Way to go, Starlight!

I waited until Starlight's triplets were 5 weeks old before beginning to separate them at night and milk her in the morning.  At 6 weeks fresh, she's SO VERY CLOSE to a quart per milking!  I am really thrilled with her production.  She's probably making more than half a gallon of milk per day at this point, considering I don't relieve her of every bit in the morning (after all, she has three hungry kids that are going to mob her when she gets off the milk stand).  Those kids are very efficient at emptying an udder, and nurse all day, so I'm sure they get more than a quart of milk from her during the day.  She is a great doe, and I'm so glad to have her!

This is really not the best udder shot, but it's the only one I have from this freshening that's on the computer for me to use.  This is Starlight's udder at 5 weeks fresh, 9 hours bagged.  Hope to add some more soon.

Pics of North Forest Farm Spice

This is Spice.  He was named by his new owners, who he gets to meet in a few weeks.  He had a bout with diarrhea, I think from getting so much of his mom's milk.  He's a little piggy!  I had him in the house so I could wash him up and get him dry again.  I was also actually hoping he'd poo on the floor so I could get a sample to do a fecal on him.  I wanted to make sure there was nothing else going on.  Of course, when you want a goat to poo on the floor, he won't! ;)  Any way, after a few days of probios he was fine.  He is such a cutie!  Very unique in his coloring too.  I'm not trying to breed for color, but I still like seeing all the colors that show up.  He's a chamoise, but it's hard to spot through all the white.  I just love his big, dark eyes!

Meet Twister and Her Twins

I'd like to introduce you to Twister (registered name, French's Dream Twisted Sister).  I decided to get a Nubian doe, and she comes with twins! :)  It's going to be fun learning about another breed of goat, and Twister seems like she's going to be a great doe to work with.  Her son will be wethered and raised for meat.  I haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep her doe kid, or if she'll be for sale in the future.  I have been long thinking of breeding my Nigerian bucks to a full size breed of doe, and then keeping the resulting mini breed as my milkers.  I was looking at Oberhasli, as I love their coloring and their body style and head/ear type.  However, I have a friend who does a great job raising Nubians.  I really trust her and think she knows her stuff!  I decided if I was going to go for a full size doe, I couldn't go wrong getting one from her.  I'm feeling very fortunate to be getting this doe.  It looks like she's going to be a great mom, and a good milker as a FF.  I'm not sure that she's a great "show doe", but she has a pretty little udder, and so far appears to be taking after her mom, Poplar Hill Magic Legs, as a true milker.  You can visit the French's Dream herd at Baa-si Farms.

Twister and twins