It’s a little past 6:30 PM.  Dusk has settled in hard and any hint of warm spring air was swept away with the setting sun.   Farmer Sandy heads into the barn to take one last check on Farmer’s Helpers four new baby goats before she herself calls it a day.

     “Gidley, big momma queen goat, how are all the new babies?”  Farmer Sandy reaches down to pet Gidley’s head, who is already trying to reach in her pocket for a snack.  

     The other adult goats; Giggles, Snickers, and Peanut lay contently in the back of their stalls, while Poppy sits on her hindquarters, hooves out in front of her, a stance you might expect from a dog rather than a goat.  At a quick glance, Farmer Sandy takes note they are all chewing their cuds, which means happy and healthy.  Farmer Sandy smiles.

     Chip, the Bunny, has turned in for the night and the two older sheep, who have been there done this baby thing before, look on in boredom, chewing their cuds too.  

     Quietly, Farmer Sandy scans the pens for the baby goats.

     “Hello there little ones.  Everyone all set for the night?”   Already four weeks old, one baby goat bounces around, two others peacefully sleep in each other’s warmth, and the fourth nibbles a piece of second cut hay Farmer Sandy has given them. The two bouncing bundles, hearing Farmer Sandy, abruptly stop, let out a little sneeze, and commence to bounce again. Playing, eating, and peacefully sleeping.  Farmer Sandy smiles again.  

     Before turning off the lights, she scans the quiet barn one last time.  Ethel, the nocturnal feline, perched on the window sill, lets out a low annoyed meow.  “Good night, Ethel. Happy hunting.”  The sweet woodsy smell of clean shavings lingers and the earthy spring smell of melting snow and mud seep through the door behind her.  She smiles as she looks forward to sharing all this with her Farmer’s Helpers. She flicks the switch and it’s lights out in the barn.

Fun facts:   Goats are herbivores and also a ruminating animal.  A ruminating animal has four stomachs that act as a fermentation vat, making them very efficient at utilizing feed.  Baby goats are born with their rumens not working.  As they are introduced to fiber in their diets; hay, bark, dirt, and minerals, the rumen begins to develop.  Part of the digestive process of the ruminating animals is called chewing its cud.  The animal is rechewing regurgitated feed.  Next time you walk into a barn of goats, take a look around.  See if you can find a goat chewing their cud.  They will look like they are chewing gum.  One of the first signs something may be wrong with your goat is that they are not chewing their cud.  

The four stomachs:

• Rumen
• Reticulum
• Omasum
• Abomasum or true stomach

Kristi Atherton

Farmer’s Helpers at Chip-In Farm