HONORA BAY––This past April, 4-H members took part in the first of several meetings required for a 4-H Goat Club in Honora Bay. At the first meeting, each 4-H member had the chance to choose their own pregnant goat who would soon give birth to baby kids.
“It was difficult to pick my goat because there were so many and each goat was unique. I loved the ones with brown heads and white bodies,” commented Autumn Davy.
Once the members selected their goat, they spent time bonding with the mother getting to know her temperament. Barbara Jansen explained the different types of goats on her farm (meat, milk and fibre) and how to find the approximate birth date of the babies.
All the members of 4-H were excited and eager for their baby kids to arrive. Upon delivery of many sets of twins, the atmosphere of Channel View Farms was filled with new life. Ms. Jansen let the members hold and cuddle their babies and explained how to care for the newborns.
Jonah Balfe (Jonah is a clover bud, a student too young for 4-H) described how “you have to vaccinate the baby when it is first born. You also have to dry them off really well so they don’t get hypothermia.
Then they give them an ear tag with a number.”
The numbers help to identify which kids belong to each mother goat because some of them look the same. Each member had the honour of naming their newborn twins. Grace Pennie said, “I named my goat Marshmallow because her mother goat was named S’mores.”
As the baby kids grow, the 4-H members are working with them, learning how to put a lead on them and walk them in preparation for the upcoming Providence Bay Fall Fair showing in August. To show a goat at a fair, you need to hold the leash a certain way, be in charge of the leading and focus on the judge. Two cousins, Brodie and Jack Pennie, are really excited for the fair and think they can both do well. As the goats continue to grow, so does the training for each member. Grooming, leading and showing a goat takes time.
Good luck to all those competing in August.
