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Rant: Livestock we sold

jwstewar

Active member
As most of you know we raise goats. We used to do dairy and meat goats. We made the decision on July of 2016 we were going to get out of the meat goats, but we weren't going to give them away either. So we were gradually selling them down. We continued breeding, etc as normal. We had them down to a few of the nicer does and a really nice buck.

One day last March a guy shows up looking for a doe. After talking, he asked how much for all the does. I threw out a number and then finally we came to an agreement for all of the does and the buck. Before we agreed to sell them, we said want to make sure they are going to a good home and will be cared for properly. He assured us they would be because he had cattle. We sold him 18 goats. We told him that would be a lot to start, but would be manageable. They went to his house late April. My wife spent hours putting paperwork together of what we feed, when we feed, what vaccinations to use, when, how much. What to look for and everything.

A month or so later. He buys some more goats and trades his cattle for yet more goats. From a mutual friend that we bought hay from - even though we bought hay from him, we didn't like his management practices or how he bought goats from the sale barn. So now he is up to over 80 goats. No clue who is who or what is what.

Time went on we didn't hear much until about September/October. He was supposed to be getting his best barn cleaned out, but still hadn't done it, so they were still in a shitty one that was over crowded and not protecting. Then one of "our" goats had died. A hay feeder fell on it. OK, accidents happen. But then, they start calling. They have goats dying right and left and aborting. Mainly from the other farms. Monica goes over to figure out what is going on. The goats had worms so bad it was crazy. The best goat that we had (it had gone Grand Champion a few times and beat a goat the owners had paid 15k for) weighed about 250 pounds when we sold her Now weighed about 100. Monica told them she was on death's bed. Either they let her die or treat her and hope for the best, either way she would be dead by morning. She was dead by 10:00 that night. Monica helped them treat the rest of them, they still lost several more because they were so far gone. Monica also told them they needed to up their feed, 50# of feed a day wasn't enough, they needed lose minerals, they needed more hay and to keep it off the ground, and they needed to give them clean water daily. They didn't do any of it except maybe a little more hay. Monica even ordered the minerals for them, but it took a month for them to pick them up. Monica came home in tears on that day because she felt so sorry for the goats and how they looked. She said she could hardly recognize our goats, but once they figured out who she was, they looked at her like take us home.

So then they have a few does to kid that Monica was able to save. Monica said to give them their BOSE shots for selenium deficiency. When she was there she said give them 1/2 cc each. They texted Monica and said how much again. Monica responded .5 cc. They didn't question and assumed she miss-typed and gave each of them 5 cc. Killed all of them within an hour including the one that Monica had brought home and nursed back to health and spent the entire night up with it to get to eat and to a point it would live. So finally a few more kid. Monica gives them their shots. So now they have 3 kids alive out of what should have been about 150-160.

So then last night we get a call. That "our" buck Cyclone killed one of his other bucks that he bought from the other farm. It broke its neck. Then he proceeded to tell Monica that Cyclone was also down with snot running out of his nose. Monica said get him up off his side he has pneumonia. She said start him on LA200. Then he kept talking and Monica said, if he is still alive in the morning, I have something that is stronger that will take care of it, but it is $25 a dose - a lot of the medicine Monica has been taking from our supply and just treating their goats. He then asked Monica what he should do, so she was frank with him. She said, you are in over your head, you need to get back to a reasonable number of goats, you need to cull and cull hard. Learn how to manage them. She put it all on the line. So she is supposed to go this week and help them decide who goes and who stays. About 10 minutes after hanging up, she got a text. Cyclone was dead.

I feel like they are using Monica and not trying to learn. We are helping them A.) we said we would B.) we don't want our animals suffering any more. We already put them in a bad situation. I feel like they are taking advantage of Monica and the situation though. And combined with the fact they just won't listen. I know some people would say, well you sold them, they are no longer yours to worry about. We can't do that to the animals as stewards as well as, they are carrying our name. We don't want to folks to think that is how they were when we had them.

Sorry for the long post, just needed to rant.
 

pirate_girl

legendary ⚓
GOLD Site Supporter
Wow, they sure do sound like they're taking advantage of Monica.
It would kill me if any animals I raised and loved ended up in such uncaring surroundings.
Those people need to get out of the goat business!
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
That is so sad. I agree, they are taking advantage of Monica.
Seeing them in that condition sure has to take a heavy toll on her. Sad.
 

jwstewar

Active member
Well, I guess he heard my bitching. He just texted Monica, they are going to sell all of the goats. He didn't ask if we wanted them back. He did ask if we would be interested in any of the equipment. So Monica is asking for prices.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
That totally sucks. You would think for the investment alone that was made he would take better care of his animals.
The inhumane way they were treated, they need to get out of all animals.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
As a fellow farmer, some people should just not get involved with livestock.

I do not understand them at all. Just that animal agriculture is not what they should be into. You have to watch, and pay attention to what your animals are telling you. Some are just deft to that fact.

Regards, Kirk
 

FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
This is sad. As said before by H&H who should know well from experience, some people should never have animals.

I include in that warning, ANY LIVING THING.

My grandfather instilled in his grand children the responsibility taken when one "owns" an animal or any living thing. "Be it a chicken, a cow or a orchid, or even a field of beans, if you take it as a possession, then you are responsible for it's life." Read the bible. God gave us these things and expects good stewardship of his gifts.
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
You have to watch, and pay attention to what your animals are telling you.

Regards, Kirk

Kirk, I couldn't agree more and that goes for all your animals, pets included.

My wife's family raised beef cows for generations. Sometimes you just drive out into the pasture and just sit. You see which one isn't moving correctly, perhaps even limping, which one isn't eating properly, which one has udder problems putting the calf at risk, which one needs to be corralled for the vet to look at, etc.

If you watch your dog's body language you can learn a lot about what is going on around you that you are not aware of. Dogs may not be as smart as you are but their instincts and senses are a darned sight better.

To the OP, this is a difficult one. At what point does your responsibility end? I don't know. I think that I would have called the local sheriff and had a talk about it.
 

jwstewar

Active member
Thanks everyone. I'll admit, we lost a few when we first started because we didn't know what we were doing, but we took it and learned from it and haven't lost any more for the same reason. Hell, the first several we lost, we knew we didn't know what we were doing and took them to the vet. The vet knew what was wrong and how to treat it, but just wasn't familiar enough with goats to know that if you give a cow 2 CC of something, you give a goat 10 cc of the same medicine because of the their metabolism. Now, we have it down. We call and say, these are the symptoms, this is what we think. This is going to be our treatment and the dosage. They say OK, we say when can we pick the prescription up? If it is treatment OTC, we don't even consult the vets. Monica has made this her passion, she does everything she can for these goats to give them the best care possible. Sometimes I cringe when money is tight and she wants a $300 bottle of Draxin. But you know what, the shit works, and has saved us a couple of times. She is doing what she thinks is best.

I just wish these folks would have taken even half of her passion. I'll admit, I don't know all of our goats names like Monica and the kids do, but there is someone on the farm that does, that is the difference. I usually take care of the bucks & chickens while they take care of the does. Then I usually do clean-up of the milk machine if we are milking. So I don't get a ton of hands-on with the "girls", but Monica & my daughter Alex can tell you everything about any of them and can recognize any of them by sound. That is the passion that is needed to truly care for them.
 
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