We decided to breed our newly crowned Champion doe Psyche to Lakeshore Farms Dr. Luke. Of course it had to be an AI breeding as I am unsure if Luke is even alive at this point.
Anne (The Queen of AI & a Veterinarian) was scheduled to be at Caroline's (BFF, Goat Mentor, & Show\Soaping Buddy) on October 30th to AI some does for her in exchange for some semen. Caroline invited me to come along with Psyche and any other does I wanted to AI...Caroline also provided the Dr. Luke semen for the AI Breeding.
That being said we (Caroline) and I decided on a protocol.
On October 10th we inserted CIDR's (used to sync does and give you a heat date on YOUR time).
October 28th at 7 am we were to pull the CIDRs and give a hormone called PG600 (Used to make a stronger heat and to ovulate your doe).....
I selected Psyche, Lizzy and Spice. On Oct. 27th Lizzy decides to come into heat all on her own with the CIDR firmly in place. So I call Darla(Other BFF, Show\Soaping buddy) and we plan some action. I tried to check Lizzy at 9:30 am, but alas my light refused to work. Thankfully I had found a pen light at walmart so I got Lilly and the boys (My children) ready for a mini road trip. When we got home I checked Lizzy around 12:00pm. With the thought that the later in the evening I do it the better, but I still needed to check her and see how she looked. In checking her I found that her cervix was indeed open and she had very thin almost clear mucus. Not a good time to AI.... I checked her again at 4pm and though her mucus was thinker and cloudy I decided to hold off on the AI until I got home later in the evening (after 10pm). I Clocked out of work in near panic mode at 10:42pm! Yikes I am behind schedule! I grab what is needed from work and head home. I had given Stephan the AI light to look at and hopefully fix, which he did! I had a pep talk with Caroline via Facebook real quick and off I went to do the deed. It was super dark in the barn, but I had my handy dandy flashlight, so it was manageable! Got Lizzy up on the milking stand and proceeded to put in the speculum and clip the light. Not really any mucus, but hello that cervix was OPEN!!! I let Lizzy back in with the other does and proceeded to the house to grab semen and the AI gun. After playing around with water temps and my canister I finally gave up trying that method and used my armpit instead.... Oh my wow- From the tank to the pit was an experience! The straw was so cold it felt like a knife! But I managed to get it to where it really needed to be. I went out to get 'er done. It was fun trying to catch Lizzy because I think by this time she was over me sticking things in her "who-haw" so it made for an interesting grab with that straw of semen in my armpit. I finally caught her, got her back on the stand, inserted the speculum, and added the light. Huge sigh of relief when the light came on! Thanks Hubs!! Gave her a quick check and took the light out leaving the speculum in. Now I have a real dilemma. I have nothing to hold the speculum in the doe while I get this straw out of my armpit and load the gun! I managed to somehow get the gun loaded and keep the speculum in place as I proceeded. Once the gun was ready I was ready to go in. I aimed for the cervix that was very open and ready and applied slight pressure. The gun popped through two of the rings in the cervix and I went ahead and pulled the trigger. Sigh ok we are done. Now for the 21 day long wait! Yea I'm already going insane trying to guess how I did with all this and no coach!.
On October 27th I pulled CIDRs at 8:30 am as I had completely forgotten I was supposed to do it that day, even though I had set myself a reminder!!! I had ordered PG600 four days prior and had paid for second day shipping in thinking ok they weren't here the 27th surely they will be here today. Granted I was supposed to give the shot the same time I pulled the CIDRs, but I figured a few hours shouldn't make too much of a difference.....
Later that night I received an email from Jeffers Livestock stating that my package had just be shipped..... Anger didn't begin to cover what I was feeling at that moment.
