effective. Unlike tests for diseases, a genetic test does not need to ever be repeated. Also, the DNA tests are completely accurate, there are none of the gray areas which can be so frustrating. There is no need to test the kids if both parents are known to be normal. One can work back from one's foundation animals and if there really is no problem in the herd then it may be possible to establish that at reasonable cost. Normally whole blood is used for the test, but semen can also be used. If an AI buck is a carrier, that can be established by finding a carrier offspring out of a normal doe, but no number of normal offspring will prove that a buck is nomal.

A number of breeders have expressed the opinion that the G-6-S defect is no more of a problem than many other genetic defects, and therefore does not merit any particular attention. They evidently miss the point that it is the availability of a DNA test which makes this defect special. One can use goats from bloodlines which are known to have a high concentration of the G-6-S defect completely safely by just testing the particular individuals and either rejecting carriers or using them with proper precautions. There is nothing to be gained by trying to sweep G-6-S under a rug, and much to be gained by sharing information about it.

One may wonder why a DNA test has been developed for such an obscure defect, and no help is available for, say, multiple teats. The answer is simple - humans don't have a problem with multiple teats, they do with G-6-S. The same genetic defect, when found in humans, is called Sanfilippo IIID; the affected child appears normal at birth but soon stops growing, looses muscle mass, has neurological deterioration and dies. When the same genetic defect was discovered in goats researchers used them as models for treatment, and goat breeders in turn benefited from their discoveries.

Stout Ranch Flaming Moe has been sold! He went to a wonderful home as a herd sire. This young buck is going to do amazing things!

Stout Ranch Flaming Moe

Sire: Windflower Farm Elio
SS: Mosaic Eliza's Elanzo
SD: Windflower Farm Elexis

Dam: Happy Canyon Chezrea
DS: God's Hoe Mowhawk
DD: DD : The Marquise Of Fifth Avenue

Another special addition we picked up! This little girl is one of a kind in our herd being a daughter of  *B Wingwood Farm Lovin Timber. She has breed Character and Dairy Strength that we look forward to seeing in her kids.

She is called Bliss however we have the ability to name her! More to come on her in the near future.

Sire: * B Wingwood Farm Lovin Timber
SS: *B Wingwood Farm Lucky Amadeus
SD: SGCH Wingwood Farm Playtime Teasel 10*M

Dam: The Ugly Goat Portia
DS: Pella's Triple C TimeAfterTime
DD:Aja-Sammati RSK Kashaya

Amazingly excited that we were able to add Aja-Sammati Yesterday to our herd! I have coveted this doe since she arrived at Restoration Ranch Nubian Dairy Goats almost 6 years ago!

She is everything I could ever wish for in a doe! ❤ She has been in my heart for years and is finally home in my herd.

AJA-SAMMATI YESTERDAY 2*M " Ellie"

Sire: Pruittville's Epoch Legacy +B
SS: Pruittville's L/M Triumph
SD: GCH Pruittville's Huckberry Frost 4*M

Dam: C/REM Penny lane Myrtle 1*M
DS: SGCH Cam's-Menagerie Breakaway Pan +B
DD: C/REM LR Picaboo Dixie

We are proud to announce that we have added Pella's Triple C Corona Extra AI as our newest herd sire! We are so grateful to Restoration Ranch Nubian Dairy Goats for allowing us to purchase this amazing buck.

He has a history of producing "powerful kids that are level across the top line, nice width in the chest and in between the hawks. He kids have really wide and flat rumps . They are high and wide in the escutcheon . They have beautiful breed character and strong feet and legs."

Dam: GCH Kastdemur's Corona Del Mar 3*M
DS: GCH ++*B Wingwood Farms Romeo's Laredo
DD: GCH Kastdemur's Laguna Beach

Sire: +*B SG Kastdemur's Monte Carlo
SS: ++*B Kastdemur's King Of The Hill
SD: SGCH Kastdemur's Mystere 2*M

The Mr.'s new addition: 70R SR Sentinel Sequoia

Since the selling of Chezy the Mr. has been on the lookout for a replacement and new addition. We opted to get a kid so we would be able to raise her to our standards and ensure that she gets a good start. After inquiring on many and turning them down for one reason or another we finally can to an agreement!

