My name is R. Derek Hall and was born and raised in
I breed once a year and kid out in April/May during the warmer weather. I personally feel the extra effort needed to kid in the winter months does not equal greater profits. I like to kid my does out at 2 years of age and keep them in production till 5 years of age. This gives me a chance to see how a doe's daughters will produce and be able to sell them with still some production life left in them. I do not want babies having babies. I bred a young yearling doe named Red 2001A who kidded a big single doe kid which had to be pulled. Mother and baby survived but a lesson was learned and will not be forgotten. The doe kid named BNFD Red 2001A Warren grew up to give me my first set of quads born on the farm as a four year old in 2006. She birthed and cleaned them on her own.
I prefer that does have minimum of twins with triplets preferred at kidding. Kidding singletons is a genetic trait that I cull heavily for. Does must birth and care for the kids on their own. Those who need help or forget how many kids they have are culled no matter if they are percentages, fullbloods or what their pedigree looks like. I believe in line breeding with breeding half sibs, 1st cousins, grandfathers to granddaughters and nephew to Aunt. After many years I now have the stud battery to help me reach this goal. My genetics are based around the Boer bucks Downen Pipeline and Ubora, Ram H Tobias and CODI bucks Kaptien and Tsjaka.
In the past years replacement does were kept as long as they were structurally correct in order to build up the origional herd from percentage stock to a higher percent and pure bred stock. As of the 2006 kidding season, replacements will be kept based on mothering abilities and the number of pounds of weaning weight of kids. Since the fastest and best gains are in the 1st three months of life, does must be able to produce plenty of milk. I prefer my does to have four teats verses the traditional 2 teats so that they can assist in rearing triplets on their own.
Breeding Does are on a hay only diet from mid July to mid October. They have free choice loose minerals which is a 50/50 split of Sweetlix and Kent Feeds and 20% protein block from Sweetlix. In October the doelings are weaned off their mothers if mother has done so already. The breeding does are now flushed with grain for the next 6 wks at a rate of 1/4 pound per head a day. Bucks are turned with does for 45 days starting around the third week of November. Does are feed half pound of grain till the third month of gestation, then the grain is increase to ¾ pound per head per day till kidding. Sweetlix molasses tubs are also place out at this time free choice to help with energy levels. Once the does have kidded they get a pound a day per head for six weeks then the are slowly weaned so by the next six weeks are down to no grain which helps in drying up the does, especial those with twin wethers/bucklings. At three months of the age the wethers/bucklings are weaned and the doelings are left with their mother till the October.
Kids are creep fed half pound of grain per day per head. Bucklings and wethers continue with this amount till sold. Replacement female are place on ¾ of a pound and increased up to a pound of grain. They are introduced back into the herd the following spring after kidding and are weaned off of grain with the mothers by mid July or so.
Breeding bucks are feed 2 pounds of grain per day per head. They have access to 20% protein block and loose minerals. They are given grass hay when their pen no longer supports them.
The grain ration fed is a custom mix which is ground and mixed on the farm. The ration is formulated by Whitfield's Premix Inc of Gillespie, Illinois. Shelly can be reached at (800) 637 9453. Their website is www.goldenflo.com
The original four acres were planted in 1995 with 85% alfalfa, 15% red clover and 10% white clover. Nothing was done to the pasture other than harvesting the hay and processing it to feed our ostriches. In 2003 another six acres were planted by frost seeding. Our plan is to add 14 more paddocks to enclose all acreage and a use a rotational grazing plan done by the Dept of Natural Resource. As of 2003 the soil has been tested and fertilized as needed. Below is a list of the plants used in the new six acres.
Pasture mix:
Pre Annual Rye BG34
Brome or Late Maturing Orchard Grass
Timothy
Grazing Chicory
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Legend Lespedeza.
I feel goats need to be goats with little interference. Only the strong need to survive. This is not say help is withheld when needed but I try to work proactive vs. reactive. My goats are vaccinated with Super Poly Bac from Texas Labs to offer protection against pneumonia with seasonal changes here in the Midwest. Covexin 8 which helps with overeating and an Autogenous for CL. By vaccinating with the Autogenous for CL from the beginning it was much cheaper than testing the whole herd.
Worming is done with Rumetel at the rate of 1oz per 100 pounds every other month. If needed Cydectin is used at the rate of 1cc per 15 pounds. Goats are rotated threw the pens every 2-3 wks giving a rest period of 45-60 days. Goats that need constant worming are culled.
Both conventional and non conventional herd managements methods are used. Worming is done by the moon phases and weaning by farmers almanac.
I would like to acknowledge those who have helped me get to where I am at today. First and foremost thanks and praise to God for all the things he has made possible for me. Next my parents who love and support me in all the endeavors I do. Friends present and past who helped me get my herd to where it is today threw both conventional and non conventional animal husbandry practices. My cyber friends Coni Ross and Jannette Wood both from Texas who have helped me in my time of need with medical treatments. My support people Andres & Wilton Farmers Grain and Supply, Whitfield's Premix, Inc., Cabery Fertilizer, Peotone Animal Health, University of Illinois Large Animal Hospital, Kent Feeds, Sweelix and Union Hills Sales who help feed and care for my animals and pastures. Keith Witheft who cares for the animals weekly.
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