Look what we got - a new buckling! He's a Nubian buck, with paper work and everything. Brandon and I drove north, through the bluegrass region of north central Kentucky, on roads cut through the knobs to expose the limestone, along a stream, and over a railroad track to a pretty farm on a steep hillside. A herd of glossy brown and black Nubian does and all their kids were winding along a path through the fields accompanied by a big white dog, just like our Wendigo.
The goat farmer and her husband helped us put the buckling in the back of our truck, and we joked that we had rolled out the red carpet for him since we used a piece of red carpet in the bed so he wouldn't slip around on the ride home. He was a little nervous to be going on an adventure, but loves animal crackers, so he cooperated pretty well with the goat farmer.
Brandon carried him from the truck to the fence that contains all the boy goats, and set him inside with Little Buck, the River Brothers, and Nibs.
Everyone was so excited to meet the new buck that they formed a butt sniffing congo line, and walked round and round with their noses in each others backsides, sniffing and making funny noises. Goats are so strange.
I was given some paperwork so I can register him with the American Dairy Goat Association. His mother is Kentucky Hills Amazing Grace, and his grandfather is Wingwood Farm Amazing Adonis. I didn't have a name picked out, so the goat farmer suggested Kentucky Hills Amazing Donovan. I think we'll call him Donny. I hope he is amazing!
The end of his nose is amazingly cute and pink.
He has a very nice hump in the bridge of his nose, which is supposed to be characteristic of the breed. I think it makes him look very noble.
This is my Nibs, Peaches and Little Bucks son, who isn't much older than Donny, and has horns. I see a difference in the shape of their faces, for sure. I got to see Donny's mother, Gracie, and she had a huge udder with really big teats. The goat farmer said she milks by hand, and milking Gracie was a dream because her teats were so nice. Hopefully Donny will pass on some of those easy milking traits.
Donny is very loudly protesting his new situation, which makes for some funny Big Lebowski jokes. I give him separate piles of hay, so he doesn't have to fight for a place at the hay basket yet. I also bought some goat pellets, so he can continue to eat what he's used to, but we haven't figured out how to feed them to him yet without Little Buck scarfing them down. I have some goat wormer that the goat farmer suggested on it's way, since moving to a new farm is stressful, and that's when worms get out of hand. He's such a pretty goat, all fat and glossy.
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