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There are dairy goat kids being studied right now that were born in Texas due to a "strange bulldog" look. Also there is a lady I spoke with in New York that has a problem this year in her does, with her vet trying to confirm that it was in the corn. I also had 2 birth defects in animals that 3 of the 4 vets are trying to say it was genetic. The 4th vet has taken a feed sample, mainly corn- she thinks is the problem, and says that it could be something from the feed. We DON'T know! The 2 animals in my own small herd are purebred dairy goats. Both kids are totally non-related. They are 2 seperate, different breeds, of pure status. NO relation other than their dams ate the same feed! I now have a Pure Shire bred mare that was eating that same ration, though "cut" with organic oats to cut the 16% ration my dairy goats eat down to around 12% for my horses. So, I now await the outcome of my mare's foaling date. If my mare's foal has this same problem, then I do think I could question the GMO corn. There was also another small farmer, like myself this year that had some problems with his piglets. I guess when the tests come back on the "bulldog" kids in Texas, and my own feed sample test, I will let folks know! I am looking into putting in heirloom corn on my place, though.
Let's completely ban watering lawns, and filling swimming pools, in cities that are in arid areas. No green lawns in Las Vegas and Phoenix. No giant personal swimming pools in Los Angeles.
THAT is where all the water is being wasted - not on farms.
Then why don't people do this. Personally, I have a rock and brush landscape. You see, people want what they want, and I don't really concern myself with what people choose, however, they should be familiar with the facts.
Well, I remember growing up in the mid/southwest and watering lawns was normal, even though recommended rationing happened somewhat periodically during summer.
That something is genetic does not mean that it comes from genetically modified corn. That something is caused by something in the feed doesn't mean that it comes from genetically modified corn. There have been "weird" things happening occasionally (which it sounds like is what you're talking about - a few anecdotes, at this point, that could be caused by any number of things) to animals like this for as long as I've been around, and I'm pushing 60 really hard, and there have been such incidents in the past (at least all the way back to witch burnings where the blame was put on witches when "odd" animals were born because, say, a woman who was too ugly or too beautiful looked at the dam before the odd animal was born, so obviously that was the cause ).
Where in Texas? I'm in Texas and perhaps could look it up.
Where in Texas? I'm in Texas and perhaps could look it up,
I believe the animals were born up in Stephenville with the "bulldog" look. The testing is supposed to be happening at the A&M.
And the "genetic" reference of my own animals, the vets here were referring to genetics as in the sire/dam DNA, not of genetically modified feedstuffs. I am thinking that it could be from the feed.
What breed of dairy goats? I try googling and get nothing regarding "bulldog" and "goats" except breeds that are supposed to have a bulldog look.
Genetic mutations happen all the time, you know. What are the genetic birth defects in your two goats? What ration are you feeding? Pure corn, or some combination? What medications do you give your goats? Are they on pasture at all? What kinds of plants grow in the pastures, if so? Does your mare share pasture with the goats or do you do "follow" grazing where the horses follow the goats follow something else?
The kids in Texas were American Saanens. My dairy goats that were affected by the "problem" are each a Purebred Saanen and a Purebred Toggenburg. Each was born with a "parrot-mouth", being an overbite. The second kid affected, was born about a month or so after the first. The first kid was not that severely affected, though the second kid was VERY noticeable. The piglets born on another farm, but using the same dealer also had mouth problems. My dairy goats are not pastured in the winter, though my horses are. I don't use medications on my herds. I do deworm, though. The horses and goats with an ivermectin based type. I still feel it was something consumed by the way of feed. I have used the same hay, but did change to a different feed mill last year. My feed is a basic custom mix. Predominately corn, oats, soybean meal, molasses, dried beet pulp, yeast, salt, A,D &E. No added chemicals. I try to be as natural as possible as my small herd of animals is feeding me. I can't seem to find an organic grower of soybeans or corn. Seems we are being forced to use the GMO products. And amazingly, everyone thinks they are safe!
I'm familiar with parrot mouth - it shows up in horses, as well, and seems to not be a respecter of lines. Looks like it's common enough in Saanen to be listed as a fault in the breed standard. (And with the Toggenberg breed standard.) So the first thing I'd be looking for, as a breeder (of horses, not goats, but the theory is the same and works for people, as well) is something in the pedigrees on both sides of both affected kids that might have gotten together in the present generation. Amazing what things, good and bad, can pop up seemingly out of nowhere until you do your genealogical research. I've seen two black chestnut almost no white horses have a foal that was the color of a buff-colored cocker spaniel puppy with a paper white mane and tail and white all over the danged place - enough to make the breeder say, "Thank God for bloodtyping!" Ultimately it was traced back to the same ancestor four generations back on both sides - those genes travelled silently down the generations until they met each other in this absolutely beautiful foal (who ended up looking for all the world like a Palomino, though he was actually chestnut with flaxen). I've also seen one farm be hit with several cases of problems in one year that would seem to have a common cause but turn out to be nothing more than coincidence and their luck just ran out that year.
These are nothing to do with feed, and have been happening for about as long as there've been animals bred (or breeding on their own, come to that, nature's just a bit more strict than we are in dealing with the problems that crop up in breedings). I'd put genetically modified feed of any kind WAY down on the list when looking for the cause in cases like this.
Best wishes for your mare. Breeding is such a combination of science and art and pure danged luck, it always makes you hold your breath to see how it comes out.
Then why don't people do this. Personally, I have a rock and brush landscape. You see, people want what they want, and I don't really concern myself with what people choose, however, they should be familiar with the facts.
Well, I remember growing up in the mid/southwest and watering lawns was normal, even though recommended rationing happened somewhat periodically during summer.
People don't stop watering their lawns because they don't want to. We want lawns that look like putting greens, even if those lawns are out in the middle of a desert.
While I'm not really an advocate for forcing people to do, or not do, certain things, I think it's pretty important to realize that there's a world of difference between watering a lawn and watering (irrigating) a field of crops. One has to do with production of food, while the other has simply to do with vanity.
People who are blaming genetically modified corn for genetic mutations in animals REALLY need to understand what is being genetically modified in that corn - and REALLY need to understand the difference between plant genetics and animal genetics.
Mold in corn will cause far more problems than anything genetic.
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