The BIG day arrives Oct. 30th. I should've known it would be an omen that things weren't going to go as planned when I get up and it's pouring down rain. Were aren't talking raining heavy here we are talking the kind of rain you step out into and you are soaked to the skin one minute later! Well I guess taking the trailer isn't an option...It doesn't have a roof! So I run outside and clean out the inside of the pickup. Take out the booster seats for the kids and remove any and all misc. garbage that my truck has collected. I then run back in the house and load the semen tank, some vaccines I had ordered in a co-op type setting and some soap to share with friends. I am soaked to the skin at this point and look like a drown rat, but hey I got this an easy fix and NOTHING is standing in my way of getting this done today! Heaven forbid I try to go solo! I had Stephan check ol'faithful (internet weather) and he said that the rain should let up some in the next 30 minutes. Meanwhile he goes out in his rain jacket (smart man!) and starts digging trenches so the girls don't get fears of getting their toenails wet.
I ask him to grab Psyche and Spice since they are the remaining does to be bred and load them in the truck while I get some dry clothing on. Stephan then clarifies which doe Spice is and I state the home bred brown doe from this years kidding. You see the light bulb go on and he nods that he knows who I am talking about. As I am coming out of the house he is coming out the gate with none other then Lyric....The doe we purchased from Caroline this year. I know it's mean, but I couldn't help but laugh and say wrong doe babe! Poor Stephan just turns around with Lyric who is not impressed to be out in this hurricane weather and goes back to the barn. Me the dummy I am stand out by the truck awaiting the first doe. Stephan comes back with Psyche and we go over who Spice is real quick while I load her and he goes to make the next goat grab. Once both girls are loaded it's quick kiss, I love you and I really need to get on the road before someone pees in my truck.
(Psyche in the backseat, Semen tank in the front)
Off we go on our two hour drive to Caroline's! I am cold and a little nervous about having the goats right behind my seat, but overly excited about doing this so I'm not too worried about much. About half an hour into the drive I feel the need to call Stephan and ask him what happened to the storm letting up as I can barely see the car ahead of me let alone the road. Stephan informs me that it's going in bands, but it will let up here and there....Great two hours might have just turned into three! Still I am beyond happy that I am going to AI my goats and even more on the happy side that neither of them have done anything gross in the car. Psyche did try to eat the bag of fritos I am bringing along for the chili and also sampled my hair, but all it all it's like having two great danes in the car. Hmmmmmmmm
We pass a bunch of places where people have gone off the road, but mostly minor damage and really don't have a very eventful drive. It's beautiful as always....When you can actually see around you. The rain was like Stephan said "spurting" the downpours for lack of better words. We actually made really good time and only ended up being about half an hour behind schedule. I was so greatful to see the gate to Caroline's open so I didn't have to stop and risk the does perfuming my backseat with Da Pee Pee. Actually in my excitement I think I came into the drive a tad too fast...shhhhh As I pull up I tried to do the "stop & hop" Stop the truck and super fast jump out and grab some goats before they pee.... (Can you tell yet I was really worried about this?) Poor Psyche was dragged out backwards, but handled it like a pro and Spice just hopped out like the diva she is.
I for once in my life am early and the first person there so after we get the does settled Caroline and I have a few minutes to visit and I get to tell her how the adventures of this morning went. Soon Darla, Jonathan, Dustin & Jose arrive and we all get to go visit with the goats and ohhh and ahhhhh over this one and that one. Anne was delayed doing some vet stuff and while doing that managed to get her van stuck in all the mud.....FUN! Poor girl! It didn't take long for Anne to get to Caroline's though and all too soon it was "go time" Caroline had ended up pulling the CIDRs on her does a couple hours later then I did (hahahahaha) so I got to be first (GULP) I choose Spice to be my first victim. Anne put the speculum in and found her cervix. I love how Anne uses a clock to tell you where she found the cervix. VERY helpful! It wasn't hard to find Spice's at all and she looked to be in the "Dry" period. Apparently the dry stage is "the best time" to AI your goat. Though I don't think there is much science to go by on that....I'll take it! I have to stop at this point and appreciate Caroline and Darla for their assistance! They were getting the straws out and thawed.... Finding the gun and sheaths...Amazing ladies let me tell you we have already kicked this up a notch from when Lizzy was AIed (in the dark all alone). Now the gun is loaded I have found the cervix and am inserting into the cervix..... Ummmm I'm not getting through the rings! I look at Anne....I can't get it in. Anne says to just use a steady pressure and don't push too hard. (I forgot to mention that Spice is a VIRGIN doe and NONE of us present have AIed a virgin doe.... oops!) So I look at Anne again and say would you like to do it? I am pleading with my eyes here. Anne apparently doesn't notice my pleading eyes and encourages me to try again. Which is good I cannot always lean on Anne or anyone to "do it for me" I try again and noting....Again Anne encourages me when at this point I haven't decided if I want to scream or cry, but the gun is not getting through the rings. So Anne suggests I just leave my gun at the opening of the cervix and deposit a little semen and watch to see if it is coming back out at me...It doesn't so she says try a little more, until the semen is gone and I have officially AIed my very own doe! Anne even let me know that she has had success using this method before so I am at ease with it was either meant to be or it wasn't.