We are please to introduce you to the newest addition to Stout Ranch came to us from a neighboring ranch about an hour away. 70RSR Sentinel Sequoia come from solid milking lines and from a herd that breeds for color in addition to mammary and conformation.

She is out of Triple Moon Silver Tanzanite and Sweet B's Argos Ace of Hearts. Tanzanite is out of Kansas lines with strong ties to the Pruittville and Chalivah herds. She is a heavy and consistent milker with an easy going temperament. Argos is a blue roan out of a Colorado Springs area herd that is well known in the show circuits and has proven conformation and mammary in their lines.

Both sire and dam are G6S negative, which means Sequoia is negative by lineage but she will be tested upon turning 6 months old to confirm.

Sequoia is showing her intelligence and curious nature at her young age and already has the making of a beautiful and correct doe with excellent breed characteristics and potential mammary.

We are excited to have Sequoia in our herd and look forward to watching her grow into her reputation.

Broken crayons still color...

This has absolutely nothing to do with goats, chickens, horses, cattle or any kind of animal. Not even the small humans we care for as parents. However, I am sure that we can all relate to this in some way; abuse, self esteem, depression, anxiety, addiction, life in general, relationships, the list goes on. Heck, even running a farm can make you want to give up sometimes.
I pray this helps someone hold on and keep moving even if it is just for today.

Goats 101

Initial Considerations
Goats are affectionate, curious, intelligent and full of life. Each animal has a unique personality and most goats will give back the love and care that is put into them. The way I describe them to people is that a goat is a mix between the cat, dog and cow. They are insanely curious and despise getting wet, rather similar to the cat. They are attention-monsters, quite trainable and adjust happily to human contact like the dog. They also have the ability to produce items of value as the cow does, such as milk, meat, skins and fiber, and provide that function to most of the world's population.

    They also have a very strong herd instinct, that requires them to live with another creature (preferably herbivorous) in order to thrive. If you do not want to live with your goat 24/7, you would be wise to buy two goats, or another animal, like a llama, alpaca, sheep, cow or horse/pony. Your goat may need significant time to get used to a non-goat animal if she has not experienced that kind before, and will vocalize (talk) excessively until she has settled in to her new home. This usually lasts about two weeks if you have purchased two goats, longer if she has to get used to the other animal. Dogs are generally a poor companion choice, as they are the #1 killer of domestic goats in more densely populated areas, with coyotes being a greater threat in more rural areas.

   Your first step in selecting your goats is to decide what you would like to do with them. Traditionally they served as dairy, meat and fiber-producing livestock and sometimes as draft animals, both backpacking and cart-pulling. Today, they also find a useful niche as pets, and as eco-friendly brush and weed control. The breeds in America designed for milk production include Alpine, Lamancha, Guernsey, Nubian, Nigerian, Oberhasli, Saanen, Sable and Toggenburg. The primary meat breeds are Boer, Kiko, and Myotonic ( the famous "Fainting" goat). Goats produce some of the world's premier fibers - mohair from the Angora and cashmere, from the breed with the same name. There are also a few critically rare breeds in need of serious breeders, such as the Arapawa and the San Clemente goat.  And we mustn't forget the Pygmy goat. There are also hybrids of the different breeds, often accidental, but a few deliberate crosses are made as well, most notably the "Mini" breeds - a breeding of a Nigerian with one of the other dairy breeds. Pets and brush goats can be selected from any breed. Draft animals are best selected from the larger breeds.
    Your next goal is finding a breeder. Your best choice for buying a healthy, well-adjusted goat is a breeder with well-kept, healthy-looking animals. The goats should be reasonably well fed - not too thin and not too fat, bright eyed, with good fur coats and, if they are dairy goats, they should be very friendly to both the owner and to you. You should not see dead goats laying around, and injured and sick animals should be under careful care of the owner. If you want to breed goats and sell offspring, it is an excellent decision to ask the breeder for proof of CAE and CL negative status. These are two devastating diseases that will shorten your goat's lives and reduce the value of goats you try to sell. CL is caused by a "bug" that can live in soil for a long time, infecting generations of goats. CAE can cause crippling arthritis and sometimes incurable pneumonia. Neither disease has a cure. Your best option is to avoid them in the first place. Auctions are a poor source of goats for the inexperienced person. Goats often end up there because of a serious problem, such as an incurable disease, neglect (which will cost you more than the goat is worth to cure it), or an ill temper.

