Breeding does

Last night there were probably about 7-8 does along the fence line, all in heat. So at 10:30pm, Mom convinced me to go out and breed a few of them. I bred Vanilla (Nubian) to the new LaMancha buck, Ranger. Grandma Maggie (Nubian) to our Nigerian Dwarf buck, Berry - he did it, whoohoo! And I totally cheesed out on this one - I was suppose to breed little Maggie (2nd gen Mini Nubian doe) to my 3rd gen buck, Topaz. But I forgot to bring my breeding chart out with me, and totally forgot I even had Topaz as a breeding buck, so I bred to her Parker - a 1st gen buck. When I got back in the house, I remembered and was kicking myself (okay, not really...). SO, either I'll leave her and just have 2nd gen kids born, or lute her and breed her to Topaz for 3rd gen kids. We'll see. . . not that big of a deal I guess.

So now, we have 13 does bred. A little slower/later than usual this season, but it's getting done, finally. There's 2 due in January, 6 in February, and 7 in March.

It's already November, can you believe it?? It totally feels like Fall here. . . cool, breezy, the leaves are falling. I really need to get outside with a camera and take some pictures.

For those of you who can vote - remember to go vote today!!

Suriyah

31/21: Last Day

Guess what? Today is October 31st. That means it is the last day for the 31 for 21 Blog Challenge... Raising Awareness, One Blog at a Time!

I hope you've enjoyed my every day blog posts for the past month, even though sometimes they are not very exciting ;).

 Yesterday my sister Qadoshyah, did a post on her blog of 21 things about Osiyyah that make him unique and that she is thankful for. I have to agree with it!

I am so thankful that God gave us Osiyyah. He is such a special little man. He has grown and changed since he was little, but one thing has stayed the same - he makes us laugh at something every day, so many times a day!

Even though this "challenge" will be over, I'll still post on my blog :). . . just maybe not every single day!

Right now I am figuring out due dates for does and who REALLY needs to be bred, so I'm going to go. Have a good day.

Suriyah

31/21: Lutalyse/bred does

So, what happens when a bunch of bucks get in the doe yard when a lot of does were in heat, that did NOT need to be bred especially to those bucks?!? 12 days-two weeks later I am giving *several* does Lutalyse so the does don't stay bred!

That's what I had to do last night and this morning. . . give 8 does lutalyse. Two weeks ago someone didn't close the do gate properly and the bucks got in there. Needless to say, the bucks are no longer let in the yard where they could get in with the does. Lutalyse is a hormone, so I am very careful when giving injections ;), and it is given IM, so that makes it easier.

Just a few photos.

Suriyah

31/21: from CA to OK!

We had goats in California, just a few less than we have now. . . right now we have about 45, in CA we had 25-30. We did not have much property, but we lived in the middle of nowhere so we would let our goats out and watch them browse for a few hours. Nobody cared and we saved some on feed. The only time of year when there was a fair amount of "growth" was in the Spring time. Most Springs there were tons of wildflowers and and a small amount of grass and sage. For the rest of the year, there was just dry sage and bushes. The picture below was taken in the Spring. Oh, and no trees really!

We brought about 25 goats from CA with us here to Oklahoma. First of all, we got a LOT more property and it was all goat fenced. The difference was/is amazing. There is good pasture for probably 9 months out of the year, and we can let the goats run on it all day long. The picture below was taken shortly after we moved to OK in the summer of 2008.

Suriyah

31/21: Day 28!!

Well, it's October 28th and I haven't missed a post/day yet!! I had a busy day today, but what's new about that ;)?!?

I am not sure that I have ever shared the website called Got Down Syndrome. My sister Qadoshyah keeps it all updated (and really cute!). There's tons of info on there about Down Syndrome.

So, from the website, here is the FAQ (sorry, but it's late and this is easier than typing a whole long post :)).


Q: What is Down Syndrome?

A: Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is caused when there is a triplication on the 21st chromosome. People with Down Syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of 46, like people without Down Syndrome. This is the reason it is called Trisomy 21, being there are three 21st chromosomes instead of the usual two.


Q: Can Down Syndrome be cured?
A: Cured? No. But, can the processes and metabolic imbalances going on in their bodies be slowed? Absolutely! This is what Targeted Nutritional Intervention for Down Syndrome is all about. Please see our articles section for more information on that.


