The OYE website has a link for carcass data for the top 3 animals of all four species. They have the pics with all of the carcass data for each animal. This was done in a really timely fashion and is a good thing for people to see. All three goats cut out extremely well. They all dressed out close to 60% which is good for a goat. Duke’s goat had a 2.9″ ribeye area and had .07″ of fat.

I have had several jobs that dealt with carcasses. In high school, I had a really fun job working the meat counter at a grocery store. Best job I ever had. At OSU, I took a really good meat animal evaluation class which led me to judge meats and then work at the meat lab at OSU. These were both very educational and fun experiences. As an ag teacher, I enjoyed teaching meat ID and carcass terms for livestock judging. Now, I judge meat on a daily basis–as the Dragon Lady brings it to me on a plate.

Although the show ring and the real world are not always aligned together, I do think it is important for us to know what we are producing. We sometimes get to far away from that. I can remember when they used to do the carcass contest at OKC with the top two barrows of every class being slaughtered, data collected and prizes paid for having a top carcass. I always enjoyed studying the data off the hogs. I also remember the golden pork chop contest at the state fair.

Those of you that know me, understand that I love a good story. True stories are always better, but I also love creativity. There are two people that I have asked for years, “You got any good stories for me?” Neither ever has one. Heck, make one up for all I care. But nooo, neither ever has a story for me. Tyke Greer and Jim Rhodes are Kelln family favorites. They are both great guys. I really can’t say anything bad about either. Other than they don’t ever have a good story for me. Until today! I called them both to ask them a trivia question.

So I went to the feed store in Woodward this evening. I wanted to go yesterday but it was raining. I had to go today and the radar showed that it was clear; therefore, I got a few bags of feed. I made it three miles out of Woodward before it started raining. Nowhere to go to keep it dry, so I made an executive decision. Put all that I could inside the pickup, sacrifice the rest to the rain.

Now, stop and think, just how many 50# bags of feed do you think that you can fit inside a 4 door 1/2 ton pickup?

I now know that you can fit 22 bags of feed and a bucket of milk replacer in there. And this is without one in my lap or me sitting on top of a bag of feed. I actually think I could fit 3 more if I had to. What is the problem with having 1100 pounds of feed inside a pickup? Smell. Maybe to some. Broken bags? Nope. I treated the bags as if they were eggs. The problem was the 150# sitting in the passenger seat. The sensor felt a weight there, and therefore, the seat belt dinger went off every 2 miles. So I called Tyke and asked him “How many bags….?” He guessed wrong. But he had a story for me regarding electricity, goats, rain, etc. Pretty good story for Tyke.

I then called a great American hero. Well, Jim Rhodes didn’t answer. But he later called. He did his usual, “What’s Up?” I asked him the trivia question. Much like Tyke, he underestimated my stacking ability. He then said, “Kelln, I have a story for you.” I was almost speechless. I’ve known him for a long time and he never has a story for me. But he did tonight.

He had taken his wife to Wichita for their anniversary this past weekend. He found a comedian to go watch. He didn’t know who Rodney Carrington was. Now, he does. I won’t tell the story here. Not that it is dirty. It’s just that I have this visual image of Jim, Joy, their expressions during the closing song, a tradition that Fred and I have after the Enid goat show, etc.

I’m still laughing.

Saturday was incredibly humid at our little piece of paradise. This made it hard to get goats dry and keep them clean. We photo-ed six wethers and one buck prospect for the April 10 sale. We’ve already had lots of lookers the past two days.

Saturday evening, the Kelln’s, Taylor’s along with Travis and Braden Schovanec went into town to the bowling alley for supper. After we ate, the kids wanted to bowl. Bree, Britt, Duke and Braden bowled two games. I just sat and watched and laughed. Britt even rolled a strike which triggered the “happy dance”.

Duke wanted to camp out last night. He set his tent up on a hill north of the house. He and I slept in the tent last night. No air mattresses. Just a tent, blankets and a pillow. I’m moving a little bit slow this morning. Its been a little while since I slept in a tent. Hopefully, it will be a while longer.

I spend a lot time on a phone–office phone, iPhone, bluetooth in the pickup, shop phone, etc. Enough that I have to recharge my phone almost everyday by late afternoon. Tammy says that is all I do is talk equipment, talk goats or talk shit all day on the phone. A lot evenings I plug my phone into the charger and go outside and don’t look at it again until about 9 p.m. That is just too see if I missed something important.