Now we move onto Psyche. After Anne gets the speculum in her finds at a first glance has a little flap over her cervix.....great! NOT what I was hoping to hear at all! Are we going to be able to even do this? So I come and take a peak and it really is interesting to see what you can't see. I see where her cervix is, but no opening. After a second glace however the "flap" has moved and WOW is she open and ready to go! Caroline hunts for the needed Lakeshore Farms Dr. Luke (Dream team!!) and we as a group get the gun loaded and ready for lift off. I hand Dustin my phone so he can video tape this so I can have something to take back to the family. I get the light in place and find her very open cervix with ease. I insert the gun and have a little resistance, but apply steady pressure.....and OMG I think I just fell in her vagina! Seriously there are three rings to a dairy goat's cervix. I know and have felt this (yes I know each one is different) anyway I was not at all prepared for resistance then clear through. there was no "pop" "pop" "pop" as explained. There was POP your here! Anne tells me to pull out a little so I don't deposit all the semen in the same horn and that is the end of it! Both of my lovely ladies have been AIed and all three of us are still alive!!!!
(Look close those are little SWIMMERS!)
Then Caroline's does are up. First is Sedona who once up on the stand is dripping thin almost clear mucus by the bucket loads...Jonathan was horrified! Anne explained that it really wasn't the best time to do her yet, but to let her move a little further into her heat cycle. Next up came Darby she was getting AIed to Top Brass. Some slightly older stuff, but it sounds like a really promising breeding. She was a text book AI- Everything looked good and there were three pops. Then there was Mariposa who also was a pretty quick AI. Course Anne did these lovely ladies and has all that experience! Also a stool came out of the woodwork while I was on my knees doing this..... Why I didn't think to use the milking stool I have yet to know!
We all went inside to wash up and eat Caroline's wonderful chili and sample Anne's amazing cheese. Darla and "the boys" brought pecan pie for desert and it was a really amazing lunch! We got to talk about well a little of everything. Jonathan and I decided we need to open up a dairy and Dustin and Jose need to come as well. It would be pretty darn great to all get in with it. Not sure it will actually happen, but it is a very nice thought! Of course I'm not exactly sure I could spend my days making cheese all.day. every. day.... hmmm no I think I will stick to soap. It's so much more adventurous. Though maybe someday I will get into a little cheese making, but not too much! I want a herd of amazing goats before I get any deeper in hobbies....Goats and Soap are enough for my creativity.
After lunch we do the great semen exchange... Here is a basic run down of how it went. Caroline's tank to Anne's, Mine to Anne's, Caroline's to Darla's, & Caroline's to Mine. I might have missed some exchanging, but that was the basic of it all. Once the semen was put away we had another little visit and it was time to head home. I lagged around a little because it's not everyday where I actually have a day to myself....So I squeezed in about forty five extra minutes to hang out with Caroline. All too soo it was time to load up and go home. As we were loading we noticed Psyche was in standing heat... Loving up to Next Key like the hussy she is whenever she is in season. I took it as a promising sign! We gave Psyche a shot of "Sister Ellen" (Thank you Lee Jackson for keeping it simple!) and we were homeward bound. Since I was the last to leave I even stopped and locked the gate. I wasn't nearly as worried about goat pee on the way home. Very uneventful drive back the rain came and went. I did have some idiot speed past me and then slam on the breaks because it had started to downpour. Almost him him\her, but thankfully was able to stop the truck in time.