Q: Are there degrees of Down Syndrome?
A: No, there are not degrees to Down Syndrome. However some individuals with Down Syndrome may not seem as mentally retarded as others. Why would this be? This could be dependent upon the person's upbringing and what foods or vits they have had or not had. The individual may not be deficient in some things that DS people generally are deficient in. They may also be using TNI, or eating a diet high in anti-oxidants and foods that will help protect them from so much oxidative stress and the like.


Q: Are there different types of Down Syndrome?
A: There are 3 different types of Down Syndrome, they are - Full Trisomy 21, Mosaic DS and Translocation DS. Full Trisomy 21 is where all the cells have a third 21st chromosome in them. Mosaic DS is where there are two cell lines. Meaning, there are some cells that have the normal 46 chromosomes and there are some cells that have an extra 21st chromosome to them, making 47 chromosomes. Thus, that is where the mosaic pattern comes from. Translocation DS is where part or all of the third 21st chromosome is Translocated to another chromosome, usually chromosome 14. This only occurs in about 3-5% of the DS population.


Q: What does DS€ stand for?
A: Abbreviation for Down Syndrome.


Q: What does TNI€ stand for?
A: Abbreviation for Targeted Nutritional Intervention.


Q: What is Targeted Nutritional Intervention?
A: Please see our article, What Is Targeted Nutritional Intervention all about?


Q: I am expecting a child with Down Syndrome, what should I do?
A: First, start finding out all that you can about Down Syndrome and be ready to love that baby when it is born. You can see a lot of links with information on them on our Links page. You can also see a list of our recommended books on our Books page. We would also encourage you to look into Nutrivene-D and order the vitamins now, before your child is born, that way, when he is born, you can start giving it to him as early as possible!!


Q: I gave birth to a child with Down Syndrome, now what do I do?
A: Congratulations is the first thing to say!!! You have just been BLESSED with a wonderful Down Syndrome child. The very first thing to do is to love that child as much as you can. I would also highly suggest to research out all that you can about Down Syndrome. Some big things to look at are: Targeted Nutritional Intervention, Teaching Reading & Speaking to a child with Down Syndrome, Oral Motor Therapy.


Q: What are the first thing(s) you would recommend for someone who is new to Down Syndrome?
A: Targeted Nutritional Intervention would be the first thing. Secondly, we would recommend Oral Motor Therapy, not just Speech Therapy. See our articles section and links page for some more info on both of these.


Q: Are all people with Down Syndrome "retarded"?
A: In a way yes, but in a way no. In Down Syndrome, they have a progressive mental retardation. Brain cells start to die off earlier than individuals without DS. Individuals with DS also have more oxidative stress problems than individuals without. Thus, this is the reason for Targeted Nutritional Intervention (TNI) - to help slow down and prevent some of the cell death, oxidative stress/damage and retardation.


Q: Do people with Down Syndrome learn to talk?
A: Absolutely!! They can learn to talk, just like anyone else. They may have some difficulties, particularly because of their muscles in their mouth, but there are therapists who help with these issues. Sign Language and Cued Speech can also be helpful in this area.


Q: Do people with Down Syndrome learn to read?
A: Yes, they can learn to read just like anyone else. Again, they may have some problems with learning to read, but there is no reason they cannot. Sign Language and Cued Speech may also help with this.



Q: Can people with Down Syndrome live a normal€ life?
A: Yes, they absolutely can. There are quite a few who are. For a few examples of that please see the links below:
- Erik Behnke
- Chris Burke
- Jane Cameron
- Sujeet Desai
- Karen Gaffney
- Raymond Hu
- Michael Johnson
- Rachel Roberts
- Ashley Wolfe
- Carrie Bergeron

Q: Can Down Syndrome people get married?
A: Yes, they can. There are a few recent couples that have taken the step of matrimony. See the links below:
- Sujeet Desai & Carrie Bergeron
- Proposal ; Wedding Plans - Article 1 & Article 2 , Another link on Sujeet & Carrie , Wedding Photos
- Josh Putnam & Bernadette Resha - Couple with Down syndrome Prepare to Wed
- A Down Syndrome couple marry, from a mexican newspaper
- Down's Syndrome couple celebrates their 2nd anniversary
- Special Wedding For A Special Couple
- Jim Lindquis & Sarah Stanchfield - May I Have This Dance?
- Eric Neatrour & Christine Kurvits - Couple with Down syndrome win contest, exchange vows
_________


I hope all those links worked. . . !!


