Successful Shearing

Shearing is sort of like having your test paper graded.  You get to see if all your hard work or studying has taught you enough to do well on the exam.  There is nothing like taking all the hair off curly wooly goats to see how they really look.  Do they have mites or lice you hadn't noticed and therefore hadn't treated?  Have you been feeding them the correct amount so they are a healthy weight?  Any sores or injuries that you didn't see through all the curls?  Has the parasite battle been going in your favor?  It all comes out in the daylight when the fleeces are sheared away.

I'm pleased with how the goats look!  They are all a good weight and look healthy.  The parasite battle seems to be going well.  Orion has one small sore that looks like a poke with a stick or a thorn.  It was buried under all the nasty fleece on his underbelly so didn't heal well.  It's been treated topically and will be fine.  Parker had just a little bit of scurf on his chest that has also been treated topically.  Other than those two small areas, all the skin looks clear and clean and smooth.  

All the goats are back to their clean unadulterated colors.  The new boys, Twill and Pi, are sparkling bright white again.  Parker is his most golden brown and the others range from champagne to blonde.  No dirt yet but, of course, it's coming.