READY for kids!

The last of the shots, wormer and hoof trims have been given. It's hard to believe that in about 1 Month we will have 4 sets of kids on the ground and be done with spring kidding season. Udders are starting to form and you can tell some of the girls are getting really uncomfortable (Tirzah - who is HUGE - I'm thinking triplets).
Most of them are spending a lot of time laying around, panting and

being a bit cranky at each other but I guess that is to be expected. Monday is our first due date so I'm sure we will have baby announcements SOON!

2 Weeks and counting!

we are approximately 2 weeks away from the first babies of the year. Never before in my life have I been this excited about our babies. It's funny, I am always excited about our babies but it seems that these little ones really are special to me for MANY reasons. About 5 years ago, after doing a ton of research and knowing what bloodlines I wanted I bought Nizhoni's Joie de Vivre *M/*D. as a 2 month old kid. Joie really is our foundation doe.

I like her so much, I ended up with her 1/2 sister a few years back - Nizhoni's DW Tirzah who will be 3 this coming year. Joie had a rough birth her second year - 1 doe/2 bucks and the doe came breech - all I could see was a tail and butt! I pulled her and fell in love. That was CBF Ent's Twinkle Lil' Star - I kept the only two girls I got that year - Twinkle and her 1/2 sister Dixie. The following year my daughter was newly diagnosed with cancer and I was faced with some rough decisions. I knew I could not milk that many girls so I parted with Twinkle and Dixie even though I did not want to and kept one of TWinkle's twin does: CBF CS Paint Th'Sky with Stars. After we sold her, Twinkle went on to earn her milking star in AGS. Twinkle also milked over 18 months as a First Freshener. Last year, Stars did not end up getting bred and it has been a rough process. NOW she is finally bred, and with our newest buck's First kids of the year.
Ironwoodranch A Good Intrigue *S/*B came to us last year after a LOT more research and searching for just the buck! WE had settled on another pair from Texas but through some very disappointing circumstances (for the breeder and for me) that fell through. But we found Intrigue. Intrigue's dam Pecan is probably Ironwood's best all around doe. She does well in the showring, milks well and has scored well in her Linear Appraisals. As a result of the Ironwood ranch's hard work, Pecan was honored with the Superior Genetics title along with her herdmate Minnie. this is the first group of Nigerians to have earned the title through ADGA. We got Intrigue last year and I am sure glad I did - Pecan's kids this year have been sold since before she got bred. I would have had no chance!!!! I have high hopes for Intrigue and Stars' kids and for Intrigue and STars. WE are looking to earn milking stars though 305 day testing (hoping that Stars will be our first 3*D in AGS) I would really like a doe kid to continue the line. But if she doesn't have one for me we will re-breed her to Intrigue again.

I am also very excited to see Stars' udder as she is the first of my Storm kids to freshen here at CBF. Hope is the 2nd. Other of his kids have freshened, just not here for me. Sooooo, these kids kind of are our 3rd generation of homebred kids who can carry on the torch for CBF Nigerians.

It has been a long hard road for us over the past few years but God has blessed us abundantly through the trials as well.

Update on CBFNigerians

There has been a flurry of activity here at CBF Nigerians lately. We are about 1 month away from kidding. Tomorrow is the 21st - officially 1 month until CBF CS Paint Th'Sky With Stars is due to kid. We drew blood from the 4 pregnant does on Monday and got it sent to WADDL for our annual CAEs. I also got most of the hooves trimmed, worming done and began giving the pregnant does (Stars) their shots. I cleaned pens and braved the stink and got Intrigue's worming/hoof trims done. He's such a great boy, I got him all set up and hubby took an updated picture of him. He stands sooooo nicely. I hate showing bucks but if I have the money, I may have to go ahead and show him in March. It's hard to tell through all that hair, but he sure is maturing nicely. I believe Stars is to have his first set of kids - there is another doe who got bred around the same time so it's hard to tell who will go first (Halona, the other doe, resides at Last Straw Nigerians in Belen). This time of year is so exciting as a lot of folks have begun their kidding already and it makes me a bit impatient for our little ones to come. Also, after getting the news about Pecan being one of the first group of Nigerians to earn the Superior Genetics title in ADGA, I am really excited to see what this boy can do in our herd.