    Another thing you might consider, is how friendly do you want your goats to be? Generally, a bottle-raised goat is much friendlier than a dam-raised one (i.e. it was raised by its mother). 4-H children are often excellent choices for finding friendly, well-handled goats, and they often have babies in the summer that they need to find homes for. Visit your local county fair, as 4-H'ers often compete and exhibit their animals there.

    When you are ready to buy your goat, keep in mind that the best time to buy a goat is spring to early fall. If you want a good deal on young male kids for pets, mid to late spring is the best time to buy, as many breeders are desperately trying to reduce workload and demand for milk, and may give you a price break if you are willing to take a couple of babies and bottle raise them yourself. It is next to impossible to find a good quality source of goats in the winter - most breeders will have already sold or butchered the excess animals in order to reduce the amount of feed they have to purchase.

   Prices for goats vary depending on the value of the animal and the owner's individual pricing. Generally, expect to pay $50 or more for a castrated male (more for a meat goat), and $250 or more for a female or a breeding male. If you find one for less than that, you should ask why the price is low - does the animal have a disease, or a personality problem? Registered goats often cost $200 and up. Goats of the Boer breed tend to cost even more. These prices may seem high, but keep in mind how much money people are willing to pay for a cat or dog, who can serve in fewer capacities than the multi-purpose goat. The money you pay to a goat breeder won't even come close to paying for the feed and care he or she put into raising that animal. We do not make money on most if not all of our sales...we're lucky to break even. Also, consider your money an investment into your animals, especially if you want to raise the animals for milk, meat or fiber. A cheap goat eats just as much, and may need more vet care than the higher value animal, and the cheap one will not give back as much as the pricier goat. The expensive goat has come from a family of animals that were selected based on their ability to perform.
Basics
TERMS & GENDER DIFFERENCES
    If you want to sound educated when you approach a potential source of goats, the terms "doe", "buck", "kid" and "wether" should be added to your vocabulary. "Billy" and "Nanny" are slang words, and if you ask a dairy goat breeder at the State fair for a billy goat, she may very well consider you a poor choice for a good goat home and refuse to sell you any. A female goat is generally called a "doe", an intact male is termed a "buck", a baby goat is a "kid" and a castrated male is a "wether". Some meat goat breeders still use the slang terms, but to be safe, please use the more formal "doe" and "buck".

    Does and wethers make fantastic pets, bucks do not. Wethers can also be used for backpacking, brush clearing, and pulling a cart. They will grow to almost the same size as a buck, without the smell and the behavioral issues. Does can be used for the same functions, but cannot serve as well in the draft type jobs due to their smaller size. Bucks are large, smelly creatures with unique behaviors that only seasoned goat keepers can fully appreciate. Most people, even if they want to breed their goats, don't need to own a buck, especially if you are just starting out. There are usually other people in the area who have bucks and will allow people to bring their does for a fee. Boer, Nubian and Nigerian breeds are common, and you have an almost guarantee to find a buck of those breeds within a couple hour's drive of your home.

NEEDS
    Goats are generally very hardy creatures, but do need shelter and basic food and water provided, just like you would a dog. A three sided, roofed building, with a hay feeder up off the ground, and clean, fresh water available at all times will make your goats happy. If you are wanting dairy goats, you might consider building a small barn with storage areas for hay and grain, a kid pen and stall, and a milking parlor.

    Fencing should be "horse-high", "bull-strong" and "child-proof". Goats view fences as obstacles, not barriers. Most people find a 4 1/2 to 5 ft high, wire-mesh fence, preferably with a strand or two of electric on the inside, to be the most effective goat fencing. Shorter fencing, or electric-strand-only puts you and your goats at greater risk for runaway goats and predator attacks by dogs or coyotes. In areas where cougars or bears are possible, a shelter that you can close your goats into at night will be valuable, or you can use a Livestock Guardian Dog, from the Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd, Akbash, or a few other specialized breeds to protect them.

