Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Goodbye Nettie

Our first goat, Nettie, has passed on to the great green pasture in the sky.

Not long after I wrote the last “Hole” post, I went to do a goat check and she was lying down.  I couldn’t tempt her to get up so I brought her a drink & some fresh weeds.  When we went back out later to do evening barn chores, she hadn’t moved.

Everyone was clipped to their respective feeding station and was fed.  Nettie didn’t budge so I brought her a big ol’ bowl of grain and sun flower seeds and a bucket of cool water.  During her downhill slide, she never lost her appetite.  But now her appetite was going to do her in.  A goat that eats and drinks but doesn’t get up to move around is going to bloat.  And bloat is a horrible way to go.
After several attempts to try get to get Nettie up of her own volition, I admitted to myself that this was the end.

We kept the other goats clipped so she could eat her meal in peace.  Paul, Rhiannon and I spent some time with her, talking to her, petting her, feeding her vanilla wafers.  I know that her body was pretty much beyond saving, but the thing that was so sad is that SHE was still there.  You could see it in her eyes.  She was mentally aware; her gaze followed us around but her body was unable to do so.
She was buried behind our house along with an offering of dock, plantain and wildflowers.  Her daughter, Annette, is still with us, but she isn’t much consolation (sorry Annette, truth hurts).   I will always remember my first goat, Nettie.  Bringing her home in the back seat of the car (yelling the entire way, of course), being there for her (and my) first kidding and being there for her final moments on this earth.

13 comments:

  1. I am so sorry. Reading about Nettie brought back the memories of saying goodbye to Nitro. They may be goats but it still hurts like hell letting them go.

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  2. Sorry to hear about Nettie, animals can all to easily become pets and it is hard to see them go.

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  3. So very sorry to hear this but know that it is the cycle of life. She knew she was loved by you & sometimes that's all that matters.

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  4. Because of you, your dear Nettie went out with a full tummy, no pain, dignity and surrounded by love. An old goat can't ask for more. Hope the same happens for me. Love and hugs.

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  5. So sorry for your girl, sounds like she went peacefully....

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  7. It is very sad to loose one. She had a very good end and a good life with you and your family. I have always said Willow can go to her final rest here on the farm. I will not worry about salvage value with her. She still hates me, but loves DH.

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  8. I'm sorry. It was nice you all had the opportunity to spend time with her in the end.

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  9. I'm sorry. It is nice you were there with here to the end. I really think it makes a difference as they know.

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  10. First goats are the hardest to lose. That part of farming just sucks.

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  11. When our first cow Kicki had to be shot by our son (her suffering was just too long) we all felt it immensely. So sorry about your Nettie but how blessed she was to have you all with her. I would like very much to be fed vanilla wafers by my family when its my time.

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