Wild Briar Farm

Quality Oregon Boer Meat Goats...Your family is worth it!
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* * *  Life on our little farm!  * * * 
 
 
Cracker creating science project? ...maybe the composter works better with a goat on top?!
 
Hey!  Oh....Hay!  We got a new "fancy" feeder built just for us.  (It also has a top on it now due to our liquid sunshine in Oregon)
 
These...crunch...apple stems are...crunch...so yummy! (Cracker's photo taken by our daughter)
 
Here's lookin' at you kid! Chewie-Bacca
 
 
 
The Farm Chat...
Fall '09:  Expanding the breeding stock (more goats = more meat and market animals for you!). Weaning kids. Re-conditioning does and buck. Preparing for winter...
Spring-Summer '09:  goat shelters, feeding areas, automated waterers and updated fencing, 'cuz here come the new batch of kids!
Feb '09:  Rainbow had twin girls on Super Bowl Sunday!  Cute as a button of course.  Our daughter named them Twinkle and Starlight...photos will be posted soon.  Rainbow is such a calm mom.  Breeding does to Jethro.
Winter '09:  Moving goats and llamas from one place to another.  Preparing for next breeding season.  Trying to keep everyone warm and hooves dry. 
Sept '08:  Fall preparations.  Welcome Jackson...another llama!  You are such a sweet boy.  We hope you enjoy your new herd.
Aug '08:  Moving herd to foraging pasture, more weaning around the corner.  Lots to do...build another shelter, hooves, try to keep things green.
July '08:  Welcome Shasta and Stitch...they are paint doelings, so we are excited to see what they'll produce!  Weaning Carmel's kids this month. 
June '08:  Rosie gave birth to healthy doeling & bucking.  Chewie gave birth to 2 healthy bucklings.  Ellie gave birth to a single buckling..he's huge!  Flower gave birth to twin bucklings.  Whew!  LOTS of kids!!!
May '08: Chewie, Rosie, Flower & Ellie are all expecting...we will have kids jumpin' all around soon!
April '08:  Carmel gave birth to a healthy doeling & buckling ~ welcome kids!  Lucy & Ethel join our farm...welcome girls! Nitro was sheared...aaahhh!
Spring '08:  We added Nitro...our guard llama.  After seeing a coyote roaming around, it was time to act.  He's been doing a good job training the goats to respond to him!  Amazing.
Oct-Nov '07:  Cross-fencing the pasture, hoof trimming, fall health checks, etc.  Lots to do!  The rain is coming, so we are adding another shelter.  Goats tend to think they melt in the rain!
Sept '07: Fullblood Buckling named Jethro has arrived!!  He's got some great goats in his pedigree...Hill Country #33, Mojo Magic, DSM Fancy (enobled doe)...and he carries the paint gene, so we are very excited to see what his offspring will look like.  Hopefully BIG & MEATY!!  Welcome Rainbow & Carmel ~ Things are growin' around here!  We are so excited!!!
July '07: Welcome Ellie, Flower & Rosie!
June '07: Welcome Cracker & Chewie!    A farm is born....
 
About Us: 
  • Member of the American Boer Goat Association www.abga.org
  • Member of the International Boer Goat Association www.intlboergoat.org
  • Member of the Oregon Meat Goat Association  www.omgp.org
  • Our foundation breeding stock are 100% Fullblood Boer Does and quality high percentage does
  • Our herd sire is a 100% Fullblood Boer Buck
  • Licensed to sell meat through the Dept. of Agriculture www.oregon.gov/ODA/license.shtml
  • Registerable breeding stock available, non-registered pets on request
  • We love what we do! 

Basic Goat Anatomy...

(photo & info adapted from Alabama A&M University Extension System)
 
Adult goats are ruminates, similar to cattle, sheep and deer, which means they eat large amounts of "roughage" and browse.  The food goes from their mouth, through the esophasus (1) and into the rumen (2) paunch, which is the largest of the four stomach compartments.  This compartment can range from 3 to 6 gallons depending upon the breed.  It contains many microorganisms (bacteria & protozoa) that produce enzymes to break down fiber and other parts so the "food" can be transferred to the goat's other three stomach compartments.
 
Next comes the reticulum (3), or honeycomb, which capacity ranges from 0.25 to 0.50 gallons.  Then on to the omasum (4), also known as manyplies, where the many folds grind up the food and remove some of the water.  This has a capacity of about 0.25 gallons.
 
The abomasum (5) functions similarly to human stomachs and contains acids and enzymes that break down the smaller food before it enters into the small intestine (6). The abomasum can hold about 1 gallon.  Just like human small intestines, this is where many nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, and, if they're not, they keep going to the cecum (7) and large intestine (8).  This is where the remaining nutrients and water are absorbed along this 100-foot canal which has a capacity of about 3 gallons.
 
A common misconception is a goat will eat "anything", like tin cans and garbage.  They are curious creatures and might like the feel or taste of something in their mouth, but they certainly shouldn't be fed without proper knowledge of nutritional requirements.  Goats need the breakdown of fiber, starch and fat in the roughage and concentrates they eat to provide much of their energy requirement.  They also rely on protein, vitamins, minerals and microorganisms to provide a "body balance" for growth, reproduction, disease resistance, milk production and general health.
 
Another basic yet vital component is good, clean water.  Similar to humans, goats need an adequate supply of water to carry out important body functions, and is critical to their good health.
 
So, the next time you drive by a pasture and see goats hanging out or playing in the field...you can say to the person riding with you: "Hey, did you know that goats are ruminants?  They have a 4 chambered stomach.  I'm not kidding!"