Our Ranch
We raise a variety of livestock on our ranch. I have a very simple and straightforward philosophy. I give the best life I can give them and try to bring them joy while they live here. Joy? Yes, I believe my animals even the ones destined to be dinner should have a happy and joyful life while they are in my stewardship. Joy is different for each species. Pigs- it's a wallow, a place to root, companionship and plenty of food, water and shelter. Goats-companionship, they do not do well alone, places to explore. Our goat often free-range as a herd the entire 165 acres and of course food, water and shelter. This goes on for each species we raise.
I give antibiotic and medications when medically necessary. I feed grain to my animals as their body scores dictate. I will not have any animals suffer due to the lack of calories. If they cannot maintain weight on Brome and Alfalfa then they are given species specific grains to balance their nutritional needs. Our animals that are raised for the purpose of feeding my family are given the same care as those that will be producing the next generation.
2023
Nubian Goats *no babies this year
History
Physical Description
The Anglo-Nubian goat is a large goat with a Roman nose and pendulous ears that hang low and close to the head. Anglo-Nubian goats are most often black, red, or tan.
Origins
The Anglo-Nubian goat – or simply Nubian goat, as it is called in the United States – is a breed of Capra hircus, the domestic goat. Capra hircus is descended mainly from Capra aegagrus, the wild goat of Near East Asia.
The Nubian breed of domestic goat was developed in England during the 19th century by crossing native stock with goats from India and North Africa.
Introduction to North America
European settlers first brought goats to the Americas to provide meat and milk. Nubian goats most likely came to the United States from England, where the breed was developed.
Uses
Nubian goats are multi-purpose animals bred for milk, meat, and hides. They don’t produce an especially large volume of milk, but their milk is higher in butterfat and more flavorful than that of other breeds. It is good for making cheese. Because their breeding season is longer than that of most dairy goats, Nubian goats can produce milk almost year-round. They are particularly tolerant of arid, hot conditions.
2023
Clydesdale Horses * one baby due April 2023
The origins of the breed lie in the eighteenth century, when Flemish stallions were imported to Scotland and mated with local mares; in the nineteenth century, Shire blood was introduced. The first recorded use of the name "Clydesdale" for the breed was in 1826; the horses spread through much of Scotland and into northern England. After the breed society was formed in 1877, thousands of Clydesdales were exported to many countries of the world, particularly to Australia and New Zealand. In the early twentieth century numbers began to fall, both because many were taken for use in the First World War, and because of the increasing mechanization of agriculture. By the 1970s, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust considered the breed vulnerable to extinction. Numbers have since increased slightly.
It is a large and powerful horse, although now not as heavy as in the past. It was traditionally used for draught power, both in farming and in road haulage. It is now principally a carriage horse. It may be ridden or driven in parades or processions; some have been used as drum horses by the Household Cavalry, while in the United States the Anheuser-Busch brewery uses a matched team of eight for publicity.
Characteristics
The conformation of the Clydesdale has changed greatly throughout its history. In the 1920s and 1930s, it was a compact horse smaller than the Shire, Percheron, and Belgian Draught. Beginning in the 1940s, breeding animals were selected to produce taller horses that looked more impressive in parades and shows. Today, the Clydesdale stands 162 to 183 cm (16.0 to 18.0 h) high and weighs 820 to 910 kg (1800 to 2000 lb). Some mature males are larger, standing taller than 183 cm and weighing up to 1000 kg (2200 lb). The breed has a straight or slightly convex facial profile, broad forehead, and wide muzzle.
It is well-muscled and strong, with an arched neck, high withers, and a sloped shoulder. Breed associations pay close attention to the quality of the hooves and legs, as well as the general movement. Their gaits are active, with clearly lifted hooves and a general impression of power and quality. Clydesdales are energetic, with a manner described by the Clydesdale Horse Society as a "gaiety of carriage and outlook". Wikipedia
2023
Hogs * babies in the fall of 2023
We raise crossbred hogs. Currently Hereford and Chester White Sows with an Old Spot Boar. Eight week old babies will be available early winter 2023. I do not take reservations or deposits, or holds. The way it works is everyone that want a pig comes at a set time. You pick your pig, you pay and you are on your way.
2023
Poultry
This year we will be hatching barnyard mix chicks, turkeys and quail. Egg production is just starting to pick up. We will be running a test hatch soon to test fertility. Hatching eggs are occasionally available. Chicken flock is made up of my purebred chickens but all are currently together and are going to stay together this year. Turkeys are Burbon Red and Nantucket, ran together. Quail are jumbos that lay good size eggs.