Hillside Dreams Callekno is very good at her job.

A purebred Saanen goat, she delivered sextuplets on her second delivery.

Merel Voth, co-owner of Hillside Dreams Goat Dairy with husband, Barrie, says Callekno delivered four baby goats the first time.

害羞草研究所淲hile we have had some does give us quintuplets, to have sextuplets is quite amazing and extremely rare,害羞草研究所� says Merel, noting the kids are now two weeks old and are all doing very well. 害羞草研究所淭his is very unusual, she害羞草研究所檚 a good mother.害羞草研究所�

Merel says on Sunday, Sept. 30, around 9 p.m., Barrie went out to the barn to do his regular night check where he found Callekno, with some of the babies already born.

He put the new babies under a heat lamp and helped the mother deliver the rest of her kids.

害羞草研究所淲e sometimes have many does that are due in one day,害羞草研究所� says Merel, noting fall is not the normal time for babies to be born.

Related:

She says the quota system requires the dairy farm to provide milk in the winter too, so out-season breeding is necessary 害羞草研究所搒omething that is accomplished by eight resident bucks and artificial insemination.

害羞草研究所淲e have had over 400 babies this year and most of them do really well,害羞草研究所� Merel says, noting selling their registered purebred Saanen goats are a big part of the business, with the goats going primarily to Alberta but also to Ontario. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e sold out for this year and almost sold out for next year as well.害羞草研究所�

Related:

Merel says she and Barrie are passionate about their work.

害羞草研究所淲hen my husband goes out to feed the goats, they see him as their shepherd, they害羞草研究所檙e very social.害羞草研究所�

The Voths害羞草研究所� Salmon River Road goat dairy has about 350 dairy goats, with more on the way in a couple of weeks and the next big batch due to arrive in January.

All their milk goes to Happy Days Goat Dairy, about a kilometre along Salmon River Road and, from there, is available in most local grocery stores.

The Voths have owned the dairy farm since 2014. Merel is originally from Holland and Barrie came to the Interior from the Coast. In 2014, the couple moved to Silver Creek from Enderby where they operate their farm.

害羞草研究所淢y husband loves dairy farming and was working on one before,害羞草研究所� says Merel, who also works off the farm as a social worker. 害羞草研究所淢ost days we害羞草研究所檙e happy to be doing what we害羞草研究所檙e doing. We have two part-time employees, my husband is full-time and I do the paperwork.害羞草研究所�

barb.brouwer@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on