What did you do today?

[Taffy]

Ummm, Taffy-what correct side of the Columbia are you referring to?!! Hehe! Bend is the correct side of everything!

Why, the correct side of the river is my side of course! Nebs lives on the Pasco side of the Columbia and I live across the Columbia in Kennewick. I had to give him a tease.

[Nanno]

Nanno, my vet uses a California band on older bucklings. I think that's what it's called. Worked like a charm on a yearling I had. Also worked on a 4 month old.

It's funny, but when we took Pac-Man in to get wethered last spring they recommended banding. But this time the doc took one look at my guys and said they are too big and it would be traumatic for them. He said his daughter who raises Boers had had some complications when they banded her older goats this past year, so maybe he changed his mind since last spring. At least I'm getting a discount on the surgical castration, and I think I'll feel better about getting the job over with and not having to wait around and watch for infections while the testicles slowly fall off.

In other news, I found out about a guy in Pueblo who butchers and processes goats for $35 each (not sure if the fees are higher for larger goats though). I don't want to butcher any of my babies this year, but for the future I like to know my options. Apparently he takes the animals the night before and lets them settle, then butchers them next morning by slitting their throat. Then you come pick up your meat in neat little paper packages that afternoon. I heard about the place from a lady who took one of her goats there last year and she was really happy. I'd like to go and check it out myself. If he'd let me, I'd like to watch the butchering process from start to finish so I can make an informed decision if this is the route I want to take for any of our culls in the future.

[Taffy]

Apparently he takes the animals the night before and lets them settle, then butchers them next morning by slitting their throat. Then you come pick up your meat in neat little paper packages that afternoon. I heard about the place from a lady who took one of her goats there last year and she was really happy. I'd like to go and check it out myself. If he'd let me, I'd like to watch the butchering process from start to finish so I can make an informed decision if this is the route I want to take for any of our culls in the future.

There is no way I will ever have a goat's throat slit to kill it. No matter how "settled" they are the reaction the goat has when it's throat is slit is horrible to see. My son shoots his Boer goats here on the property out of sight of the other goats. It's very quick and much more humane. He's seen the throat slit on one of his goats and swore none would ever have that done again.

You can butcher a goat like you butcher a deer.

[Nanno]

Interesting. I've always heard that slitting the throat is the most humane way to slaughter and the least likely to result in mistakes, as can (and often does) happen with a bullet. My neighbor slaughters goats that way and says they pass out immediately from blood loss to the head before they know what happened. Jews and Muslims use only this method of slaughter because other methods are believed unclean, and I've heard it's very humane. Even one of my books on goat husbandry lauds throat cutting as the quickest, cleanest way to kill a goat. Maybe it's all in how you do it? One thing I do know is that trauma to an animal before death hurts the meat, so a butcher who uses inhumane methods to slaughter animals isn't going to have good results in his products. Guns are a very recent invention in human history, so surely there had to be humane ways of putting down animals before the last two centuries. However, this is why I want to go and see for myself before taking any of my animals to a butcher.

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Ive actually seen the throat slitting method before and its not a pretty site. But if the butcher is within city limits, then that might be his preferred method. Slicing the throat doesnt kill them right away. They bleed out in a couple of minutes. Cuts dont typically hurt that bad so would guess although it looks horrific, the pain is minimal.

On the other hand, hunting usually results with a gun shot animal that can live for much longer. I know everyone tries for a kill shot but 90% of the time, it doesnt happen that way.

[michael]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!!!

[deschutes dawn]

Back at you, Michael, and everyone else!

[Nanno]

Today I tried out my new betathane harness from Northwest Mini Tack (it's a harness and cart shop for miniature horses). The lady, Susan Brandon, was very helpful in getting me the right size and getting a few customizations done so it would work as a goat harness. It fits Cuzco beautifully and it looks so classy! Cuzco and I took a little jaunt down the road and back. He really got into it and did a lot more trotting than I thought he was capable of in the mud. I'm thrilled to say that he didn't limp even one step and didn't cough either. Sometimes he acts like he's getting younger instead of older!

I also tried the harness on Pac-Man and it adjusted right down to his size. I hitched him to the cart and walked beside the wheel so I could drive him. He was very upset about having to leave the other goats, but he's a very well-mannered boy and he was compliant if vocal. I continue to be impressed by his natural tendency to walk right out ahead of me and drive without anyone in front. Whenever he stopped to baaa mournfully at the other goats I just clucked to him, tapped with the whip, and he started right on again without trying to turn himself around. What a good boy!

[nebs]

Very cool. Sounds like Pacman is growing into quite the awesome goat in his own right!

[lumpy]

Today was a tuff one -5 wind chill -25. Taking care of the goats making sure they got extra feed and hot water. Then one of the last ducks egg this year before we got the big freeze hatched to night in the incubator.very excited for it its the first animal born on the farm so, I hope it makes it.