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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
It has been a busy May here at Golden Star Farm. We had four girls that we bred last year and had 3 retain their pregnancies. This was the first year that we had a female not hold a pregnancy, but I think she has a retained CL so we will be dealing with that issue. The three girls that were pregnant have all birthed. We have a spectacular group of young females this year. Three pregnancies and three females. It just doesn't get any better than that.
Our first girl to birth was MSA Peruvian Bellafina. Bellafina is a white foundation female and one of our first purchases. She is a fantastic mother and has ample milk supply and her cria's IGG's are usually always high. The only exception was a 3 week preemie that she had in 2009. The summer was very hot and I guess the heat got to her and she dropped her baby girl early that year. Star of Hope is lovely and resides on our farm. We probably will never sell her as she has become one of my favorites, even if she does spit at me every time I have the grain bucket in my hand. Her fleece is gorgeous and I just love her. Bellafina's other cria's have all been spectacular and healthy. This year was no exception. She gave us a beautiful spunky female fawn cria. You can tell looking at this gal that she is full of attitude. We have not named her yet. I need a name that fits her personality: inquisitive, leader of the pack, spunky...you can tell she is just made to be a female leader. Her fleece is phenomenal to boot.
Our second cria is out of Candlelight's Golden Dawn. This was Dawn's second pregnancy and she didn't disappoint. We got our first girl and she is lovely. We named her Peaches and Cream as she is a fawn vicuna marked female. Her fleece is extremely dense and the crimp that is developing is a sight to behold. This is definitely from her sire, Nyala's Perucoyo Constantine. We took a chance and bred to this beautiful male with crimpy, crimpy fleece. He was unproven when we bred to him and it he got the job done in one breeding. We were quite happy with him and would highly recommend breeding to this male.
Our third cria was not a picture perfect as the other two or any other birth we have had on our farm. Her dam, Cassie, had a partial uterine torsion. We dealt with that. Cassie birthed a week later by herself. The female is a beautiful white female with some color in her head and face. She is having a rough start to life. Cassie, being a maiden, didn't have alot of milk and we are still trying to increase her milk supply. We transfused the cria and are waiting on the new IGG results to see if she is good to go or will need a second transfusion. She seems much more alert and active now so I am not worried about her. We do need to find a way to get some weight on her. She is holding her weight steady, but not gaining. She loved the bottle and then decided she didn't want one anymore. No tricks we have tried are working. I did notice her nibbling hay today so I am hoping she will start eating hay and grain soon so I can supplement through that avenue. Plus, we are hoping the lactation herbs help the dam's milk supply. This little cria is named Total Eclipse as she was born on the day of the West Coast Eclipse.
Although, very busy and with some problems we have had a good May. Who can complain about three show worthy cria? I sure am not one. Check them out. We will post pictures soon.
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