What did you do today?

[Nanno]

Finn is stiff and sore this morning but looks perky and cheerful. He's not too sore to chase the ladies. I let the goats out together most days as long as Lilly and Petunia aren't in heat. It turns out Delilah is showing signs of having cystic ovaries. For the last two weeks she's come into heat every few days, so I'm going to take care of that and then hopefully take her back up to the Nubian buck to get bred again for a mid-summer baby. I didn't want any late June babies, but July/early August kids could work out ok. I don't want her to go on with this problem, and I'd really like to have three does bred this year.

Charlie Horse, it sounds to me like you need a different procedure. Castrating shouldn't be that dangerous. I discussed the problem of bleeding out last year when we had Pac-Man done, and my vet said that this happens when a vet uses the same technique on goats that they use on dogs and horses--they crimp off the blood vessels instead of suturing them shut. My vet told me that this is very risky with goats because they have such large blood vessels that it's not uncommon for those crimps to reopen. He said whatever vet I use, always make sure he sutures off those blood vessels.

I sent our blood samples off to WADDL last week. Hopefully everyone is clean. The only one who didn't get blood drawn is Cuzco. His tests came back clean the last three times and I don't see the point of testing him any more at his age.