STAPLES FARM

On Thursday, we discovered that our baby donkey was suffering from Ballerina Syndrome in his front legs, a condition where the tendons are so tight that he walks on the tips of his toes. With our regular vet on maternity leave, we reached out to Dr. Chelsea Williams of Pleasant Valley Veterinary Services in Coyle, Oklahoma. For years, her mother had purchased hay from us and informed us when Chelsea launched her mobile large-animal veterinary practice. In addition to scheduled appointments, Dr. Williams responds to emergency calls. Something few veterinarians do today, and a vital one since animal emergencies rarely happen during regular business hours. After a thorough examination, Dr. Williams developed a treatment plan that involved placing splints on the donkey's front legs. The splints would remain for 24 hours before being removed, after which we would perform physical therapy on the affected joints. Once the splints were applied, the foal immediately began walking better. We removed them yesterday evening, completed the physical therapy, and sent Dr. Williams a video to show his progress. He was noticeably improved. Following the second physical therapy session today, we sent Dr. Williams another video and photos. She was very pleased with his progress, noting that his heels now touch the ground. We'll continue PT treatments for a few more days to ensure a full recovery. We highly recommend Dr. Williams because of her expertise and responsiveness. She can be reached at (405) 590-5409. -Leo

Update on how our Nofence virtual fence system is working with our sheep. #NofenceMoments

Yesterday, Julie and I brought home three female donkeys (called Jennies) that we plan to use as guard animals for our sheep. All three are pregnant, and as we were loading them, one of the helpers joked that I should hurry home before one of them gave birth in the trailer. When I checked them at 6:30 this morning, it was obvious that one was about to foal. Around 9:00 am, the foal was born and greeted by our dark brown donkey’s excited braying, as if she was announcing the news across the farm. Within minutes, the newborn stood up and began to nurse. As expected, the mother is very protective, so we still don’t know if the foal is a Jenny or a Jack. Over the next few days, we’ll put halters on the donkeys and move them into a paddock with an electric fence. Our goal is to have them out with the sheep before the flock grazes the field at the back of the farm. -Leo

Busy Evening At The Farm