Monday, December 22, 2008

Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

For the past 3 or 4 years I have been reading the website of the sanctuary and checking out the ele-cam. This is such an enjoyable site. The workers keep diaries for the individual elies and after a while you feel like you know them. I have shared the joys and sorrows with them, bought things from the web store and donated small amounts of money.

This is off topic for the blog but I know that goat lovers would also be animal lovers. I encourage you and your children to check out this website and enjoy getting to know these gentle giants.

http://www.elephants.com/

I've had a soft spot in my heart for Shirley ever since I saw her story on a TV documentary about 10 years ago. She was the lone elephant at a zoo in St. Louis or someplace and she had an aging but devoted keeper who pampered her and talked to her like a dear child. It was sad to see the old friends part. However, Shirley is no doubt happy and thriving in her retirement running around the hills of Tennessee with her friends.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

DIY Microscope using Webcam and Toy Microscope

This is so COOL! I haven't done it and I really don't need to, since I had a nice microscope already. So if you are inclined to give this a try, please follow the link and let us know whether it is a success or not. For those of you who don't already know, goat people like to use microscopes for fecals, to identify internal parasites as well as to example semen for sperm count and viability when doing artificial insemination.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-USB-Digital-Microscope-in-60min-and-15/

Friday, December 19, 2008

*B Heaven's Hollow Pistol Pete Collection

The son of SGCH Heaven's Hollow Shotsi *M, 92EEEE and Res. National GCH 2008 and #5 Top Ten milker, is generating a lot of interest because of his impeccable pedigree. Pete is now a working buck. He has been in the pen with most of the does and they are starting to show heavy bellies so no doubt we'll have a lot of babies in a few months.

Pete was collected for AI in November by Biogenics. He was dwarfed by the other bucks, these big old nubian behemoths. The only other young buck there was also an Oberhasli. He was Kirt Schnipke's buck Utterly Crazy Richochet. When it came to "jumping the does" you had to get out of the way for the other bucks, they reminded me of a fancy quarter horse running up and sliding to a stop. But not Petey. He acted like he didn't know what to do.

The collector suggested we take him and the doe outside and try it without the other bucks and people. He got a slow start but after a while he caught on and we collected 27 straws. Kirts buck collected about as well. So it was a successful collection even though the little guy got off to a slow start.

I donated 5 straws to a fund-raising auction on cometothefarm.com for the benefit of OBA. There were two eager bidders and they went for $201! So we'll be shipping it out to Dan who has the Butte Creek herd in Oregon or Northern California. I'm not quite sure which.

I hadn't planned on selling any more but there seems to be enough interest that I'm going to see if I can have him collected a second time after the first of the year. If you are interested in a purchase let me know. I'm not certain I will be selling any more this winter and spring but it is a possibility, and I can start a waiting list.

Every spring is an exciting time. I am so fortunate to have owned and used such fine bucks. My foundation bucks were so precious and choosing and buying them all those years ago was such a matter of beginner's luck. Last year I used the son of GCH Vassajara Vada, 91EEEE, Top Ten, and an Elite doe. These are some of the prettiest kids ever born here.

Using fine bucks, generation after generation, the quality of the herd progresses every year. Pete is bred to about 15 does, many of them daughters and granddaughters of our dear late FDF-Pleasant Fields Solaris, son of GCH Destiny Farm Souvenir 91EEEE, 2X Res. National GCH.