Here we are a grand total of five days later and I wake up all groggy and cranky because I have not made it to the coffee yet and happen to look out the window to see Psyche flagging at Troy and trying to squeeze her 200lb self through the cattle panel to be in with him... Well I'm alert and awake now! Excuse my french but SHIT!!!! Not what I wanted or needed to see! So I spend all of 2 minutes looking at the scene out my kitchen window and turn away disgusted with the whole situation. I can kiss those beautiful Dr. Luke babies good bye, because my favorite doe didn't take and has short cycled on me! GAH! So what do we all turn to in our time of need? Yup Facebook! I check to see who is on and it's Darla and Jonathan. Perfect! I messaged both and told them the situation. Jonathan called me about three minutes later and Darla offered online support. To say my friends are great is a total understatement! Between the three of us we try to come up with a plan of action. Live breed to Artistry or Attempt AI again with a different buck since I don't have any Dr. Luke in my tank. Best buck I happen to have in my tank is King of the Hill..... I am not too crazy about using his semen as the cost has gone up to $100.00 per straw. Not in my budget to spend that kind of cash right now. But I really love this buck. So lots of decision making to be had. I finally decide to do a live breeding because it's November already and I really REALLY hate having late kids. In fact the only reason I am breeding so late in the year is because I have dreams of going to Nationals. (Yup watch it baby I'm coming!) That being decided I text Christian with BHF to ask if it is ok for me to drop Troy off and pick up Luna. Then I call Caroline. She has pretty much become a mom to me so if there is a crisis I call her for guidance. She offers for me to come and get some Dr.Luke semen or even bring Psyche up there, but I really can't make the drive because I know I need to get Troy to BHF and get Luna home. I am desperate for milk as of late. So we talk a little more and Caroline thinks the best bet is to go for King. Oh boy don't tempt me woman! I am still undecided and end up calling Darla afterwards. I mean why not phone support is better then computer support! So we talk and weigh the pros and cons of doing AI vs Live breeding and I decide I am going to just use Artie. I mean it was in the plans to do anyway.
I start to get things ready to get Troy on the road so he can have a shot at more girls. I am happy to be getting him used in other herds as I really want to see what he is throwing for kids. It is if course raining so I get the bright idea to load him in the backseat just like I did Psyche and Spice........That was my first mistake. As soon as I get in the truck with Troy in all his glory I realize that him getting wet isn't such a bad idea, but he is already loaded and Lilly is up front and loving the idea. So off we go! As we go down the road I try to light a cigarette to help deal with the smell. Not working. Windows are open and I am gagging and getting lightheaded here. This is just not my idea of fun. I mentally kick myself all the way to BHF. Once there I get stink boy unloaded and into their buck pen. Safe and sound with fellow stink machines. Over in the doe pen everyone is happy hanging out in the barn away from the rain, so it was super easy to spot Luna the only black & white doe is a sea of creams, browns, & reds. She was ok with coming out of the pen and actually looked happy to see me....Until we got in the truck. Then she decided she not only hated me, but wanted me deaf as well. As we pulled out of the driveway she starts to pee in the backseat (omg,omg, omg) and screaming in my right ear every two seconds. Needless to say by the time we got home I had about 30 different Luna recipes(None included milk). I was during the drive and to keep my mind off the headache that stared with Troy in the truck and now steadily getting worse with Luna screaming her head off get back to thinking about this breeding and do I really want to do it? Or should I put on my big girl panties and AI her?
