Clipping Goats

In preparation for kidding time I gave our dairy goats a "kidding clip".  This is rather an easy cut and can be done quite quickly on the milk stand.  I use an Andis UltraEdge clipper with a standard size 10 blade.  I shaved her tail, her udder, the back of her legs and around her "backside". This helps keep her more sanitary during delivery and makes the job of cleaning up the "birthing mess" so much easier.  Anyone who has not shaved their goats can testify to how glue-like this "birthing mess" can be. It will stick to her tail and her udder and anything it happens to touch will be permanently glued too your goats hair, like pine shavings, hay, goat berries, etc. (ask me how I know).  I love my clippers because they are powerful enough to do the job quickly without getting hot while also being very quiet compared to some other clippers on the market.  I just go against the hair and trim away...really it is easy and anyone can do it.

Shiloh sporting a kidding clip. She is due to kid in 5 days.

I left a tuft of hair at the end of her tail.

 I gave Ruth a summer or show clip...well, I started to give her one before she decided I was not fast enough and she was done with this whole clipping business...did I mention this is my first time clipping them?  Like I said clipping is rather easy and anyone can do it. Now if I were shaving for a show I would probably use a size 30 or size 40 on her udder for a very close shave but since I'm only clipping for sanitary milking reasons I did not, but I may try it when I finish her front end tomorrow.

Ruth's summer clip...if you look closely you can see I lack a certain finesse.
I got a little too close in some places, but not too bad for a first timer.

The girls out in the pasture enjoying North Carolina's wonderful spring day!

Another view of the pasture and the barn.

I hope to post a video if I can figure out how to do so!

Blessings,
Michelle