    Just like the family dog, you generally cannot expect your goats to thrive without being fed. Particularly during the winter, when nothing is growing, your goat needs you to provide hay. Hay should smell good, not musty or moldy. Mold will sicken, and possibly kill your goats. It should be clean, dry and have a definite green color. Brown or yellow hay means there is next to no nutritional value. Dairy goats, nursing does, kids and bucks in rut will probably need alfalfa hay - it is high in protein, vitamins and minerals, and they love the flavor. Wethers, dry does, and fat goats should be fed a good quality grass hay.
    Water should be available all of the time. There are lots of different sizes of plastic buckets, and aluminum water tubs that you can buy for that purpose. The water should be clean, and the bucket scrubbed when there is a sludge layer under the water level. Goats also appreciate cold water in the summer and hot water added during the winter.

    Other feeds that can be given to goats include grain, fruit/vegetable trimmings, and browse. Grain should only be given to milking/nursing does, young kids, bucks in rut, and in small amounts to sick, thin or elderly goats. Grain can kill a wether, and cause severe foot problems in any goat if they do not need it or if it is fed to any goat in excess of what they can handle. I have been trimming some hoof disease victims for three years now, and they will never completely heal. Some goats never learn to eat more than hay and grain, but many love to eat fruit and vegetable trimmings from your kitchen. Favorites include apples, banana (peel and all), broccoli, etc. Mine also have a sweet tooth comparable to the average American person, and also love non-chocolate candy.

    Acceptable browse includes Maple (any kind), alder, salal, blackberry (any kind), raspberry, apple tree trimmings, Sword fern, fir branches, and cedar (they'll de-bark the tree as well). If they need minerals, they are bored, they don't have enough fresh greens or they like the flavor, they will eat the bark off of trees. If there are trees in the pasture that you don't want your goats to kill, you will need to fence them off, or wrap fencing around the trunk far enough out so their slender noses cannot reach the tree. There are also plants that can harm your goats. Rhododendron, azalea, and bracken fern can kill them. Rhododendron/azalea poisoning will cause vomiting (goats never vomit otherwise) and the victim will die within a day or two if they get enough of it. Bracken fern can cause kidney cancer. Some goats will also learn to graze, but some don't. They prefer long, broad leafed grass when they do graze. If they graze it down too far you risk getting a major infection with intestinal worms, which can weaken or kill them.
    Due to the rising problem of worm resistance to the wormers, it is no longer recommended to worm your goats (or any other livestock) on a schedule. It is now recommended to deworm goats only when a fecal (a sample of feces examined under a microscope - a vet can do this for you) or examination of the gums or inner eyelids reveals a heavy parasite load, and only the goats who are having a problem, with twice the written dosage. I have accidentally given a yearling buck a whole tube of wormer (enough for two horses) and I didn't see any side effects. I would not advise doing that on purpose however! If you find yourself worming more than a couple times a year, then you may want to explore using copper boluses, or adding more copper to your goats' diet.

What we do and how to find us

While we (Stout Ranch) are new to our Facebook page (Stout Ranch) and are still learning, you my faithful readers know that my blog has been up and running for years (since 2008).

Stout Ranch has always done well with word of mouth and have enjoyed building our stellar reputation on referrals. It appears that it is time to spend a bit more effort on the use of technology! The Facebook page is dedicated to the dairy herd, poultry flocks and the services we provide as well as sales. This blog focuses on not only the dairy herd, poultry flocks and services provided but also our small farm adventures, homesteading and self sufficiency. 

"Our goal is to produce beautiful top quality registered Purebred and American Nubians that promote the dairy standards, are outstanding and consistent in the show ring and milk pail with even and friendly temperaments to match.

We breed, raise and sell a small, select herd of registered Purebred and American Nubians.

Our does and bucks have been hand picked from top breeders across the country. This provides us with a very unique bloodlines that incorporate the strengths from the most admired genetics from around the world!

We offer selected breeding to our top quality bucks who produce beautiful superior kids genetically, conformationally and in diary traits."

Please share us with your friends and others that may benefit from what we have to offer and the variety on our blog!

