Taking a dip

We are still in serious need of rain down in these parts.  The other morning on our local news, it was said that we had a 15.11 inch deficit so far, compared to our yearly average of rainfall.  It is being predicted that we have a 30% chance of rain this weekend.  One good way to look at it is that we don't have to mow our grass as often, if at all ;)  

The streams have diminished in the back forty, so we have made an alley with electric fence that leads to our pond in the front pasture.  The electric fence keeps the animals from grazing in the front pasture.  It is so short, but the animals will get right out there and graze like you wouldn't believe.  All the while, the back forty does have some grass that we stockpiled.  There's just something about that shorter tender grass!   

doelings getting a drink

Even Kimba, our Anatolian Shepherd took advantage of the pond today.  He walked right out there and laid down.  It actually looked quite relaxing to me.  Today I believe our temps reached 98 degrees with a heat index of 100-106 degrees.  It's been pretty hot around here!

It wasn't long before the cows came and sent the goats moving on around the pond.  It was their turn to come for a cool down.  I was amazed how almost the whole herd of cattle ended up getting in the pond.  Usually it's just a few, but today they all decided to take a dip.

Cooling off

Shane took a load of "culls" to the stockyard this past Monday.   Most of them ended up being commercial goats that we purchased last fall.  They just absolutely couldn't hold a candle to our kikos.  The whole point for us raising kikos is for less maintenance.  These commercial ladies were high maintenance, so they had to go.  There was also a 100% New Zealand kiko doe that was sent to the stockyard with that group.  Shane has been wanting to get rid of her since last year.  He didn't like her build, or conformation.   We bought her at a Cream of the Crop Sale a couple of years ago as a yearling, and she just never did shine like the others.  It was a tough decision, but I think it was the right decision.  If we are going to continue raising breeding stock, we are going to be faced with many more tough decisions about who stays and who goes.  In order for us to improve our herd, we will have to continually cull through them.  When we first started out, it was pretty easy to know which ones were going to be culled.  It's just that each year, it gets harder and harder.  In the end, it will be worth it though. 

Getting ready to go