Resolutions!

Each year, my new year's resolutions usually involve learning new skills. For example, last year my goal was to learn about bee keeping.  Unfortunately, that skill didn't turn out as successfully as I'd hoped, but that's a post for another day.

This year, my goal is to broaden my goat skills.  Every year, I try to lesson my dependance on the vet and learn more basic vet skills.  Last year, I needed to learn to give my goats their own shots and vaccinations.  I know, I know EVERYBODY gives their goats their own shots, but I'm kinda a wimp in the medical department.  Blood, guts, dead things, sharp pokey needles, etc. are not my strong suit.  But I need to get over it already and concure my fear.  It would also help greatly reduce my costs in maintaing the goats (always a plus)!

So this year's goat goal, is to learn disbudding.  Disbudding, in my opinion has got to be the toughest part of goat keeping.  It seems so completely cruel to me, but I understand and appreciate all the reasons for it.  I just haven't had the guts to hold a nine hundred degree iron to the head of a 3-day old kid, for a long slow count of 10, TWICE--- while they are awake and screeeeeaming!  If you've ever heard a goat kid scream bloody murder, it can be a heart breaking sound.  Even my vet hates to do it. So much so, that he puts the kids under anesthesia in order to prevent any wiggling on behalf of the kid, to lesson the chance of messing it up!

In order to get ready for the upcoming kidding season (beginning next month---yikes!) and learn how to disbud, I of course, re-read all my reference goat keeping books.  I also have been watching videos on you tube.  For something like this, if you don't have someone to show/teach you first hand (which I don't), I figure a video or two (hundred) has got to be the next best thing.  I'm hoping it will also desensitize me to how traumatic and intense my first experience will likely be.  Hopefully it'll be traumatic just for me, and not the goat kid!  I even made my poor husband watch a few videos too, to see if he thought he could help me hold the kids steady.  Lucky for me, he said he was willing to help!  He will be a great source of moral support for me as I learn this intimidating new skill. Here's one video I found especially helpful: http://youtu.be/lnxI5_gi7BI

I've ordered all the necessary equipment from Hoegger Supply.  Obviously I needed a disbudding iron, with a Nigerian sized tip.  I ordered this one: http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Rhinehart-X30-Dehorner.html.  I also needed a box used to restrain the kid, often called a disbudding box. I also ordered some blood stop powder.  I'm praying I never have to use that, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

So, wish me luck on learning this new skill!!!  I'll let you know how it goes.
And good luck with your resolutions!