Your friendly local help for dairy goat information and events in Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand

Goat Milking Demonstration

On the 8th October, we were finally able to hold our long-awaited field day, at Te Hua Farm in Oxford. It had originally been scheduled for October 2010, but was postponed to March 2011 after the September quake, and then postponed to October after the February quake. We had a working bee the day before, which saw a good number of club members giving up their free time to come and help sort out the signage and organise where everything was going to take place. We had a rain contingency plan as well, but even that was scrapped when the next day dawned overcast and bitterly cold. By an hour from when folks were due to arrive the wind was up and blowing heavy rain sideways. All the signs which were set up outdoors had to quickly come in from the rain.

Fortunately, about half an hour later, the wind stopped blowing, so all the signs were able to go back out, but under cover just in case. Many of the non waterproof signs stayed in the house, which is where we ended up holding much of the day’s activities. By start time, people began arriving in droves, and everyone crammed into our small lounge to have a hot cuppa and biscuits. There was a break in the rain before the homeopath was due to give her talk on homeopathy for goats, so we all scooted out to the paddock to have the one and only goat walk of the day. The goats were pleased for a brief respite from the rain, and happy to come out and say hello. After an informative talk by homeopath Rhonda Hamilton-Cross. We broke for lunch, a few people left, a few more arrived, and then the weather cleared nicely, so we could go out to the milking shed for hand-milking and hoof trimming demonstrations. One young boy, who had been asking a lot of great questions throughout the day, wanted to have a go at the hand-milking. He was very keen, the doe was very patient, and he was able to get a few squirts out of her. Her teats outsized his small hands by a bit, or I think he would have got quite a bit more!

Finally, we did a quickie-cheese making demonstration followed by a cheese tasting. I made a vinegar cheese, very easy to do and demonstrate, and very easily shows the separation of curds from whey. It’s a versatile, non-cultured cheese, bland on its own, but you can add anything you like to it, and it even fries without melting! There were probably more than 50 people there on the day, adults with children, down to the babes in arms. The children were all very well-behaved, and not a peep out of the babies! Everyone who was there was quite keen to be, and very interested in learning more about goats. We even got a couple of new club members out of the day, and hope to make this an annual event.

Many thanks to all our club members who helped make this day a resounding success!

{ 0 comments }

Dairy Goat Section
Date: Thursday 10 November 2011
Judge: David Goulden, Christchurch

HR kidded Doe in milk, under 3 years (5): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Moracco SI9992H ADK/E7 1, Red Arrow Stud – Southbridge Pearle S57340H JAS/El 2, Red Arrow Stud – Red Arrow Elsie S57227H 941000000 3258494 3.

HR kidded Doe in milk, 3 years and under 5 years. (2): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Caithlyn TI9643H ADK/C15 1.

Champion HR Doe.  To be selected from the winners in classes 9000, 9002 and 9003 and second place: Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Moracco SI9992H ADK/E7.

Reserve Champion HR Doe (The second place winner in the class from which the Champion Doe was selected: Red Arrow Stud – Southbridge Pearle S57340H JAS/El.

AR kidded doe in milk under 3 years (2): Jack Tranter – Antrimdowns Madeline TA19989H ADK/E6 1.

AR kidded doe in milk 3 years and under 5 years (2): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Maisie SO19987H ADK/D21 1.

AR kidded doe in milk 5 years and over (2): Natasha Hofmeester – Mystique Belle TDS2766 1.

Champion AR Doe to be selected from the winners of classes 9010, 9011 and 9012 with the second place getter from the class of the AR Champion paraded for: Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Maisie SO19987H ADK/D21.

Reserve Champion AR Doe: Natasha Hofmeester – Mystique Belle TDS2766.

AR Grand Champion Standard Age Class (1): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Marquerite SC47493H ADK/P1 1.

Grand Champion AR Doe: Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Maisie SO19987H ADK/D21.

Senior Progeny – Two daughters in milk of the same Sire but of different Dams. (2): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Marquerite SC47493H ADK/P1 & Antrimdowns Maisie SO19987H ADK/D21 1.

