GODDARD FARM, LLC

THIS IS THE INSIDE OF THE DOE LOAFING BARN. IN THE FAR LEFT CORNER YOU CAN SEE THE FADED RED BROWERÒ HEATED WATER SYSTEM FOR THE DOES SO THEY HAVE CONTINUOUS ACCESS TO A FRESH DRINK IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE WALLS ARE INSUALTED 5 FEET UP TO PREVENT EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE FROM RADIATING THROUGH THE METAL WALLS. FOR SANITATION AND COMFORT THE FLOOR IS COVERED WITH A 12-INCH DEPTH OF MAN SAND.

SUE IS GETTING SOME OF THE 3RD. CUTTING FINE-STEMMED, DAIRY-QUALITY, ALFALFA FROM THE HAY STORAGE AREA IN THE WEST HALF OF THE LOAFING BARN FOR THE MILKERS AFTERNOON SNACK.

Fall 2009

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NOTICE THE LENGTH OF HAY TWINE IN HER HANDS ATTACHED TO THE WIRE CUTTERS USED FOR OPENING HAY BALES.   THE HAY STRING HELPS TO KEEP THE WIRE CUTTERS  FROM GETTING LOST IN THE HAY

THE 22-FOOT BY 60-FOOT AWNING PROVIDES 40 FEET OF COVERED SPACE FOR HAY FEEDERS AND 20 FEET ON THE WEST  END TO PARK THE TRACTOR AND LOADER OUT OF THE WEATHER. 

ALFALFA SMALL SQUARE BALES

 FOR WINTER FEEDING

 11-06-2009

    HAY TRAILER WITH 150 BALES OF FINE-STEMMED, DAIRY-QUALITY, 4TH CUTTING ALFALFA STORED UNDER THE WEST THIRD OF THE 22 BY 60-FOOT AWNING OUT OF THE WEATHER.

FOR WINTER FEEDING 11-06-2009

SOUTH SIDE OF THE LOAFING BARN AT A DISTANCEWE USE TWO HAY FEEDERS UNDER THE AWNING WHERE THE DOES CAN EAT DURING ALL THE MILKING HERD HAS A DRY CLEAN PLACE TO EAT OR LAY DOWN OUTSIDE UNDER THE 22 FOOT BY 60 FOOT AWNING  IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS.  LIKE THE FLOOR COVERING IN THE ADJACENT LOAFING BARN, THE HAY FEEDERS SIT ON 12 INCHES OF MAN SAND.
  

 BOTH PICTURES ABOVE SHOW THE HAY FEEDERS BUILT ON 2" BY 12" RUNNERS SO THEY CAN BE DRAGGED OUT OF THE WAY WHILE THE LOAFING AREAS ARE BEING CLEANED.   THE FEED BOXES ARE 12 INCHES DEEP AND THE DIVIDERS ARE 7 & 1/4 INCHES APART FOR MINIMAL HAY WASTE.   THE REMNANTS OF A SALT BLOCK CAN BE SEEN ON THE END OF THE DISTANT FEEDER.   A SECOND SALT BLOCK IS ON THE WALL IN THE LOAFING BARN.    WE KEEP MORTON®  BRAND SALT BLOCKS FREE CHOICE IN EVERY PEN.   SALT IS ESSENTIAL TO GOOD DAIRY GOAT MANAGEMENT. 

DOE LOAFING BARN AND AWNING

LOOKING SOUTH-TO-NORTH,

ANOTHER VIEW  AT A DISTANCE

BARN  BUILT 1994

WE TRY TO TRIM HOOVES EVERY FOUR WEEKS TO KEEP THE DOES' FEET IN GOOD CONDITION.   AS A PREVENTIVE WE USE KOPERTOX ® ON ALL HOOVES AT EACH TRIMMING.

PREGNANT DOES ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE - JANUARY 16 - 2006

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 Valbazen® Drench

ODE TO A VETERINARIAN

A SUCCESSFUL DAIRY GOAT OPERATION IS DEPENDENT UPON A DEDICATED, CONSCIENTIOUS, KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND CARING VETERINARIAN.  A VETERINARIAN CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A PERSON WHO HELPS GOD MAKE MIRICLES, IN THIS CASE THREE OF THEM.

ON A WINTER NIGHT IN EARLY FEBRUARY, MANY YEARS AGO, WITH THE TEMPERATURE HOVERING AT 8*F AND ABOUT 2 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND WE HAD A DOE IN LABOR.   IT WAS NOT MUCH WARMER IN THE BIRTHING AREA.   BY MIDNIGHT IT WAS APPARENT THAT SHE NEEDED HELP.  THE FROZEN SNOW GLISTENED IN THE MOONLIGHT AND CRUNCHED UNDER YOUR BOOTS AS YOU WALKED ALONG.  WE CALLED OUR VETERINARIAN AND WITHIN HALF AN HOUR HE WAS ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES DELIVERING THREE LOVELY BROWN DOE KIDS SAFE AND SOUND.   WE CALLED THEM THE "TRIPLETS," THE FOUNDATION OF OUR HERD TODAY!  BEING AWAKENED IN THE MIDDLE OF A SOUND SLEEP AND TRADING A WARM BED FOR A COLD PRAIRIE WIND HITTING YOU IN THE FACE TO HELP DELIVER KIDS FROM A DOE IN LABOR IS DEDICATION AND LOVE OF HIS PROFESSIOIN!

