tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post3857138055101925372..comments2023-10-21T16:38:35.007-05:00Comments on Thoughts from Frank and Fern: The Goat Stork Flies AgainFrank and Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-47436930752807261012015-01-20T08:23:15.928-06:002015-01-20T08:23:15.928-06:00Using frozen colostrum is something we have never ...Using frozen colostrum is something we have never had to do, thank goodness. I think some of my goat books recommended the ice trays, Fiona. After they were frozen we popped them out of the ice trays and stored them in freezer bags with the doe's name and the date on them. I kept them for a couple of years, but never needed them, so I thawed them out and fed them to the dog. She liked it. Thank you for sharing.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-34982279158441286172015-01-19T14:32:32.998-06:002015-01-19T14:32:32.998-06:00The Colostrum antibodies may not match the baby g...The Colostrum antibodies may not match the baby getting it but it is better than no colostrum and sometimes makes all the difference. The ice cube trays are a genius idea!Fionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05348495575211204989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-47770893023921352762015-01-18T21:18:15.166-06:002015-01-18T21:18:15.166-06:00We have found that the quicker the milk is chilled...We have found that the quicker the milk is chilled, the longer it stays fresh tasting. When I first started milking many years ago, we didn't know the little tricks, like putting your strained, bottled milk in a bucket of cold water to quicken the chilling. It does make a difference. Now days, our milk is great, and no, it never tastes funny. I have read that the doe's diet can make a difference in the taste of the milk as well, but we haven't run across that here. <br /><br />Back when I first started with goats and milking, I learned to skim the cream off of the milk after it had set for a couple of days. But the cream would get a goaty flavor by the time I had enough to make butter. I don't know why I didn't think of it then, but now when I skim off the cream, I keep adding it to a pint jar in the freezer until I have enough to make butter. The flavor is great since the cream is frozen. No more goaty flavored butter.<br /><br />We love the milk. You just can't beat it. If you keep your milking equipment clean, properly clean the udder before milking, and chill the milk down quickly after straining, you will have excellent milk every time. I wish you the best in your endeavors.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-31238225963817067002015-01-18T21:09:13.511-06:002015-01-18T21:09:13.511-06:00Everyone always says One Stripe looks so big at th...Everyone always says One Stripe looks so big at this point, Vickie. But over the next three weeks, she will really fill out a lot more. It's amazing every time. I always think she looks like she is just going to pop like a balloon! And the waddle gets really hilarious.<br /><br />I have read about goats that will continue to give milk as long as they are milked, even for years and years. My goats won't do that. After One Stripe has been in milk for about 7 or 8 months, she slows down her production. That is why I tried to breed her in July, so she would have babies in December. Then Copper could keep giving us milk until One Stripe's babies were born. But it didn't work out that way.<br /><br />Most does will continue giving milk after they are bred. They may start slowing down their production, but many can be milked until the last two months of gestation. Then they need to be dried off to allow their energy to go into producing healthy babies.<br /><br />I plan to have lots of pictures of the birth, unless of course, they go and have them without me. Let's see now, only 23 more days.....and counting.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-70537194947320955872015-01-18T21:00:35.507-06:002015-01-18T21:00:35.507-06:00We have frozen colostrum before, Fiona, in ice cub...We have frozen colostrum before, Fiona, in ice cube trays. Since baby goats are small and can't ingest much at birth, we chose the ice cube size for single servings. But since then I have also read that only colostrum from a kid's mother will provide them with the antibodies they need. It won't do any good to give them another doe's colostrum. Fortunately, we have always been able to work with the does that weren't great moms, or had weak kids, and gotten everyone working together well.<br /><br />There are many people that take kids from the does at birth and raise them as bottle babies. We have never done that, and have never raised any kids on a bottle. I think the doe will do a much better job raising her kids than I could. One of the arguments to take the kids off of the doe, is that the kids will damage the udder. I have never had a doe with a damaged udder or mastitis from letting them raise their kids, even when I let them nurse well beyond the standard eight weeks. Sometimes the kids are so aggressive in their nursing, they raise the doe's hind legs off the ground as they bump her to stimulate milk flow. It has never damaged their udders. It is a natural process.<br /><br />Thank you for the question and for sharing your experiences.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-47492156037770035812015-01-18T20:46:06.033-06:002015-01-18T20:46:06.033-06:00Very nice post. We are trying to learn about goats...Very nice post. We are trying to learn about goats in the event we decide to start breeding some of our own in the future. We recently started buying goat milk from a small, organic producer near us and were amazed how good the milk was and that there was no "goat-like" odors or odd flavors in the milk. Have you had this same experience with milk flavor? Does the milk ever taste funny...and if so, why? Thanks for sharing and look forward to more great posts! - your neighbor to the south in Texas :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-26791575573729445242015-01-18T15:30:20.137-06:002015-01-18T15:30:20.137-06:00I love reading stories about your goats and the pi...I love reading stories about your goats and the pictures are great! One Stripe already looks huge! I have a question: how long can you milk the goats - months, years, until they get pregnant again? Good luck with the birth of your new kids, and I hope you can get photos of the births to share!Vickie @ makingoursustainablelife.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01210045536198927269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-42150885676901993572015-01-18T09:35:26.650-06:002015-01-18T09:35:26.650-06:00The goats are looking wonderful and in excellent c...The goats are looking wonderful and in excellent condition, shiny coats are a good sign! have you ever frozen colostrum from you older does to save for emergencies? I used to save a quart or so from my best cows and if a first calver had a weak calf or seemed slow to start into milk i would boost the calf wit the colostrum I had frozen and saved. It is not as good as fresh but is way better than none. It freezes well for about a year.Fionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05348495575211204989noreply@blogger.com