HISTORY OF THE BRYNHILL HERD

THEN

The Brynhill prefix was registered with the British Goat Society in 1978, although goats were kept previous to this. At that time the herd comprised Anglo Nubian, British Alpine, British Saanen and one or two Herd Book British females. Our resident male being a quality British Saanen from one of the top herds in the country. Milk, cream, cheese and yoghurt were made and sold. A local twice a week a milk delivery round took place. Male kids were reared for meat and their skins tanned and used for rugs etc. Surplus summer milk was fed to calves and piglets. The goat kids being removed from their dams at 4 days old and bottle fed with powdered milk, as there was a ready market for all the goats milk we could produce.

In the 1980s, when goatkeeping was on a high, I served on the Northamptonshire Goat Club committee, producing the Club’s newsletter. This gave me a practical knowledge of the administration and stewarding required in the running of goat shows. Several BGS recognized shows were run by the Club each year which included a two day Championship Show with a milking competition, a BGS recognised Male show, a Youngstock show in the Autumn and half a dozen smaller Diploma shows. At this time goat classes were very large and typing, printing (stencils on a hand operated Gestetner!) and collating the show catalogues, another of my commitments, was an onerous task as it was possible to have 60 or more animals in a class (sometimes split by age on the day of the show and sometimes not!); catalogues included sires, dates of births and kidding dates as well as registration numbers for all and their owners names and addresses.

I collated and printed a large Stud List booklet annually for all breeds which was distributed via the local goat clubs. I also helped with instruction days, herd visits and outings for club members and at the regular monthly club meetings where speakers, quizzes, socials and produce competitions were held.

NOW

In 1996 a decision was made to concentrate on Golden Guernsey goats. The reasons being the increasing legislation needed to sell goats milk and produce plus a family who grew up and left home. We needed much less milk and, getting older ourselves, felt the need for a smaller, quieter animal for us to handle, which would be economical to keep and feed.

We also felt that by being discerning breeders we would be putting something back into the goat world by supporting a rare breed, doing our best to improve it in terms of conformation, milk and numbers on the hoof. With this in mind we joined the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and have tried to do a good public relations job for Golden Guernseys ever since.

The whole herd was blood tested for CAE shortly after purchase and since then has been CAE tested, with consistent ‘negative’ results, as required by the British Goat Society CAE regulations, at six monthly and then yearly intervals, and qualified as a British Goat Society CAE Monitored Herd in November 1999, a status we have held continuously to date.

In 2000 we moved to Lincolnshire. Rebuilt the crew yard attached to Ivy House, where we now live, as the goats new quarters and settled the herd into their new home after, what we hope, is their final move.

Our goats are kidded in alternate years, which is far less stressful for them and us. They have home grown hay. Go out onto the field to graze most days and have this diet supplemented with organic, non-GM coarse mixes in amounts suitable to their individual needs and stage of lactation.

Produce is now used only for the house. Male kids are castrated soon after birth, unless ordered in advance, and go for meat at approximately 6 months of age. This uses up our surplus summer milk, keeps their dams happy and our freezer full. We make both hard and soft cheeses, use goats milk for all the household needs and make yoghurt, cream and fudge for our own consumption.
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A small number of Golden Guernsey kids are usually available for sale each year. Adults are never sold. We reserve the right as to who our kids are sold to. Previous experience of goatkeeping is preferred and/or a genuine desire to find out about the correct needs of Golden Guernseys, and goatkeeping in general, prior to taking animals on. Joining the Golden Guernsey Goat Society will be found very useful too. A caring, long term and responsible home being the priority.

Kids are now mostly reared on their dams, running out on pasture with the herd during the summer days, housed at night, and go to their new homes in the Autumn.