How our dairy started
Marthinus is a dentist who likes to help the poorer people of the community. One day while working on a struggling farmer, the farmer informed him that he had very little money to pay him. As everyone knows Marthinus lives on a farm, the poor farmer tells him that all though he has no money he has four does and a buck to give for compensation. Eagerly, Marthinus said yes! Our dairy started with Bokkie (the buck), Bella, Bonita, Beauty and Busty!
The Story of Abigail
Abigail is a Toggenburg Swiss goat. We bought her from a farmer near Bonnievale. In May of 2008 Alba (jnr) and Neil was sent to buy 2 does (expanding our herd from 4 does to 6). There were some goats kept in a small kraal from which we could chose the two we prefer. In a small holding pen next to the kraal was a nervous looking Toggenburg. When asked why we could not buy her, the farmer said that she was to be slaughtered for meat because she has three teats instead of only two. (she was 'handicapped'). We instantly fell in love with her and bought her for a bargain. We don't mind milking her three teats! We love her so much we even named one of our cheeses after her.
Survivor
During 2009 kidding season a kid with a naval breach was born. We did not notice it immediately. When the kid tried to stand up all his small intestines fell through the gap to the ground. We immediately phoned goat experts, only to hear he won't make it and the humane thing to do was to inject him with an overdose of painkillers. Still pondering over what to do, we raced into town to borrow some of Marthinus stitches at the dentistry. The intestines had swollen up, so we had to give him a good dose of painkillers and cut the whole a bit bigger to put the intestines back. His chance of survival was slim. We could have killed him with all the stress, or too high dose of painkillers, or too much blood loss, or infection.....
After the operation on the kitchen table, Survivor was stitched up. He is still living today....a true blessing from God and a miracle. Surviving of an operations on an hour old kid is unheard of they said, on Nuwehoogte we believe anything is possible!
After the operation on the kitchen table, Survivor was stitched up. He is still living today....a true blessing from God and a miracle. Surviving of an operations on an hour old kid is unheard of they said, on Nuwehoogte we believe anything is possible!