As always, if you have questions please do not hesitate to ask whether it be via a message, email, blog comment or call/text through this page, the blog, The Goat Spot or Goat Finder!

http://coloradostoutranch.blogspot.com/?m=0

https://www.facebook.com/StoutRanch/

http://www.thegoatspot.net/breeders/stout-ranch.html

http://www.goatfinder.com/nubian_goat_directory.htm#CO

Thank you for your support over the last 9 years!

As A Small Farm Breeder

If you read back, way back, you'd know that Stout Ranch (we) began in 2008 with two small purebred nubian does. While these does had good bloodlines and were decent milkers they were far below our standards today. Lilly and Lacey gave us some wonderful kids that we sold to upgrade. We have been upgrading ever since. We always breed to improve the breed characteristics in the show ring and in the milking pail.

In 2013 we found the matriarch of our herd, Chezy. While not the best, nobody has the best or we wouldn't all still be breeding for the best, she was far above any stock we had had since 2011. With the addition of Chezy, we obtained Sadie and Serenity. All of these does are exceptional and have served us well over the years producing kids that ave gone to be 4H champions, herd starters and standing bucks.

2015 was different for Stout Ranch as we branched into the american nubian herd as well. Why did we do this? I have no idea... I've always been a purebred snob but sometimes a miracle drops into your lap and you just take it and run! I bred one of my best does to an amazing looking american buck (Donald) and twin girls (Calli & Missi) were the result. We also picked up a great, strong boned, american doe with great dairy traits. Ebony became part of the herd by default as I wanted the purebred buck and she was the 'package' part of the deal.

Once again Stout Ranch has purebred bucks on site! Oh, the sweet aroma of rutt!! I cannot count the number of breeding referrals our vet (a National Show Judge) has sent our way but he has been a busy buck. His name is Buck by the way; I guess the previous owner wanted to make sure we could tell him apart from the does?!

After breeding, retaining and selling kids in 2016 it became time to cull the herd in 2017. Since we had a daughter, son and granddaughter from Chezy that were out producing her and had superior mammary, milk production and were an improvement on the breed standard, we decided to sell her. We also chose Ebony since I have two american doelings (the twins) from a far superior dam and buck. Both Chezy and Ebony are confirmed bred to our buck named Buck.

Buck

Buck is a big boned, conformationally correct buck that passes on long ears and strong dairy traits with superior conformation and excellent personality to his offspring. 

Chezy

She went to a great home in Kansas with two young girls that are starting their own dairy herd and want to show 4-H. I have a soft spot for kids so they got a smokin deal. She has goat buddies and will be pampered.

Ebony

Ebs will be delivered to her new home on Saturday. She is also going to start a new dairy herd for a sweet family in Fort Collins. It is hard to say goodbye to our lovely Ebs. 

If you've made it this far, congratulations! We will be showcasing our herd over the next few weeks as we prepare for the 2017 kidding on Stout Ranch. 

Food Storage Lies, Myths and Tips

When most people think of long term food storage, pantries filled with canned goods is what often comes to mind. However, we have to be very careful with what we store and buy. Things are not always what they seem when it comes with food storage many products claim to be made with the famed 25 year shelf life, but start to read the label and you will find ingredients that will not last more than 2-3 years. This article will teach you what to look for.

When looking at long term storage, you must first look at the ingredients. Can you pronounce every ingredient? Do you see words like hydrogenated, hydrolyzed, or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)? These words, along with many others indicate artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives that can be very harmful to your body, not to mention unstable.

Read the Label

If you have bought food go grab it and let’s look at the label. If you see things like cake flour it only has a shelf life of 8 months to a year. Keep looking; do you see soy bean oil, canola oil, hydrogenated oils or hydrolyzed syrup? Those all have a shelf life of only a year or two, yet they are being sold as 25 year food storage! Don’t forget to also look for things like whole eggs or dairy as well. These ingredients simply cannot last as long as these food storage companies claim and you need to be aware.

To be shelf stable, there also has to be the minimum of water content in the food. The FDA suggests that dehydrated food, using any form of dehydration, must have a water content less than 7%. The problem most companies find with following this mandate is simply cost. Making sure the food actually gets under 7% of water content requires extra time, effort and power, creating a path for shortcuts to be taken which most companies do.

