Spring Activities

This afternoon was beautiful.  The sky was clear blue and there was barely any wind.  It was almost warm enough to wear a t-shirt.  So, I went out to the goats to get some of the much needed chores done that I have been avoiding due to weather.

The boys decided that it would be exciting to help me prepare the syringes inside, so I showed them how to take the cap off of each needle and twist it onto the 6ml syringe.  We talked about how the ends were sterile and how we needed to keep them that way.  We prepared nine needle/syringe sets.

I gathered the other tools I needed - trimming shears, selenium and vitamin E gel, the Covexin-8 vaccination and a container for spent needles.  We then headed out to the goats.

One of the boys filled the grain bucket on the milking stand and I grabbed the first goat out of the pen.  Lilo.  I figured I'd start with someone who knew how to get on the stand and wasn't going to freak out when I worked on her.  She did fine as long as I didn't touch her belly - she's weird about touching her belly when she's pregnant.

I had one of the boys hold Lilo's leg forward so that I could give her the Covexin-8 behind her elbow.  I then gave her the selenium/vitamin E gel (to promote good health for the babies), and lastly I trimmed her hooves.  She finished with a few good pets and enough time to eat her grain.

By the time I had put Lilo back and was getting the second goat out, I had lost the boys' attention.  Two were goofing around in the goat pen and the third one had gone back inside.  So I continued alone.

I managed to get almost all of the goats done.  Everyone but Midge and Zeus got their Covexin-8.  One of the needles was broken in the syringe so I tossed it.  Another one had a contaminent in it when I drew up the meds.  I tossed it also.  Everyone but Zeus got their hooves trimmed.  And all of the does that might be pregnant got a dose of selenium/vitamin E.

I will need to repeat the Covexin-8 in a few weeks because none of them have been on it consistently enough to be protected.  I also will repeat the selenium/vitamin E in a few weeks for the pregnant does, unless they have kidded, in which case I will give the kids a Bo-Se shot to boost their selenium.

I'll try to get Midge and Zeus in the next two days so that they are still on the same schedule as everyone else.  Next stop...the pig pen.