On Saturday a new and already beloved friend named Raspberry came over to teach us to 1) give our goats vaccinations and 2) tattoo our new doelings.
Raspberry is a long time goat owner. He started in his youth with 4-H. He is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. For 20+ years he was a special education teacher. We were told he was one of the best. After being under his tutelage I believe that to be true.
We started out with the shots. Michael, having given the goats shots already, let Joshua and I do the shots. Raspberry showed us with the first doeling and then it was my turn with Joshua getting his turn last. I never imagined I would be able to stick a needle into another living thing. Surprisingly it wasn’t that hard. It is a subcutaneous shot so you just grab the skin, pull it away from the muscle and stick the needle in at an angle.
I could do it again.
Now, the tattooing. That was a whole other story.
Here is Raspberry getting the tool ready.
Goats need to be tattooed for identification. In their left ear they get a tattoo that designates the herd the goat was born into. The right ear shows the year and birth number for the goat in the herd for that year.
The alpha numerical tattoo stamps are just a bunch of needle like things shaped in the letter or number needed for the code. This is E5. E is the letter assigned by the ADGA for the year 2014 and the 5 designates this as the fifth goat born to this herd in the year.
Here are the precious girls prior to the shots and tattoos. Innocently unaware.
Michael was in charge of holding the goat so the tattooing could be done correctly. First the ear is cleaned and then opened up for the stamp.
Right ear gets the herd code. No longer innocently unaware.
Dye is applied after the stamp makes all the little holes. It is rubbed in the ear and gets all over the place. The ink gets into all those little holes to make the permanent tattoo.
Left ear next.
Poor little things. First a shot and then tattooing. Their crying was heart wrenching. Tough love…..isn’t fun.
We are a little early but they all appear to be ready for St. Patrick’s Day.
As much as they screamed during the tattooing they were fine immediately afterward. So in other words, they handle pain better than I do.
Have a great day,
Karen
Ooooooo… I have mineral feeder envy!!! How are they working?
Glad the tattooing and shots went well. Raz is an excellent teacher!
XO,B
The feeders are working really nicely. Maybe you want Michael to make those for you instead of the wooden type.
We can use them a while and then you can decide.
Have a Merry Christmas
Love,
Karen
Oh, shades of my growing up and early marriage years with cattle and their shots, branding, etc. I was out there(and Danny)doing our job. It was fun then. I wouldn’t do it now. I am too sensitive. But, yes, these sweet things hurt for a moment, just like our children with their immunizations, and forgot it immediately.
Can barely wait to visit the new ones along with the “elders”. They are so cute.