Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps

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People often ask me how cold is too cold for the livestock? I will aim my response at cattle and goats.

In my opinion, the answer greatly depends upon the condition of the animal. An animal in good body condition, with a nice winter coat, no present illnesses, can do well in lower temperatures. I even believe, similar to our local Mennonites that urge their children to play outside in the winter, animals are healthier when they romp outdoors throughout various seasons.

The general rule of thumb for outdoor temperature safety is 32 degrees. With a lack of wind, sunshine, and no snow or rain in the picture, animals can be comfortable at 32 degrees. When the temperature drops below that point, ensure the animals have a place where they can take shelter to warmer when needed.

If it is raining, the rule of thumb is 60 degrees. This does not mean that the animals cannot be left in the pasture at 59 degrees, on a day with light sprinkles. When the temperatures drop below 60 degrees, and the coat of an animal becomes wet (down to the skin), it becomes more difficult for them to retain their body heat. Adequate shelter, such as a lean to, should be provided.

In the winter, animals have difficulty browsing and grazing, so quality hay is more important. Grain is a good additive, but quality hay is what keeps the animal warm. The better quality hay, the better a ruminant animal is able to regulate their own body temperatures.

A few more words…livestock generally do not shiver. When they shiver, they might be too cold, or could be ill. There are exceptions to this rule. I do have one full grown nubian doe that shivers every morning, but only because she is excited to get outdoors. Newborn animals cannot retain their own body heat very well, and they are susceptible to frostbite, the outlines above are for animals that are well on their feet.

The picture above was taken from my office winter last winter. Today the girls are indoors, the windchill is in the single digits, with snow flurries.

I plan to get back into the soap room tomorrow. I need about 7 new batches of lotions on the shelves by Monday. That is my goal date for the website addition. I had to run to town today, picked up new stick blenders. I have a habit of dropping them on the floor. That is quite the no-no on a concrete shop floor!

Take care…stay warm!!!

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Being that we are in the middle of winter, I have caught myself flipping through my sunny weather pics of kids quite a bit recently. This one was taken in September. The doeling on the spool, a snubian, seems to have almost doubled in size. She caught my eye a few days ago, made me wonder who she was for a moment! I love the growth of a kid from a saanan dam and a nubian sire. The spotted doe to the right, Aleecia is also growing out to be a nice sized nubian doe, and one that is vocal to boot. 🙂

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I never grow tired of this scene. Right now, today I look out the office window and see a similar view (as the one from this summer photo). My girls are gathered around, soaking in some December sun. Some are chewing their cud, some just curled up for a nap, some are playfully butting heads. Most are motionless, obviously very relaxed. And I consider them beautiful.

What is it about a goat? Why do I feel compelled to allow the warm goat kisses on my nose each day? Why do I stand still hoping for the daily nibble on my nose, or the sniffing of my neck? Why do their friendly, inquisitive eyes draw me in?

We raise boer and dairy goats. Amongst the dairy, the nubians outrank by numbers. This admission can cause silent, and not so silent wars amongst “goat people,” but I’ll openly admit that my favorites are the nubian does, especially the nubian doelings.

I bottle raise every dairy kid born on our farm. My original dreams were to open a commercial dairy operation. I have not given up on that thought, however, for now, the Ohio red tape is daunting, and I am satisfied with using fresh milk in my soap, lotion, and cheese. I then have just enough milk for the dairy kids and the few boer kids that happen along and need human intervention. With all of this being said, dairy kids tend to adopt the human parent, the one that provides the feedings, especially the nubian kids. They can be quite noisey, with some of their “Mawwww” bellows, but I certainly do not mind. They are a special animal. Loyal as in pets (trailing behind like a loving dog), yet graceful and beautiful as in a deer, and silly as in no other species!

Am I in love? Yes! Am I blessed? Yes! Even in these challenging times, I find ways to make sure the goats stay. I try to take each one and hold them to a purpose. They have a job to do, each and every one of them, and for me the job extends out to a daily dose of caring for the animals that I love.

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It was a cold, damp, miserable morning and both of my friends needed to get to work. I received the phone call for help. Please come rescue this orphan, raise her on your farm. The question was worded, “Can you come and help? Helen (a school teacher) needs to go to work!”

Was I ever nervous! We brought her home with the bottle of frozen colostrum (I still have the tiny bottle). We made sure she was dry and comfortable, then we left to buy some kid supplies (nipples and milk replacer). We arrived back home to what we thought was a dead kid. Annie slowly opened her eyes, apparently from a good rest. We jumped for joy. Silly people, we were!

As Annie grew up, she loved to sit in my lap and chew her cud. She weighs in now at 150-170 pounds, too large to sit in my lap. And now she even has an attitude. But she is still our first bottle baby, and she will always be special. Special enough to be the farm mascot.

I didn’t note in yesterday’s blog, I will do an ingredient article weekly (at the minimum), hoping to write them more often!

Have a wonderful Saturday!

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