Star says, "a good head scratch feels great." The scratching pad is a scrub pad from one of those industrial scrubbing machines used in large stores and warehouses. The companies were glad to give us the used pads and the goats adore them.
There's a plethora of photos in our photo section.
Cherrys Sire -
Kastdemur's Ferocity
Photo courtesy of Kecskemet Nubians.
HARNER WORLD SHEKEL COLLECTION 2*M
aka "Shekel"
# N1726606
BD: 3/7/2015
G6S Normal by parentage
Shekel
is pictured at 13 months of age in April, 2016.
See her pedigree at ADGAgenetics.org:
http://adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.aspx?RegNumber=N001726606
2018 Lactation: Still in progress.
2017 Lactation: 2,811 pounds of milk in 319 days (She didn't want to dry off even carrying triplets for the first time!), average 4.84% butterfat (136 pounds), 3.84% protein (108 pounds)
2016 Lactation (First Freshening as a 13 month old): 1,710 pounds of milk in 291 days, 4.81% butterfat (82 pounds) and 3.99% protein (68 pounds).
My beautiful Shekel stole my heart from the very
first look with her strong, straight stance and gorgeous head. She was part of
a set of triplet doelings out of first freshener Rupee and first-time papa
Atlas. She and her sisters actually had little udders at birth.
Weighing just under five pounds at birth, Shekel
eagerly took to the bottle and never refused a meal. A weight tape had her at
115 pounds at seven months of age when she was weaned from the bottle. This
great growth is the reason we broke from tradition and bred her to kid at a
year of age instead of waiting.
***********
2019 - We are milking Shekel through this year so she is not bred.
March 28, 2018 - Shekel delivered her first set of triplets: two doelings and a buckling; all red and white, sired by Paco. She was reluctant to dry up this winter, even with cold temps. I had to work to get her production reduced to the point where I could milk just once a day, midday, when temps were at their warmest. She only dried up on March 9th. I love that strong will to milk. If things go well this year, the plan is to not breed Shekel in the fall and see just how long she'll milk into 2019.
April 17, 2017 - Shekel delivered Paco twin bucklings weighing 8.6# and 10.2#.
April 17, 2016 - Shekel is doe to deliver Paco
kids. We're delighted to repeat this breeding.
April, 2016 - Shekel presented us with beautiful
twins from Paco - one buckling and a doeling. She delivered on her own with
just a little help cleaning kids off from Great Grandma Mony.
Two weeks before delivery, the toll of carrying so kids started to show on this young doe. Her hind feet began to turn inward. I fed extra calcium and tried to boost her nutrition, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to reverse the damage to her feet. I'll never breed doelings this young again, regardless of their size
HARNER
DIMPLED CRYSTAL
aka
"Dimples" 2*M
# N1725104
BD: 4/3/2015
G6S Normal by parentage
LA 2015: +AV+ (Young Stock)
LA 2016: 73FAAA
Dimples is pictured at one year of age in April,
2016.
See her pedigree at ADGAgenetics.org:
http://adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.aspx?RegNumber=N001725104
2018 Lactation: Still in progress.
Dimples delivered our set of quadruplets, though one was born dead. She was extremely full of kids and was very uncomfortable throughout her pregnancy. The delivery was very difficult and Dimples could only stand for very short periods afterward. She developed ketosis, but managed a good attitude and slowly we nursed her back to normal activities. Dimples will not be bred for 2019 kidding. Instead, we are milking her as long as she'll produce.
2017 Lactation: 1,929 pounds of milk in 271 days, average 4.51% butterfat (87 pounds) and 3.68% protein (71 pounds). Dimples was dried up early because her pregnancy was really weighing on her.
2016 Lactation (First Freshening as a 12 month old doe): 1,540 pounds of milk in 298 days, 5.14% butterfat (79 pounds) and 3.71% protein (57 pounds).
Right after I mailed our DHIR application to ADGA, I went to the barn and Mony was in labor. Dimples and her twin sister were the result. She's extremely quiet in the herd, but makes sure to get her daily dose of affection.