When shortcuts are taken, added preservatives have to be used. By putting in the hydrogenated oils, food storage manufacturers can extend the shelf life of lower quality oils such as vegetable, soy, and safflower oils.  These oils have a natural shelf life of 18 months under preferable conditions. When chemicals and artificial preservatives are introduced, they can store for several years, but they have been altered to an unhealthy form to accomplish it.

When purchasing your food, make sure you do your homework and read the label. It may literally save your life.

Finding a manufacturer that believes in using natural, shelf stable ingredients means that they don’t have to use the artificial chemicals to preserve their long term food storage. The food is just as flavorful, healthy, and nutritious as when it was originally sourced. When you are looking for good ingredients, look for real food products that have been freeze dried and prepared to last. For example things like tomato or onion powder chopped or grated vegetables. Also look for whole foods like whole beans in the food, products that contain these types of ingredients will be sure to provide you the nutrition your body will need, when you need it.

Is Your Food Protected?

Another thing to look for is packaging, this isn’t always the easiest thing to see because many products now come in the large white buckets. While the buckets look good they are not what actually is protecting the food from the elements. When you open up the bucket you will notice that the food is individually packaged in plastic or Mylar type bags. This is crucial to long term food storage because if your packaging fails your food will spoil long before its shelf date. A few things I like to look for is the quality of the bag itself. Is it flimsy and folds easily? That’s a bad sign, look for solid, quality bags at least 5.4 mm think so it will stand the test of time. I also really like the resalable option so you can one use a little at a time and still seal off your food.

The next thing to look for when it comes to packaging is how the provider is eliminating oxygen from the food. This will again provide the product a long shelf life as well as keep it fresh. If the company only provides an oxygen eliminating pack in its product, that’s really not enough to keep the food fresh. Look for a producer that fully nitrogen flushes its food to eliminate all oxygen in each bag.

Getting your food storage doesn’t have to be difficult. Don’t make the mistake of buying from the first food storage company you see and getting food that won’t be edible in an emergency.

7 Natural Antibiotics to Use When Medicines are Not Available

While the media may point out the dangers of Zika, flu pandemics, and other “newly” emerging diseases, very little is said about the rise of “super bugs”.  These common diseases are quickly outstripping the ability of modern antibiotics to deal with them. As a result, social collapse may well come from familiar infections that can no longer be treated with penicillin, erythromycin, or any other antibiotic that you decided to stockpile.  What will you do after a social collapse when you need antibiotics to fight super bugs, or any other infection, for that matter?  Surprisingly enough, even some of the worst infections known to man can still be killed off by natural antibiotics.  While not all of the seven antibiotics listed below will work for every infection, they can be used reliably in many situations where even modern antibiotics are failing miserably.

Garlic

All the natural remedies for infections, garlic stands out as one of the best. It is one of the few that acts as an antiviral as well as an antibacterial. Unlike most antibiotics, bacteria cannot develop a tolerance to Garlic. Therefore, if you are concerned about the most current strains of super bugs, garlic should definitely be in your stockpile of seeds and plants to keep on hand. Ideally, you should use raw, fresh cloves, however, you can also add them to anything you are cooking.  When using garlic, exercise caution because it can also act as a blood thinner.

Ginger

Ginger is best used as an antibacterial.  It works well in tea form for bacterial upper respiratory infections.  You can also use ginger as an antiseptic wound cleaner.  When combined with Honey, ginger can also be used effectively against most super bugs.   You can also use ginger for relieving stomach irritation, sinus inflammation, and joint pain.  Insofar as stockpiling plans, you can store away roots for both growing and making into tea. Just make sure that you know how to recognize the budding part of each rhizome, and then how to prepare them for making new plants and roots.

Turmeric

Even though turmeric and ginger are related to each other, you still need to keep both on hand to cover as many infections organisms as possible.  In addition, when combined with olive oil and black pepper, turmeric can also act as a fighter and inhibitor of cancer.  You can use turmeric as a tea (be sure to always add black pepper or it will not get into the body) and in cooking.  As with ginger, you will need to store away the roots and pay careful attention to rhizome areas.  Both plants will grow well enough indoors, however, you will need pots at least 12 – 16″ deep so that the roots develop properly.