I don’t know who came up with texting, but I don’t like it. Yes, I know it is quicker and it works well for some. It pisses me off that I won’t have a phone signal, but a text will go through. That doesn’t make sense to me. This part is actually good for a couple of customers that don’t have phone signal but send me info. I do enjoy reading some of those late evening texts that come from some individuals (Big I).

I will read every text. Recieving them doesn’t bother me. It is replying that drives me nuts. I have about a 3 reply limit and then I quit answering. More and more often, people text me to price goats or request pictures of goats. All I have is somebody’s number, no identity, no name, nothing but a number that is almost always from a different area code. I don’t like to do business without actually talking to somebody. I don’t like to answer questions about an animal without knowing the goals and intentions for that animal. What show? When? Who is judging? etc. Are you just needing a goat or are you wanting my advice throughout the project. Yes, price is important. But I am all about maximizing the animal for the dollars spent.

In my opinion, texting is to be used by people that know each other. That way, you have an idea of the personality behind the texts. There needs to be an etiquitte class for texting. Identify yourself–Name and location. Don’t ask more than two questions via text. If you have that many questions call me. I probably won’t answer. Leave a message. If I don’t return the call by the next day. Try again.

We are going to shear and photo wethers this weekend. The Kelln Online Sale #1 will be April 10 hosted by oklahomashowgoats.com. This sale will have 7-12 wether kids and maybe a buck prospect. We will be at the house this weekend if people want to view these wethers.

We are also going to have an online video doe kid sale April 23. This sale will consist of doe kids from Kelln, Pullan, Nation, Seelke and Milligan.

I looked through several sets of goats yesterday evening, including my own. Saw several wethers that are going to have a chance to be very good. Saw several doe kids that are way good. I’m going to try to get things lined up to sell wethers in a week or so. They are available to view anytime.

If you are interested in needing help buying show prospects, I have started the list for next year. Give me a holler if you are interested.

There is a part of me that would like to think that people get on here to read this stuff to keep up with the Kelln clan. Another part would like to think that you read this to learn something new about goats. Then there is the reality that most people get on here to see if I am going to be myself and get sideways on a subject. Well, you all are in luck.

Duke is wishing he didn’t have to go back to school. The Dragon Lady is wishing Duke liked school. I am thinking that Kela is “living the dream”. (We’ll get to this in a later post). Me, I’m just happy to be alive. I’m old, fat and gray and I’m not going to do anything about it. Unless, Tammy kicks me to the curb. Then I might get some of that hair color stuff. On second thought, I am genetically superior to some and will always have hair. It will just be white. And if I need to look good, I will just bring Fred with me.

Now it is time to be me. The itunes are playing and I have a few minutes.

How do I decide where to buy goats?

One, it depends on the target show and who is judging. I don’t need to have a personal relationship with the judge. I just like to know their type and kind. I like a judge that is somewhat consistent in their type and kind. Some guys like blondes, some like big….Obviously, I like brunettes that are hot and are full of piss and vinegar. It isn’t politics to understand the judge’s likes and dislikes. It isn’t any different than knowing if an umprire calls a tight strike zone or a ref that calls fouls loosely. Knowledge is valuable no matter the business. Do they want power, structure, balance or the combination thereof? I like to watch a judge at least twice, in the same state. How do you that? You have to like to drive and talk to people who you value their opinion.

I don’t like politics in a show. I don’t have a problem with judges knowing people or animals. Just place them as you see them. I don’t care if they always win. Make them bring a good one. My kids have been on both sides of this. There is a time or two that I thought we shouldn’t have got along that well and there are times that I thought, “Well, sorry kids but the judge has met your Dad.” However, nothing replaces honest work, and therefore, my kids have consistently placed well. This, more than anything explains why my kids have always been in the hunt.