Last snow of 2010.

WE got snow. The poor little goaties did not like it at all but the rest of us enjoyed the 2 hours snow until it melted. Which was quick! My kids (2 legged) are all bummed because it didn't snow more and they didn't get enough, nor did it stick around long enough for them to even play in it.
But,Im so glad we had a bit of snow before we said goodbye to 2010!
Happy New Year from the gang at CBF Nigerians!

More Great News regarding our buck.

Our little buck Ironwoodranch A Good Intrigue *S/*B 's dam Ironwoodranch SJ Pecan 2*D/2*M made it to ADGA's Superior Genetics list for 2010. Exciting because this is the first year Nigerians are included in the SG program and she earned it through her herd participating in the 305 day milk testing program as well as Linear Appraisal program.

She is one leg away from being a permanent champion also so her SG status can be upgraded once she earns that leg.
WE sure are happy with our stinky little guy! he's bred several of our does and several outside does now for spring 2010 babies. WE really are looking forward to seeing what his kids do this coming year and the years to follow. Thank you so much Ironwood Ranch for our Intrigue. He is a little treasure for us and will be happy to use him for the years to come!

There is also a possibility that a new buck will join our herd this year. His Granddam is Pecan's herdmate Minnie who also made it to the SG list. I won't say much more until this new little guy comes to join our herd as he isn't even born yet. Minnie is also tied with one other doe for the highest milk quantity on a one day test at 7.0#s. NOT that I want that much milk but the genetics are there to sustain a good milking herd of Nigerians.

I think we have a lot to look forward to in 2011 and beyond thanks to the addition of some excellent animals joining our little herd. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! See you and your herd in 2011. PS - we are currently updating our website now. Check soon for breeding page updates as well as the arrival of new kids starting in Feb 2011.

More Farm photos

Here is little Lucky, the smallest member of the herd. Hippity Hooves GD Lucky Star is the daughter of beautiful little Lost Valley PG Bebe (a double Kingwood bred doe and daughter of ARMCH Lost Valley KW Bridges Burn. ) and Rosasharn's HB Gideon *S/*B . She is possibly the sweetest little doe I own. I love her calm personality.
This is lovely Cleo - half sister to Lucky out of Gideon and Nizhoni's BB Lila Fay. Lila was a mega milker but didn't particularly care for being handled or milked. WE do hope that Cleo is not following her momma - she doesn't appear to yet! She is also very calm and laid back and lets us handle her very easily. I cannot wait to milk her. She is bred to Dragonfly USH Ten Zen (Rosasharn's Ushikai and Twin Creeks BW Pacifica). We hope that Zen will be a good balanced linebreeding for our little Cleo.
Cleo and Hope playing . I love watching the girls play and have fun together. When I'm out there they usually just sit in my lap but today they did go off and play some. It will be fun to see a whole new generation of kids playing out there this spring......in the meantime I will treasure days like today where I can go out and spend some time giving scratches and enjoying the beautiful day!

Farm Photos.

It is an incredibly beautiful day here in NM. As much as we need the precipitation right now I am grateful for the balmy 60* weather. I had a chance to just go sit with the girls and give everyone some love. Well, except poor Intrigue here who is a tad stinky and peed on. But hey, he's doing his job as a buck so I'm not complaining too much. I cannot get over how much this boy has grown. Right now two of my does and 3 outside does are due by him from Feb - May.

Here is my beautiful little Hope - she is bred to handsome Intrigue for March babies - March 1st-ish. She is out of Nizhoni's DW Tirzah and Piddlin Acres H Calm the Storm.
Here is momma doe Tirzah just hanging out. I love this beautiful doe, right now she is probably my top doe. Her daughter looks just like her only a bit darker chocolate chamoisee. I can't wait to see the mother daughter udders here. Tirzah is due about 10 days after her daughter and Tirzah is re-bred to Storm. So anyone wanting a Tirzah baby can get a preview of what to expect!