Yesterday brought a tragedy to Cynthia Sandberg, up at Love Apple Farm. Her beloved little companion, the Pygora (Pygmy + Angora) goat she'd acquired in early June, Ludwig, succumbed to a malady that afflicts castrated male goats: calcium build-up on the ureter. Cynthia had been given misinformation about a safe diet for Ludwig, and it was too late to save him.
We'd visited him just last week, with Logan's mother and a friend, who fed him leaves off the tree outside the pen where he lived with Dali, the pot-belly big, and Vivaldi, a little black pygmy female. Ludwig was the first farm animal, besides the chickens, that she had gotten as part of fulfilling the tenets of biodynamic farming: live animals on the farm. He quickly won the hearts of all visitors: he was calm and happy and friendly.
Logan was very distressed to hear this news, and told me he needed to go see Cynthia NOW, and that we would get her another Ludwig.
There will never be another Ludwig.
RIP, sweet little goatie friend.
RIP
Hi,
I am sorry to hear about Ludwig. Can you say alittle more about the diet he was fed, and the diet he should have been on? We have two Saanen goats, a brother and sister pair. Vladimir was castrated, and we'd be very interested to know what the health needs of a castrated goat are.
Best,
JY
Posted by: J.Y. Lym | 02 September 2006 at 10:36 AM
Oh how sad. Cynthia must be so upset! Please send her hugs from me and the local wildlife.
Posted by: Cathy | 03 September 2006 at 07:56 PM