Our Kidding Facility
Our kidding pens consist of individual pens. This is where all of our kidding is done with the help of cameras.
Each pen measures approximately 5 feet X 6 feet and can comfortably house does and their offspring for several days. The walls and the tops of the bucket holders are constructed of 1/4 inch plastic which makes these pens easy to be pressure washed when they are done being used. The white and gray sheets of plastic were purchased for around $16 for a truck load on a sealed bid. We decided to put the gray plastic on the bottom half of the walls so the white boer does would show up better on the camera system.
There are hay racks made of livestock pannel welded to the goat pannel which is on a 2X4 frame door. This makes feeding a snap without ever having to enter the pen.
There are doors in each end of the aisle way to make cleaning the pens easier. Goats do not like a direct draft or air blowing directly on them, windows and fans were installed above the pens to allow air movement up high without bothering the goats or newborn kids.
There are ceiling fans to allow air movement without creating a direct draft on the animals. Each pen has its own heat bulb for cold climate kidding. The heat bulbs are on a pulley system to allow you to raise and lower the heat bulb and set it to different hieghts for boers or pygmies. There are also Country Vet brand insect foggers to control flying insects during warmer months.
And the end result, allowing the new mother time to bond with her kids. A special "thank you" to Daisy (the doe seen here) for allowing me to photograph her hours after giving birth to twins.
The Brood Doe Barn
This barn is where our dry does are housed and they spend the first 4 of months of pregnancy in this barn.
Our Lactating Boer Doe Barn
We breed year-round in groups. Here is where the does are moved to in their last trimester of pregnancy and feed rations are increased in ensure healthy kids and does with adequate milk supply to raise healthy kids. The kids are raised here until they are sold at 8 weeks old.
The Buck Barn
Here is where our breeding bucks are housed. The steel tube manger where the bucks are fed seperates them from the aisle way where people walk to protect us and our visitors from them.
Working Corral
This corral is located in between the barns. It is used to run the goats in from these different barns while we are hoof trimming or vaccinating.
Behind The Barns View
Where the goats exit the barn to head to pasture, there is an oak board fencing and a water tub is placed between the fencing so two pastures can be watered with only one water tub. The water is located where the goats have to walk to drink to help keep it cleaner longer. Then there are gates which can be opened to block the goats out on pasture while a compact tractor is being used to clean the barns. Or the gates can be used to allow the goats to graze on different pastures.
Rotational Grazing
This is a field of brassica's just after germination.
Pictured above are a special blend of New Zealand brassica's at 30 days. Brassica's are great to plant for rotational grazing and can produce up to 10 tons of forage per acre. They are an anual plant and the goats will not eat them until the plant is well established and reaches at least a foot tall because young brassica plants are bitter tasting until the leaves mature and become broad enough to withstand grazing. These plants are ideal for grazing and can also be planted with clovers and wheat.
This is where young replacement doelings will be raised until breeding age.
Our Other Farm
Raking Hay
Break Time is over...back to work!
The Hay Barn
Heading Back To The Fields
End Of Tour