There are times that I know that a certain breeder gets along with a certain judge. How do I handle this? I have one rule. Does it past the smell test? It is my test. Nobody elses. This is also how I judge food. If it doesn’t pass the smell test, then I AM OUT!!! If I have to feed an animal that I don’t like just to be successfull, then I AM OUT!! I don’t want to look at that common beast for months just so one judge will use it. I want my kids working with animals that are good. Not some hammer headed, bad structured, upside down tackle box, screwed up kind of POS that just fits one judge. There are enough shows out there that I can stay home and stay in a good mood and enjoy the animals that we are feeding. One, feed isn’t cheap. Two, the animals aren’t cheap. Three, put a dollar amount on the effort of these hardworking kids. PRICELESS!! I know what I learned from my dad as a result of showing livestock combined with the fact that I have had the honor of watching Kela grow up in this program. Now, I have Duke, ten years later. It hasn’t changed. Find what fits your budget, agenda, work ethic, etc. and like Nike, just do it.

It is a short list of people that I will let buy an animal for my kids–any species. Those people know who they are. Uncle Tom can buy a hog for Duke anytime. If I don’t like it, fine. I will give it a chance. But, I will take it. Mikey Thompson can bring any goat that he thinks that I would want. However, I don’t want it if I am not comfortable with the breeder. This limits things. I would rather piss away $2,000 to a new breeder trying to do right, then I would give $500 for a guaranteed, bona fide champ that just needs a good feeder kind of deal when the animal isn’t good enough and the judge isn’t either. Mikey knows how to work, feed and buy good animals as well as anyone. He also knows that I’m a dumb bastard. He likes all the good ones and I won’t keep them. He’ll growl, groan and wonder why I have 20 wethers in the pens when he & I both know that we will only keep one or two. He is a livestock genius and I respect his opinion. Even though, I value somebody’s opinion, I want things to be right.

I ALWAYS love an animal with a story. Troy Gosney is probably the only person worse than me at wanting to find the greenest animal that nobody else could find. The kind with one ear sideways, color not right, limping on a leg kind of deal, etc. Even though I like a story, I always stick with genetics. Thus the reason, if the GOZ calls and says he found a barrow that snores louder than him, has a nut rupture, was a great-great grandson of Basic Instinct and was a runt, I’d say, “Bring him!”

And I don’t like hype. Show me the real animal, let me decide, cash my check, no BS, then if it doesn’t turn out, it is my fault.

Now, back to the smell test. I will try most anything once. (I say that and I have never tried any drugs. Just a lot of fermented barley and hops.) I have looked at, bought, fed and punted on several breeders animals. If I pay good money for something with supposed good genetics and if it goes to crap, then, FIRST, I evaluate what we did wrong. Second, I probably don’t go back. Three, if I get beat by animals that I know are crap and it was a politcal kiss ass deal, then I discount the judge and the animals. Including future ads that have that judge in the backdrop. Once an ass kiss, always one! My crew will feed them right and out-show most if not all. If we don’t win this year, then we will next.

I’ve been a little bit busy the past week. Between selling equipment, Deere inventory check and the expo show at Woodward that finished last night, I haven’t had much time or desire to be posting anthing on here. But now, that is all finished.

We finally got that rain that we had been needing for a LONG time. It was a widespread soaking rain. There are parts of the Tx and OK panhandle that still need rain.

Now that I have some time, I will start working to get some wethers ready to sell. There will be an online sale within the next two weeks. I will probably sell 6-10 wethers in this sale. It is a very nice set of goats. Most of these are out of proven females. I will be selling some doe kids, but that will be at a later date. Be watching oklahomashowgoats.com for the wether sale.

If anybody is wanting to see them in person, just call and make an appointment. I should be around most evenings and next weekend.

Like Cal Naughton Jr. on Talladega Nights, “He was fourth overall, now he’s third!” Don’t know all the details about how Duke and Lora moved up, just know that I got a call from OYE Sunday afternoon to make sure that Duke would be there for the grand finale. Luckily, we were already in the city when they called. It isn’t how I wanted to end up in the top 3, but I guess this was the best for everybody. Being very competitive, we would have rather it be done in the ring. This wasn’t a fun deal on our side. Neither Lora or Duke were happy about it. It took thunder away from these kids as well as the young kid that held on to the goat that was DQ’ed. The best thing about this ordeal is that Darci Peach got to move up from 1st alternate and into the sale.

Well, we finally got a much needed widespread rain. This rain will cure a lot of problems out west. We have empty wether barn pens right now. Won’t be long and the search will begin again.