Holiday cover for a Nubian goat revolves around milk, noise and company. The Nubian is a large dairy breed with long pendulous ears, a Roman nose and a voice that carries across the farm, and a doe in milk organises the sitter's day around her udder whether the sitter is ready or not. She is also a herd animal who will call, fret and go off her feed if her companions are moved or feeding runs late. Your instructions should therefore run in this order: milking, feeding, herd arrangements, daily checks, and the practical realities of keeping a big, friendly, persistent goat where she belongs.
Put the Milking Routine at the Top of the Page
A Nubian doe's milking schedule is the fixed point of the cover period. Give the two milking times and say they hold even on the sitter's busy days, because skipping or badly delaying a milking risks a painfully full udder and a drop in yield. Set out your routine in sequence: clean hands and udder, first streams checked in a strip cup, milk her out completely, dip the teats, and get the milk strained and chilled. Describe what her normal milk looks like and name the changes that trigger a same-day call, including clots, flakes, a watery look, blood tinge, or one side of the udder feeling hot, hard or swollen.
Separate the Dairy Ration, Hay, Browse and Minerals
A Nubian in milk eats with purpose, so feeding notes must be measured rather than generous. State the exact dairy ration she receives, where it is fed so herd mates cannot steal it, and the hay type available through the day. Explain how turnout and browse fit in: which paddock or yard she uses, which hedges or branches are safe in your setup, and any plants or garden areas she must be kept away from. Keep goat mineral out free-choice and say so in writing, along with fresh water in the heavy bucket she cannot tip, because a large Nubian knocks over light containers without noticing.
Explain the Herd, the Noise and the Fencing
A Nubian's social notes save the sitter stress. Say which goats she lives with, who is boss at the hay rack, and that she must not be penned alone overnight, because a separated Nubian will shout for hours and may test fences she normally respects. Warn the sitter that loud calling at feed time is normal for this breed and is not, by itself, distress, while calling that continues after feeding, with pacing or refusal to eat, is worth reporting. Cover the fencing honestly: gates she leans on, the latch she has learned to lift if there is one, and the shade and shelter she uses in the middle of the day.
Add Ear, Udder and Heat Checks to Every Visit
A Nubian's long ears and producing udder shape her daily health check. Ask the sitter to lift and glance inside each ear for redness, discharge or a bad smell, to feel the udder at every milking, and to watch her walk to the stand for stiffness or favouring a leg. In warm weather, add a heat paragraph: shade must stay accessible, water gets refreshed rather than topped up, and a goat who is panting heavily, drooling or lying apart from the herd in the heat earns an immediate call. Finish the sheet with the vet's number, your number, and a named local goat keeper as practical backup. Sharing the sheet as a KinsLe Care Pass puts this Nubian's milking times, ration and ear checks in the sitter's hands for the holiday, then takes the access back.