MORE THAN TWO DECADES LATER WE ARE STILL GRATEFUL FOR HAVING SUCH A KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CARING VETERINARIAN.  

DR. DAVID L. NOTTINGHAM, DVM

BALDWIN JUNCTION VETERINARY MOBILE SERVICE

1274 NORTH 650 ROAD

LAWRENCE, KANSAS 66046

785-594-3124

THIS IS A 4-ACRE PASTURE WHERE THE DOES CAN BROWSE  FOR EXERCISE AND TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR DIET OF ALFALFA

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THE ENTIRE HERD IS G6S NORMAL BY DNA TESTING OR PARENTAGE

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THIS IS ONE OF OUR BROWER® THERMOSTAT CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC HEATED WATER SYSTEMS.  IT SITS ON THE FENCE LINE SO IT WILL BE ABLE TO SERVICE TWO PENS.   THEY ARE HEAVILY INSULATED AND CALKED AT THE BOTTOM  AROUND THE CONCRETE BASE  MAKING FREEZING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE EVEN WITH EXTENDED LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER.

THIS IS THE EAST PARLOR DOOR TO OUR NEW DAIRY BARN WHERE THE DOES WAIT TO BE MILKED.   THE AREA IS COVERED BY A 12-FOOT BY 36-FOOT AWNING.    THE ENTIRE AREA UNDER THE AWNING IS COVERED WITH A 6-INCH DEPTH OF MAN SAND TO KEEP THE AREA DRY AND SANITARY.    A 12-FOOT BY 14-FOOT BLACK PERFERATED NYLON MAT COVERS THE MAN SAND IN THE AREA WHERE THE DOES GATHER TO ENTER THE MILK ROOM, PROVIDING EXCELLENT DRAINAGE THAT ELIMINATES TRAPPED MOISTURE, OFFENSIVE ODORS, AND PREVENTS BACTERIA BUILDUP.   2008 - 2009

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 THIS IS A "CLOSE UP" OF THE NYLON MAT PROVIDED FOR THE MILKERS IN THE HOLDING AREA JUST OUTSIDE THE DAIRY PARLOR.    THIS MAT PERMITS URINE TO DRAIN AWAY AND BE ABSORBED INTO THE MAN SAND BELOW MAKING THE AREA MORE SANITARY AND DISEASE FREE.    THE AREA UNDER THE MAT DROPS OFF SHARPLY FROM THE PARLOR DOOR EAST SO THAT DEBRIS CAN BE EASILY HOSED OFF WITH HOT WATER.

ABOVE IS SHOWN A PATH FROM THE MILK PARLOR TO THE LOAFING BARN 6 FEET WIDE AND 6 INCHES DEEP WITH MAN SAND (PULVERIZED LIMESTONE FROM THE LOCAL QUARRY) SO THE DOES'  FEET WILL BE DRY AND CLEANER WHEN THEY ENTER THE MILK ROOM.

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 We use the above-pictured Swift Model M7000D series,  Binocular Microscope with Semi-Plan (85% Flat Field) Focus, to check semen viability in both live breedings and A.I., fecal exams for internal parasites, and for identifying coccidia.   The M7000D has 4x, 10x, 40x, and 100x Objectives, 10x Eyepiece, (corded version) with Halogen Illumination. ============================WORMINGWE WORM THE HERD, PURSUANT TO THE DIRECTION OF OUR VETERINARIAN,  WITH IVOMEC-PLUS® WITH THREE CONSECUTIVE WORMINGS AT 10-DAY INTERVALS, FOR A TOTAL OF THREE WORMINGS,  STARTING ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE KIDDING.   WE REPEAT THIS REGIMEN DURING MID-SUMMER AND AGAIN BEFORE BREEDING SEASON, ALWAYS DOING RANDOM FECALS IN BETWEEN AS A BACKUP.   WE USE THE PACKAGE DIRECTIONS OF 1CC PER 110 LBS. OF BODY WEIGHT.

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WORMING KIDS IS CRUCIAL TO THEIR GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

STARTING AT 3 WEEKS OF AGE, KIDS ARE GIVEN IVOMEC-PLUS™  AT 1/2cc S.Q. EVERY 2 WEEKS GRADUATING UPWARD ON DOSAGE AND GIVEN 1cc  AT 12 AND 14 WEEKS.  AFTER THAT,  KIDS ARE WORMED BASED ON FECAL EXAMS.

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Kushlan™  cement mixer used to mix our grain ration.   It Can mix up to 200 lbs. at one time.   Has a 3/4 horsepower single phase electric motor that runs on 110, a rust proof poly drum  and pneumatic tires.   Retractable handlebars make it easy to move around and stores in a smaller space when not in use.

Makes on-farm feed mixing for a micro dairy practical and consistent.

SUE IS VERY PARTICUALR ABOUT THE QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY OF  HER GRAIN RATION &  MINERAL MIX, BOTH OF WHICH SHE PREPARES WITH HER KUSHLAN™ MIXER

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