Dimples and her sister were eager eaters and grew quickly. At peak, Dimples was drinking three quarts of milk a day. This resulted in what some call "over conditioning" and negatively impacted her LA score. At six months of age, Dimples weighed 110 pounds.
*****************
2019 - We are milking Dimples through this year. She will not be bred.
March 23, 2018 - Dimples delivered Atlas triplets: two bucklings and a doeling, all black and white.
April 13, 2017 - Dimples presented Atlas triplets: two bucklings and a doeling. These kids are stunning. Both bucklings found homes as herd sires for people interested in milk.
April 14, 2016 - At just one year and two
weeks of age - Dimples delivered triplets sired by Atlas. This little doe was
extremely full and the first two bucklings came out backwards and upside
down....so they were pulled up and over her back!
Just two weeks before delivery, the toll of carrying so many kids started to show on this young doe. Her hind feet began to turn inward. I fed extra calcium and tried to boost her nutrition, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to reverse the damage to her feet. I'll never breed doelings this young again, regardless of their size.
Dimples is a sweet, gentle young lady and delightful on the milk stand.
Mony daughters Star (left) and Dimples on February 2, 2016. Star is five years old, almost dry. Dimples is 10 months old. Both are 2.5 months pregnant.
Note their wide stance.
REFERENCE DOE
Now deceased
Harner Miss Moneypenny
# N1591902
BD: 5-11-2011
G6S Normal by Test
LA 2012 as Young Stock: V+VV
LA 2014: 83 V+VA (She was 18 months into her lactation and was rated as a "stale" udder.)
Penny is a new and improved version of her mother. She has that wonderful frame - only with a better body capacity and more correct feet and legs. In the months since her linear appraisal, she has constantly improved.
At freshening, she's proven to be an easy milker with extremely well-attached udder. She's still in full winter coat in these photos, but is producing over three quarts a day ( between 7.5 and 8 pounds on my scales).
2013
- She produced twins - a buckling
(Nibbles) and doeling (Rupee). She's produced over a ton of milk in the
first 12 months of lactation and is still being milked in 2014.
See her pedigree at ADGA:
HARNER DANDY MILLIONAIRESS 2*M
aka
"Millie"
# N1695487
BD: 3/24/2014
G6S Normal by parentage
Alpha s1 Casein: B/B
LA 2015: ++V+ (Young Stock)
LA 2016: 86V+VV
Millie in October, 2016 - 2.5 years old
See her pedigree at: http://adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.aspx?RegNumber=N001695487
2016 Lactation (First Freshening): Millie wasn't bred ro 2017, so we kept on milking here. Here's the total for her extended lactation:
4298 pounds of milk in 582 days (19 months), average 4.68% butterfat (201 pounds) and 3.98% protein (171 pounds). For anyone following Representative Luke Simons in the legislature as he supported the Food Freedom bill in 2017, it was Millie's delicious milk that he was drinking on the floor of the ND House of Representatives.
This Mony daughter was a singleton. As Mony's
due date grew close, I was anxiously watching, since Mony usually has triplets
who tend to be tangled and need assistance to greet the world.
On the day of Millie's birth, Mony was restless,
and I stayed close. I left the barn for 30 minutes prior to milking; only to
hear a kid talking when I re-entered the barn. I think Mony wanted to do this
on her own. Millie was almost standing and ready for her first drink of lovely
"Mony Honey" (milk). Since we have limited barn room, my friend
Endine and her family took Millie into their barn to run with other kids.
Millie demanded attention and quickly took the lead greeting anyone entering
the barn.
She's sweet, mischievous, and an impressive young
doeling that combines good things from both her parents. If you come visit the
barn, you won't have to look for Millie....she'll find you.
*************
April 12, 2018 - Millie delivered Atlas kids. Sadly, it was a very difficult delivery that ended up at the vet's office. She suffered a tear in her uterus and had to be euthanised. One very special buckling survived.
2017 - No kids so we kept milking her through. What a joy to have milk the entire year!
June, 2016 - Millie presented us with triplet Atlas kids: two bucklings and a
large doeling (Divy). Divy is retained in the herd.