Post by crazycritter on Sept 27, 2015 7:49:15 GMT -5
I have a friend that has owned livestock her whole life, teaches children how to care for them, has several horses and beef cows, etc.
well she bought a pygmy goat a year ago because he was cute ( not saying i have not done the same) but she knew nothing about goats except she wanted babies. I went to visit her and was a bit concerned as she had no shelter for her goat, she didn't feed any special diet, thought the goat could just eat what the other animals left behind but said goat seemed happy and healthy so i just offered a little advice about her needing to get a mineral suppliment if she wanted to breed and she should start on good feed prior to pregnancy, etc. and went about my business.
I recieved a text from her last night that she just needed to give me some advice so I don't end up heart broken when my goats finally deliver-
she writes; Rotten (her goat) had delivered three babies but they were all very weak, won't stand and died shortly after. She finally did some research and realized that goats need mineral suppliments and a good diet when pregnant or the babies are born weak and die!!!!!
I know it's not my business and I am new to this life but who buys animals to breed and doesn't research proper care? It makes me sick that she is writting this off as trial and error, meanwhile babies are dead and who knows what mom is going through. Oh yeah, and she has no intention of milking her goat so now the goat has a full udder and no babies! She said Rotten will be fine.
I should also mention that this spring she went with me when i bought my cow and she decided that she wanted a nice little heiffer Holstein as well. Brought her home and I raised it on my holstein for four months along with her other angus cow while she was moving in exchange for hay.
i had called her about her cow damaging my barn, cow was tearing up the place and getting very pushy with me. She came over with her trailer to load her cow out and said she would just take the calf as well. When i showed her what her cow had done to my barn she told me "that is what you get when you let your animals in the barn. You cause yourself too much work by letting them in, they should be on pasture only barn is for storing." Then she left without offering to replace anything or help fix the broken fences!
I am became worried about her heiffers future after this as she has only ever had beef cattle, so I offered to buy the calf or replace it with a beefer. She told me she had big plans for her. I asked if she understood what a holstein is going to need ( like a barn) she says she is going to breed her so she can have more babies! Sounds good except she also has zero intentions of milking, thinks it's gross and her cow will be fine as long as she has a live calf!! Tried to explain that this will not work for a holstein, they produce wayyyy to much milk for one calf, the calf will need a barn- she is breeding for a Jan calf so it does not mess with her horse/ cow shuttle routine (?) but she insists they will all be fine. She is also short on cash so buying a orphan calf to put on her heiffer is not going to be an option for her. We live in Montana where our winters are long, cold, wet and windy well into normal spring months, this calf will freeze!
I got into this life thinking i knew something because i had reasearched and yes, I was completly lost when I brought my cow home but at least I tried to figure things out and make responsible buying choices. I am also learning all I can along the way so it makes me sick when people want to just wing it with lives at stake and no interest in learning.
Sorry, was up early just sick over this. I wish she would take some advice or stick to what she knows.
well she bought a pygmy goat a year ago because he was cute ( not saying i have not done the same) but she knew nothing about goats except she wanted babies. I went to visit her and was a bit concerned as she had no shelter for her goat, she didn't feed any special diet, thought the goat could just eat what the other animals left behind but said goat seemed happy and healthy so i just offered a little advice about her needing to get a mineral suppliment if she wanted to breed and she should start on good feed prior to pregnancy, etc. and went about my business.
I recieved a text from her last night that she just needed to give me some advice so I don't end up heart broken when my goats finally deliver-
she writes; Rotten (her goat) had delivered three babies but they were all very weak, won't stand and died shortly after. She finally did some research and realized that goats need mineral suppliments and a good diet when pregnant or the babies are born weak and die!!!!!
I know it's not my business and I am new to this life but who buys animals to breed and doesn't research proper care? It makes me sick that she is writting this off as trial and error, meanwhile babies are dead and who knows what mom is going through. Oh yeah, and she has no intention of milking her goat so now the goat has a full udder and no babies! She said Rotten will be fine.
I should also mention that this spring she went with me when i bought my cow and she decided that she wanted a nice little heiffer Holstein as well. Brought her home and I raised it on my holstein for four months along with her other angus cow while she was moving in exchange for hay.
i had called her about her cow damaging my barn, cow was tearing up the place and getting very pushy with me. She came over with her trailer to load her cow out and said she would just take the calf as well. When i showed her what her cow had done to my barn she told me "that is what you get when you let your animals in the barn. You cause yourself too much work by letting them in, they should be on pasture only barn is for storing." Then she left without offering to replace anything or help fix the broken fences!
I am became worried about her heiffers future after this as she has only ever had beef cattle, so I offered to buy the calf or replace it with a beefer. She told me she had big plans for her. I asked if she understood what a holstein is going to need ( like a barn) she says she is going to breed her so she can have more babies! Sounds good except she also has zero intentions of milking, thinks it's gross and her cow will be fine as long as she has a live calf!! Tried to explain that this will not work for a holstein, they produce wayyyy to much milk for one calf, the calf will need a barn- she is breeding for a Jan calf so it does not mess with her horse/ cow shuttle routine (?) but she insists they will all be fine. She is also short on cash so buying a orphan calf to put on her heiffer is not going to be an option for her. We live in Montana where our winters are long, cold, wet and windy well into normal spring months, this calf will freeze!
I got into this life thinking i knew something because i had reasearched and yes, I was completly lost when I brought my cow home but at least I tried to figure things out and make responsible buying choices. I am also learning all I can along the way so it makes me sick when people want to just wing it with lives at stake and no interest in learning.
Sorry, was up early just sick over this. I wish she would take some advice or stick to what she knows.