Meet the Goats and Ducks

The goats are housed at present because the milking sheep are still grazing the land; when the sheep are sold this autumn, they will be able to enjoy some grazing. The young stock enjoy more freedom, especially when they are living with their mums; they are such tearaways, always climbing and getting into things, that they are nicknamed 'The Vogon Distructor Fleet' after characters in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, an S.F. story by Douglas Adams.

The goats are fed on hay, silage and cut grass; to add a little more protein and energy, they are also fed on a mix of crushed oats, crushed peas and beet pulp: the bulk food is taken from fields which are not artificially manured and the more concentrated food is free of G.M. ingredients. Feeding a lot of bulk food is ideal for goats, their rumens contain bacteria which break down the fibrous part of the food and this activity helps to keep them warm. The goat's need for fibre is the basis of stories that they eat anything; of course they don't, but they eat a much wider range of herbage than cows and sheep.

Young female kids stay with the herd until they are weaned at 3 months, they live separately until they are ready for mating, normally after a year; they kid five months later and then join the main herd. Many of our goats produce kids every other year, they are so milky that it is worth extending their lactation in this way, they usually stay productive for longer than goats kidded every year: (the brown goat pictured on the Navigation Bar is 14 years old, she hasn't kidded since she was 10, she provides useful amounts of milk and is still the herd boss).

Khaki Campbell ducks provide tasty eggs that are sold locally and at Farmers' Markets. The ducks are fed non G.M. Layers pellets, they enjoy a very free range life and have a real sense of humour! Ducks are not going to make our fortune, but they do give us something to smile about. We also keep a few geese, these are very companionable birds and provide some eggs in the spring.