Tamric Acres
Rick & Tammy Turner & Sons
written by Rebecca Lange
Based in Arden, Tamric Acres is home to Rick and Tammy Turner and their sons Christopher (10), Matthew (12) and Tyler (14). The entire family is involved with the goat operation and the Turner's youngest sons particularly enjoyed their first show season in 2008. The family purchased their first goats in 2000. Rick raised Nubians when he was younger; but Tammy and the boys were new to goat keeping. After starting out with a few Boer, Alpine and Nubian grades; the Turner's decided to concentrate instead on LaManchas. LaManchas were chosen primarily because of their dairy nature, but also for their temperament (which is very important to the family), their ability to thrive well on pasture and their overall sturdiness. Besides that they had the distinct advantage in Manitoba winters of having shorter ears than Nubians and therefore less likelihood of frozen ears at kidding time in an uninsulated barn.
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The LaManchas have performed extremely well for the Turners. Their first doe was a mature doe, who came with a set of triplets. Since then, she has given them quads and has never failed to produce well at milking time. Every doe kid she has given birth to has been retained as part of the Tamric Acres herd. Her resulting progeny have been equally as efficient. Even Rick, who was rather reluctant to have a LaMancha as he preferred Nubians has been persuaded that LaMancha's are after all the way to go!
Currently there are both purebred and recorded grade LaManchas, purebred Alpines, and a few mixed Alpines and Nubians in the herd. The entire herd is bred to be hardy, low maintenance and easy to handle. Milk production is a priority, as people often stop by looking for milking goats and the family loves their goat's milk anyway! Good mothering instincts are regarded as an asset when choosing replacement doelings. (Although Tammy is on hand for every birth and would love to help out, she takes great satisfaction when her first fresheners are naturally good Moms.) Finally, the Turners look for goats that grow at a steady pace and have some meatiness - realizing that most of their bucklings each year are sold for meat - but milk production and hardiness come as top priorities.
In 2008 the Turner's started to show their goats, not just to compare them to others in their breed, but also for fun! Their first outing to Virden was a great success as Tamric Acres Una placed first in the under 12 month recorded grade class and was also reserve junior recorded grade champion. Seeing Una, a recorded grade, place so well in her first show was particularly satisfying for the Turners, as resulting generations will only be an improvement upon their dam - through the selection of top quality purebred bucks. All in all their first show year was a great experience and the Turner's will be back in 2009! Watch for them at future shows in Virden, Elkhorn, Yorkton and Regina.
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Back at home the does are raised on pasture all summer with only the odd treat in addition to their free choice minerals and salt. The milking does are fed supplemental grain (occasionally black sunflower seeds) and good quality alfalfa hay when they come in for milking. Winter feed consists of hay, which is fed outside to allow the goats exercise and access to fresh air. As the entire herd, including the bucks, spends their time out on pasture the Turners have decided to purchase a livestock guardian dog to protect their animals.
Presently the does are housed in a 1920's hip roof style barn. The barn provides adequate protection against the winter elements, allowing the does to live in loose housing. At kidding time the Turners utilize the back half of the barn which is set up with pens of varying sizes for kidding and isolation units. The bucks live in a converted cube van; cleaning is simple as the two back doors can be opened and the manure then scraped out. In winter they return to a separate area in the barn, as it provides more protection and access to non frozen water! None of the housing is insulated, and the Turner's make a conscious effort to buy stock that will be able to withstand the winter well. (Resulting in animals they know will handle these kinds of conditions when moved to different premises).
Tamric Acres goats are healthy and require little medication. Any issues that do arise are dealt with promptly. Tammy has recently started to learn how to take fecal counts for her herd. This decision will allow her to identify both the numbers and species of internal parasite that are affecting her goats. Using this method an appropriate dewormer will be administered. To build parasite resistance the Turners are also choosing to retain doelings from dams that are naturally impervious to parasites.
Marketing of the family’s stock has been very successful, as living on a busy highway has meant the goats advertise themselves. People often stop by looking for milking does and the demand seems to be rising. Each fall passersby also enquire about meat goats and that takes care of their marketing.
In time the Turners would love to have a large herd of commercial dairy goats. Using their purchased base stock (which will include the addition of purebred Alpines this fall) the family will increase numbers slowly through selection of their best doelings. Purebred bucks will consistently be used to improve certain features in the does and to enhance their already strong traits. Apart from the dairy herd, the Turners will also maintain a herd of percentage does to accommodate those who want a dual purpose animal.
To contact the ever enthusiastic Turner family: email
TamricAcres@inethome.ca
, visit their website
www.TamricAcres.com
call 204-368-2384 or write Rick and Tammy Turner and Sons, Box 122, Arden, MB. Don't hesitate to contact the family as they love talking goats and would also like to hear from anyone with a livestock guardian dog!
For your interest: Tamric Acres is also home to Daisy the golden lab - the farm mascot, Rabbits, Guinea Fowl, Black and Grey Cochin, laying Hens and numerous barn cats.
