Stall Cleaning

On October 27, we went to the farm and cleaned the stall that the goat gave birth in and the one that the goats and donkeys share. First we slit into two groups, one for each stall. We then used shovels to pick up all of the loose hay that was on the ground. Whenever a shovel was filled with hay, we would then step outside of the stall and dump it all into a garbage bucket. Along with the hay, we also cleaned up the feces that lay on the ground. Once most of the top layer was cleaned up, we then had to use the back-edge scraper. This is a tool that is meant to remove all of the caked on dirt. This helps to make the stall more sterile. One person uses the scraper to peel the dirt off the ground, and then others use shovels to pick it up and dispose of it. Cleaning the stall makes it a much more sterile environment for the animals. We must do this often so that the hay, feces, and dirt do not pile up excessively.

The Fundamentals of Bees

October 19, 2017

Bees do not require a lot of money, time or space. Just having a place where flowers grow is all you need. There are less beekeeper in the United States since 1970, according to the American Beekeeping Federation. Urbanization had played a huge role in this. Today, there are a big spread of parasitic mites that have decreased production. A few healthy hives will bring pounds of honey to keep, sell, or share with friends and family. Bees help play an essential roll of pollination. This is the "transfer of pollen and allows plants to reproduce." Many beekeepers rent out the bees to pollinate crops. That is a main source of income for the beekeepers. Honey bees can successfully pollinate hundreds of different plants as they collect nectar and pollen for the colony to use it. They are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Bees live in a complex, three-caste society with thousands in a hive. There is a Queen, drones, and workers that make up a hive. The Queen is used to reproduce and keep the hive thriving. Drones are males that are primarily used for mating. The workers are females that have stingers. These bees are used to collect nectar and pollen. Keeping a healthy hive is very important to the honey production. The colony will need protection from parasites, diseases, pesticides, and predators. Varroa mites are very dangerous to a colony. They can destroy a hive in a few seasons. Beekeepers can harvest honey by extracting the honey from the combs. You would need a uncapping knife to cut open the wax combs, an extractor to spin the honey out, and a strainer to filter out bits of wax and other debris. It may seem very complicated when first starting, but eventually it becomes easy.


The queen bee is the biggest and one in the middle of the picture.

Care of Pregnant Doe

On October 19th at approximately 5:00 p.m. the kids of Michelle were born. Michelle displayed many signs that she was about to give birth. Goats usually pace around the stall and will act like they are about to urinate when nothing comes out. Also, there is white vaginal discharge that will accumulate. The goat also will breathe faster in and out and grunts when contractions occur. It is important to give the pregnant doe a good mixed grain so she can provide nutritious milk for the kid. The pregnant doe should also get grain that is about 12% protein. Also, make sure there is plenty of water in the stall as well. It is important before the goat gives birth to vaccinate them with a tetanus shot.

Inside the Life of a Honey Bee

October 19, 2017

When we were at the farm on Thursday, we headed down to the bee keeping area of the farm where boxes that included hundred's of honey bees were producing honey in the frames within the boxes. When we got there, we used a smoker to separate the bees from one another so we were able to access the honey. We then took each box one by one and gathered the honey. Worker bees gather pollen in order to be placed in each honey comb in order to produce honey. The queen bee is responsible for reproduction of bees, while drone honeybees are primarily used for reproduction and later die shortly after mating. Every single bee within the box has a specific job and each bee must carry out that specific task in order to keep the hive thriving.

Birthing of Goats

October 19, 2017

A goat's gestation period is usually around 150 days (approximately 5 months). Goats can have up to five kids, but normally they have twins and sometimes triplets. Generally, a goat's first pregnancy produces one or two kids. Does are in season every three weeks. When a goat is about a week from giving birth, the kid(s) will drop into the birthing canal, creating a hollow right below their hips. When kids are born, their nose and feet must come out first. If this does not happen, you must adjust the kid yourself. At the base of the tail there are ligaments that feel soft and smooth if they are about to give birth and if it is hard they are likely not about to give birth. Once the babies have been safely born, you must dip the umbilical cord in iodine so it will dry up properly and not become infected.

Video of goat birth, viewer discretion advised

Rory The Farm Dog Getting Spayed

October 9, 2017

What is being Spayed? Being spayed is common for female puppies. This is the removal of the female dog's reproductive organs. The vet removes the ovaries from the puppy, and this is so she is not able to have an babies. The dog is usually 5-6 months when they get spayed. Rory is still recovering and needs to rest a lot, and also wear a cone around her neck to prevent her from licking her stitches from the surgery. It takes about 1-2 weeks for the dog to recover.

     

Hoof Trimming

On October 6th and 11th, we went to the farm and trimmed the sheep's and goat's hooves. If goats and sheep do not get their hooves clipped, bacteria can hide within the hoof causing hoof rot, which can occur in the sole of the foot. Also, hoof disease can occur which can make it painful to walk. When the hooves overgrow, they curl upwards and it is very difficult to be balanced. It is best to clip the hooves after a rainy day because the hoof will be softer and easier to cut. First, we cleaned the dirt in the middle with the hoof trimmer and then cut the hoof wall. Once we cut the hoof wall, we were able to see white, which indicated new healthy hoof. It is also very important to provide a healthy environment for the goat's hoof health. The bedding in the stalls should be mucked and replaced with clean shavings. Also, it is important to inspect the pasture for any metal or class that can cause any injury or damage to the hoof. The hooves should be trimmed every 2 to 4 weeks.