Honey

Aside from a sweet taste that cannot be resisted, honey is also one of the gentlest, yet most powerful antibiotics.  It is good for mouth and dental infections as well as skin wounds.  Since honey bees are in decline, you will more than likely need to start your own hive of bees. Fortunately, you can make smaller sized hives in mason jars.  Just remember that you must have one queen per hive and at least a few drones so that the bees will continue to produce from one generation to the next.   Queens and drones can be purchased from commercial dealers as well as instructions on how to handle bees.  It may cost a bit and take some practice to learn the art of beekeeping, however, it will be well worth your effort.

Alcohol

In many parts of the world, wine is still used routinely to get rid of bacteria and other pathogens in the water. While alcohol will not get rid of an internal infection, it still works well for skin and open wounds.  Do not forget that there are three basic kinds of alcohol:

Ethanol or grain alcohol is safe to drink. It is made by fermenting sugary or starchy foods such as potatoes, honey, apples, grapes, and cherries. While most modern wine makers use brewer’s yeast, you can also use regular baking yeast for fermentation.  If you need to concentrate the wine to get a higher concentration of alcohol, you will need to use a still.   After harvesting the food base, you can expect it to take 3 – 6 months before you have a final product that can be used for water purification, drinking, and wound treatment.  Even though there are wild, or natural yeasts that you can harvest, it is best to study this field carefully before trying it as a DIY. For the purposes of your stockpile, be sure to keep both brewers and baking yeast aside.   There are many ways to preserve yeast cultures once you get them started.

Methanol or wood alcohol is poisonous and cannot be consumed or used for medicinal purposes. As the name implies, methanol can be made from distilling wood.  This is, however, a dangerous process and can lead to blindness if the still is not set up correctly.

Isopropyl Alcohol is commonly used to cleanse wounds and as a sanitizer. While this alcohol is very useful for medicine, it is also hard to produce at the consumer level.  You can do just about the same thing with high proof ethanol.  Since ethanol is safer and easier to produce, you are best served by mastering basic fermentation and distillation.

Apple Cider Vinegar

If you’ve ever tried your hand at wine making, then you already know that you can be very disappointed when the whole barrel turns into vinegar!  That being said, if your apple jack turns to vinegar, then you will have apple cider vinegar, which has excellent antibiotic properties. Gargle with apple cider vinegar to treat thrush, sinus infections, gum infections, and throat infections.   Apple cider vinegar is also one of the best treatments for candida and yeast infections no matter where they show up.  While you can make your own apple cider vinegar, don’t forget that it can take several weeks before it is ready for use.  Be sure to store some away in your stockpile, and also make sure that you know how to make it from scratch.

Oregano Oil

In the post-crisis world, bacterial, viral, and fungal infections are only part of the entire disease landscape that will be of concern to you.  If you do not have a remedy for intestinal parasites, it can truly spell disaster very quickly.  No matter whether you hunt certain animals at the wrong time of year, drink water without cleaning it properly, or you do not cook foods to the proper temperature, you can count on being exposed to all kinds of worms and other parasites that can cause hallucinations and kill you.  Fortunately, oregano is effective for killing these parasites, as well as:

·         Urinary tract infections

·         Athlete’s foot

·         Upper respiratory infections including swine flu

·         Ear infections

·         Skin infections

·         Sinus infections

As with garlic, be careful when using oregano because it can thin the blood. Since oregano can also lower blood sugar levels, diabetics should also use it with caution.

Oregano is a member of the mint family, and therefore very easy to grow. You can keep the seeds on hand in your stockpile, or start plants in a windowsill pot.   Oregano can be used as a tea using dried or fresh leaves. If you are interested in making oil infusions and also essential oils, this is an excellent herb to start because it grows so well and is also very easy to work with.

In the post-crisis world, poor sanitation, consuming unfamiliar foods, increased risk of injuries, and soaring stress levels are all going to create a situation where you may need antibiotics to treat an infection.  Many people are surprised to discover that they have potent, safe antibiotics right in their own kitchen.  Take the time now to learn how to grow and make these simple foods into powerful medicines that will serve you and your family well in a time of crisis.   In addition, if you encounter a super bug that cannot be handled by modern antibiotics, you may just find something in these seven natural remedies that will save your life.