So I get home with the screamer and get her settled and hop on facebook to see what I might have missed in the hour I was away. Sure enough Darla is back on so we talk for a few and I give her a call back. Finally I have decided to go with King. So I go out to the shed to check Psyche and see what all is going on inside there. Sure enough she looks ready. So with Darla in one ear and Lilly in the other I prepare the tools I need to AI Psyche...Once again. I become wise at some point and realize that I don't have six hands and have Lilly hold the speculum while I finish up getting everything ready still talking to Darla. Lilly is asking what I am doing to Psyche's butt and I am avoiding the question with questions of my own to keep from answering. Four is just too young to learn about the birds and the bees. I have the gun ready and aim in the cervix. I am prepared this time so I don't fall in, but made a nice entry and exit. Just before 3pm and Psyche has a lil King in her! I am excited again!! Darla and I talk about goats a little longer and then our husbands. All too soon it is time for the kids to get home so I really need to get off the phone.
Boys are off the bus and I figure now is the best time to get hay so we all load up in the stink machine to head on our way to the feed store. Got hay, only 2 bales because they are so proud of their 40lb bales they are eleven dollars each! ouch!!!! I get us all home and we relax for a few, do chores, I cook while the boys help clean up the mess I am making in the kitchen. I decide to cook something I have never done before...Fried pork chops and instant mashed sweet potatoes. Managed to get all the pork chops amazing except for the last three....I don't think the dog will even eat them! yikes! Mashed sweet potatoes were pretty good I thought, but the kids weren't impressed, so I guess we won't do that again. We all sit down for some family time before the littles head off to bed. Once they are in bed the computer comes out and I do some digging and looking at nothing really until Jonathan pops on and says hello. We talk a bit and before I know it it's 10pm. Well time to go check Psyche again. She looks so good I grab another straw and AI her again. Probably not my smartest move ever, but I did it. Stephan even held the speculum for me and I also go him to look and see her cervix!!!! I am going to check her one more time in the morning and then comes the grueling 21 day long wait!
After a gruling 30 long days Caroline has informed me she is going to have some ultra sounds done on her does, as well as get one of her bucks collected.
Oh yes I must do this!!!! I choose Troy and Kal as collection candidates. Psyche of course needs that ultrasound... I HAVE to know if I can do this! Spice is coming too as she was AIed, and Annie is coming because I've never caught her in heat and well.... I told her if she isn't bred after living with a buck for two months she is freezer bound.
On the morning of the 5th I get the trailer hooked up, get the goats in and grab Miss Lilly. We are on our way for an hour long car ride and baby it's 40 degrees outside! Texas is HOT my butt!!
We manage to get there and Caroline has already gotten her buck collected and a few does untrasounded, so far all her does are bred!!!!
Before I know it it's my turn and Caroline has to go run an errand! Yikes ok I can handle the news all by myself....It'll be ok....Right? Does are first and bucks second. Mine you we are in this vortex of freezing wind...... Not cool, my nose is numb and fingers aren't too far behind!
First up is Annie a real quick check and yup she's bred and a couple months along! Yay we just might have milk in January!!!
Next is Spice..... Yea she is open, meaning the AI didn't take. Yes I am bummed, but I can handle it I have 4 straws left of that semen and there is always next year where I plan to give myself a bit more time to work.
Lastly is Psyche. Gabby checks her and says she looks like she is, but wants to do an internal to be sure. Then she proceeds to stick her gloved hand up Psyches rectum and "empty the raisin jar" as I watch I suddenly feel rather dirty and realize there is yet another way to violate a goat. Gabby then sticks the wand to the ultrasound machine in her rectum and has a look around. We see a big mass and Gabby informs me it is her bladder. Lets walk her and see if we can get her to go potty........Okay, great idea, but now Psyche thinks we are at a show and walks very nicely on the driveway and does nothing. Gabby laughingly says why not try walking her on the grass like a dog? Sure enough Psyche likes that idea and squats. After the potty break is over it's time for round 2 of "Are we bred yet?" This time there is a little bit better pic and Gabby told me wonder of wonders she is bred. Being only 30 days along it's hard to see, but there are kids in there.
YES!!!! Happy Dance that is totally being contained because Gabby doesn't really know me and I am not into scaring people I have just met.
So on April 4th 2014 We will have our first AI kids!
Until then here is a pic of Psyche I dug up the other day. She was about a week or two from delivering and ended up kidding with twin bucklings.
On a side note- If you like the image from that microscope as much as I do it's called a LCD Digital Microscope and can be found HERE.