Goodnight!


Suriyah

31/21: routine

 Our routine now is to. . . milk our does, get all them off the stand, bring our "boarding" goats in and put them on the milk stand, put the kids in their yard (or at night, their stall), milk these goats, take them out, and then feed everybody. In the morning it takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. At night it takes about 45 minutes. . . partly because we are faster (not half asleep :)), and partly because we don't feed everyone hay at night (just some of the goats, like the bucks and kids that don't go out to pasture).

Last night Mom took a few pictures of us milking the Young's goats. . .

"O" sitting on the milkstand,

while their here, I've gotta take care of their feet. . . just because I like to :).

Here's an interesting fact for you. . . we've had at least 1 doe (but more like at least 4-5) in milk since January 25th, 2007. . . that's 3 years and 9 months, and I don't have any plans to be without a doe in milk anytime soon!

I enjoy milking and living on a real (goat) ranch. . .

In the summer months when 20 something does are in milk and it's 100+ degrees out, it can get a bit tiring, but I wouldn't want to change anything.

Or, when we kid out lots of does in the winter/spring and have to be up every 4- 6 hours to bottle feed kids.

Or when there is a sick animal that has to be tended to every few hours.

Or when it's below 0 outside and we have to get out there in the sleet and snow, and take care of animals. . . I really don't mind it and am super thankful for the way we live!

Oh, incase you didn't notice - I made a new banner for my blog (at the top), and also made a little logo thing incase you would like to link to me (see it on the right side underneath the "about me"), feel free to copy and paste it.

Hope you have a good day, on your ranch. . . or elsewhere ;).

Suriyah

31/21: goat sitting

Well, I am going to be "goat sitting" for the next week or so. We are milking 16 of our does, and then 5 of our friends' does that are here. More milk, which is good!!

I went out and got a few photos of the "front yard crew". It's 6 of the "boarding" goats, Cutie & Blondie, 2 sheep and the alpaca.

5 of the new goats,

Have a good day! Today is the 26th, there are only 5 days left in October! And only about a month till Thanksgiving... yikes! This year has gone by SOO fast.

Suriyah

31/21: my crazy day

WELL, I had a busy day today. Got up early and milked, then went to Tahlequah for a few things. Got home, did a few odd things, like watching several tons of sand get dumped across the street in my cousin's arena. . . that was probably the first time those guys had an audience that big :)!!

Then off to Tulsa we went. We traded a bunch of hay bales for a bunch of farm stuff. . . several sheds, buckets and things. Us and some friends did the deal and split the stuff up. The lady is moving out of state and sold out of all of her animals (some of which our friends bought ;)). After loading things for several hours, all of us went out to eat at Taco Bell. . . every wonder what 17 farm folks with a bunch of stuff strapped on trailers look like in Tulsa?!?

So, we did not get home from Tulsa until 8:15 or so, and since I milked earlier than normal the does were really wanting to be milked.

My dad also went a picked up a truck that my brother traded horse training for. It's in better shape then he had thought, so that's good!

Some of our friends are leaving for about a week, and they need us to milk some of their goats. So 6 goats are being boarded here for the next week. I'll have to snap a few pictures while they're here ;).

I'm tired. Have a good night!!

Suriyah

31/21: sheep

It's a nice day today. My brother just sold 5 pigs and in a little bit someone is suppose to come to buy 6 of the Boer goats. . . good deal.

I don't have much to talk about, but since I don't mention much about the sheep we have. . . here's a few links with more info. I think we have 16 (?).

Little Hills Sheep Ranch

Life As A Ranch Girl

Suriyah

31/21: life on the ranch

Well, life on the ranch here is going pretty good. Last night we (or should I say, my brother Norayah!!) brought home 17 pigs. So, if I am counting correctly, that means we have 32 pigs right now... yikes. But, they come and go all the time. There will probably be less tomorrow :). If anyone is looking to buy some cute little Pot bellied pigs or regular pigs, give my mom or brother an email or call (918-598-4007). . . they might just have what you want.

some of the new piggies,

Even this late in the year, we are getting stuff from the gardens... very nice!!

All the goats and sheep are doing well. This morning I was feeding Ace (Boer buck) his grain, and all the sheep, who normally are not very friendly, and the llama came up and were being kind of too friendly. But, it was alright ;).

Remember, if you are needing a buck email me, I'll give you a deal!!

Have a good day!

Suriyah