And the late bred doe just refuses to kid out. We had two young does we picked up at Cream of the Crop that we decided were not grown out enough to breed in the early winter, so we kept them home until they had a few more months to grow. Hence, we have a doe that is big as a house in the middle of July, and I've been holding off moving the rest of my long yearlings up there to get bred because I don't want them to beat the tar out of her in her current delicate condition. I guess I chose poorly when I decided I didn't want to wait until the next fall to get her bred. Live and learn. The real problem is, there isn't a better field of similar age does to put her in, and time's a wastin' with the does scheduled to be bred. In order to maximize the potential of their future kids to be breeding size by next winter, and to minimize the possibility of parasite issues when thier immune system is down, I am again aiming to get the does bred for December kids. In retrospect, although it was hard getting up to check on them in the bad weather, it was easier on the does and the kids after their initial rude entry to the cold, cold world. If the pasture we planted on the other farm takes, and we get the does on it late winter as planned, life will be a lot easier this winter. Keep your fingers crossed for us to get all the work done. This is the season where we start our planning and gambling, hoping for the perfect cross that gives us maternal does, fast growing kids, meaty bucks, and increased parasite resistance all the way around.
I'm looking forward to this breeding season, as I'm sure all the other producers are doing as well. We have several Iron Horse daughters ready to be bred, out of some of the GHK herd mother does. We only crossed Boomer with one young Iron Horse doe this year, and the single doeling she had is developing nicely and with more muscle than our other doe kids, so she will be interesting to see in two years.
Now if only Connie will just get with the program and kid out. We did not see her get bred as we did with almost every other doe (Boomer is not shy, which is helpful figuring out when kids are due). She waddles around, enormous - udder huge, sides dropped, pawing here and there and acting like kidding is imminent, only she has been doing this for a week. When she lays down, she spreads out like Jabba the Hutt. I have decided the other does are going to the country anyway in a few days. I had wanted to wait until her kids were at least a couple of weeks old (if she doesn't have twins I'll make Chuck eat his hat), but I don't want to miss another cycle with the rest of the does, because they are definitely gearing up to make babies.
I'm looking forward to this breeding season, as I'm sure all the other producers are doing as well. We have several Iron Horse daughters ready to be bred, out of some of the GHK herd mother does. We only crossed Boomer with one young Iron Horse doe this year, and the single doeling she had is developing nicely and with more muscle than our other doe kids, so she will be interesting to see in two years.
Hopefully I will get a new crop of replacement does with the genes for muscle and meat. We have a new "elder" doe who is a Tasman Aristocrat daughter we hope has a few more kids in her, and a few other does with traits we'd like to see in our herd - good udders, documented parasite resistance, and a good thick meaty hind end. I'm looking forward to "34's" next set of kids because phenotypically, she also crossed really well with Boomer with both a doeling and buckling and I'm really hoping her mothering abilities breed true. I know to some folks the 100% New Zealand tag is more important, but this Purebred doe is one of my favorites so far. That's why my plan right now is to keep her daughter.
Come spring, I hope my Terminator XX granddaughter and some of my Purdy doelings are ready to breed, but if not, they'll be ready for next fall!
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