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Stormstruck’s Quadruplets

Nigerian Dwarf Quadruplets at Cabochon Farm

A 2:30 a.m. barn check on Wednesday found Stormstruck already in labor with a mal-positioned kid who needed to be removed manually. Unfortunately, that first kid didn’t make it and I never made it back to bed that morning. I had to re-position a couple more kids, including one who was breech – presenting rump only.  In a rump only presentation, you have to work inside the doe to carefully find and extend the back legs so the kid can be delivered.

Anyone who is raising and kidding goats, should be prepared to identify birthing problems (dystocia) and assist a birth or call a vet to help.  One really good reference is What to Do in a Kidding Emergency from the Dairy Goat Journal.  I recommend printing it out and keeping in it your birthing supply box, just in case you need it.  Nigerians are known for having multiple kids and that increases the chance that the kids could be positioned wrong or “tangled up” inside and need help.

In the end, Stormstruck delivered four more beautiful kids, 2 does and 2 bucks, who are doing well and Stormstruck has recovered from her rough delivery.  Now I just need catch up on my sleep because Taffy is due in a few days and she looks like should could have several kids packed in there as well.

Photo of Nigerian Dwarf kids at Cabochon Farm in Minnesota
Doeling one the left, buckling on the right
Buckling
Doeling

Glory’s Triplets

After several nights of midnight barn checks, Glory finally delivered triplets on Sunday February 25th.  Glory is an experienced mom and is doing a great job caring for the kids.  These kids have Superior Genetics awards on both sides of their pedigree.

Moon spotted buckling
Blue eyed, light buckskin buckling – this boy is really wide and would make a promising herd sire
Doeling
Glory’s triplets

Mapleshade’s Twins

Mapleshade delivered buck/doe twins on Saturday morning, February 24th.  The doeling was giving her first-time mom problems by trying to come into the world with her head tilted sideways. Poor Maple was doing her best but we finally had to push the girl back inside enough to re-position her head and then she came out okay with just a little traction.  After that her smaller brother entered the world with much less drama.  We are planning to retain a Xylo daugher this year, so we won’t be offering this girl for sale until all of the does bred to Xylo have kidded.

Maple’s doeling
Maple’s buckling

Amanda’s Girls

Amanda decided to deliver her kids ahead of schedule, and in the middle of the night.  But I’ll forgive her the sleep deprivation she caused because she gave us two beautiful, blue eyed doelings. Unfortunately we lost a third kid when I thought she was done and ran in the house for more towels and she delivered one more but the sac didn’t break.  A difficult reminder why it’s so important to be there when kids are born. Even 5 minutes can mean the difference between joy or heartbreak.

Thankfully the two doelings are doing well and Amanda is making plenty of extra milk so I’m excited to see what this lactation brings for her.  We may be retaining one of these sassy girls as we would like to add another Casanova daughter to the herd.

 

Dolly’s Quadruplets

Dolly delivered four fabulous kids for us on Sunday with two does and two bucklings. The birth went quickly and Dolly delivered all four with ease. The littlest boy, only 1 pound 14 ounces, needed to spend some time in the house getting warmed up then he was off to the races fighting for his share at the milk bar.

Bucklings on the left with a sister on the right
Buckling #1
Clayton quickly dubbed the smallest boy “Nigel the Tiny Nigi”
Nigel nursing
Doeling #1
Doeling #1 – the official straw inspector
Doeling #2

Triplets for Penelope

Penelope started off our kidding season on Wednesday about 6:00 p.m.  with two boys and a girl.  Kati midwifed solo and did a fabulous job getting the kids dried off and warmed up in the frigid 0 degree weather. Needless to say, the kids are spending a lot of time in their heat barrel.

Photo of Mini Alpine bucling
Chamoise buckling
Light buckling
Doeling & Clayton getting to know each other
Buckling peeking out of the heat barrel

Superior Genetics Awards x3!

I’m thrilled to announce that three of our does have earned Superior Genetics designations this year:  Windsong, Champagne and Stormstruck.  I’m so proud of the both the “girls” and all the work our family has put in over the years to build our herd into the what it is today. 

We seek to improve our herd with every new generation and Cabochon Farm now has five Superior Genetics designated does and two bucks out of Superior Genetics does in our breeding program.  Thank you to all of our customers who have made our success possible with their support!

The Superior Genetics designation indicates that the animal is in the top 15% (85th percentile ranking or higher) of their breed.  To learn more about the ADGA Superior Genetics program and how the scores are calculated, visit Superior Genetics FAQs.

Showing the Boys in Missouri

Clayton and I spent the Labor Day weekend showing some of the boys at the Boon Companions buck show in Sedalia Missouri. It was our first adventure with our newly acquired trailer – a 42′ toy hauler modified to be a “goat hauler”. The boys did well with Casanova placing first in his class under two judges and Phan Boy and Xylo both taking second in their classes. Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of Xylo and of course since I was the one behind the camera, no photos of me either which is fine since Clayton is the more photogenic one. 🙂

Packing the trailer for the trip to Missouri
Casanova captured two first place wins
Phan Boy placed 2nd with comments on his exceptional smoothness of blending
Biscotti placed 4th in a very large class of 13 while being several months younger than most in the class
Clayton won the senior showmanship class with Phan Boy
Clayton & Biscotti
Clayton and Phan Boy in the show ring
Packing up to head home

 

Amelia’s Twins

Amelia delivered her girls on Saturday, March 25th. She had triplets, but unfortunately one passed away to an apparent birth defect. The other two girls are healthy and thriving and Amelia is a very patient mother to them.

Gold doeling
Buckskin doeling
Amelia with her baby

Champagne’s Triplets

Photo of Nigerian Dwarf triplet kids at Cabochon Farm in MN

Champagne delivered triplets on the afternoon of March  12th.  Kati was the primary mid-wife and she did a fine job getting all the kids off to a good start. Champagne is proving to be a good mom – attentive but not overly obsessed.

We’re excited to see how she does on milk test and are planning to retain a doeling from this breeding, but have not yet finalized our decision. We are limiting the number of kids we keep this year so our final choices will need to wait until we get the rest of the kids on the ground.

Champagne’s Buckling
Champagne with her blue eyed, chocolate doeling
Champagne’s gold doeling