HR Best Udder.  Udder to be judged when full and again when stripped out with (7): Red Arrow Stud – Southbridge Pearle S57340H JAS/El 1, Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Moracco SI9992H ADK/E7 2, Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Caithlyn TI9643H ADK/C15 3.

AR Best Udder.  Udder to be judged when full and again when stripped out with (5): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Panache TC19411P ADK/C2 1, Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Maisie SO19987H ADK/D21 2, Jack Tranter – Antrimdowns Madeline TA19989H ADK/E6 3.

Junior Showmanship – for young persons 15 years and under. To be judged on (6): Jack Tranter – Jack Tranter 1, Arscott J/Jones A – Courtney Miles 2, Red Arrow Stud – Hunter Smith 3.

HR Maiden Doe or Goatling 12 months and under 30 months that has not (1): Red Arrow Stud – Southbridge Rita S57817H JAS/G1 1.

HR Doe Kid under 12 months (4): Red Arrow Stud – Red Arrow Ruby 1, Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Kathleen ADK/H2 2, Red Arrow Stud – Red Arrow Eleanor 3. Champion HR Junior Doe   To be selected from winners of classes 9032 and 9033 with the second place: Red Arrow Stud – Southbridge Rita S57817H JAS/G1.

Reserve Champion HR Junior Doe  The second place winner in the class the Champion was selected to be : Red Arrow Stud – Red Arrow Ruby.

AR Maiden doe or goatling 12 months and under 30 months that has not borne (2): Arscott J/Jones A – Hollybank Holly II RG57736H G4HYK 1.

AR doe kid under 12 months (3): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Pearl ADK/H3 1, Arscott J/Jones A – Hollybank Poppy  2.

Champion AR Junior Doe to be selected from winners of classes 9038 and 9039 with the second place getter from the class of the AR junior champion to be: Arscott J/Jones A – Hollybank Holly II RG57736H G4HYK.

Reserve Champion AR Junior Doe: Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Pearl ADK/H3. Maiden Goatling and Doe Kid (of the same breed) (1): Arscott J/Jones A – Hollybank Holly II RG57736H G4HYK 1.

Buck Kid under 6 months (2): Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Caiden ADK/H1 1. Champion Buck Kid to be selected from classes 9046 and 9047.  Reserve to be selected from 2nd place getter from the class of the champion kid : Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Caiden ADK/H1.

Reserve Champion Buck Kid: Jack Tranter – Antrimdowns Magnum ADK/H11.

Buck – 2 years and over (Herd Register) (1): Barbara Kennedy – Lagooncreek Hagrid TI9538H TML/C20 1.

Champion Herd Register Buck to be selected from the winners of classes 9020 and 9021 with the second place getter from the class of the champion to be  : Barbara Kennedy – Lagooncreek Hagrid TI9538H TML/C20.

Stewart Dawson & Co. Challenge Cup – Best Herd Register Goat : Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Moracco SI9992H ADK/E7.

Supreme Champion Dairy Goat : Barbara Kennedy – Antrimdowns Maisie SO19987H

{ 0 comments }

A nice country show

A nice coloured Nubian buck

Junior Showmanship Class

The youngest person to show a pet goat was only 20 months old!

Coming back from the Grand Parade

{ 0 comments }

Farm Walk - this farm has over 100 goats

Homeopath Talk

Vet Talk

Milking Demonstration

Hoof Trimming Demonstration

Cheesemaking Demonstration

The day started very wet but we had a good turnout. The weather cleared up later on and we had a great time. Thanks for coming, and we look forward to another Goat Field Day in 2 years’ time.

{ 0 comments }

Relaxing after the main course

Our annual mid-winter dinner was held today, on Saturday the 23rd of July 2011. This lunch time event was at Red Red Wine Cafe in Darfield. Most does are dry at this time of year, so things are fairly quiet on goat farms. In other words, everyone can relax

Children enjoyed the Kids Menus

We had the whole restaurant to ourselves, as it was a private function. We loved it! The food was great, and we all had a great time. Sorry I couldn’t include every one in the photos.

{ 2 comments }