Finding the right buck for my dairy goat

[ohiofarmgirl]

a lot of the time you can check out the "udder shots" of the bucks momma....especially with all the link and pedigrees that a lot of breeders have on their sites.

the breeder we use for Nibbles knows the momma that we got her from. so its easy peasy for the breeder to pick a good buck from her gang. she really put a lot of thought into it and talked with me for a while about what i wanted. and really Nib's babies were smokin' cute..... flash and cute sure does sell.

i'm still laughing that some thing we'd drive by a crack house and pitch our goaties out.. ha!

oh well. back on point:

another reason to use a buck service is to develop a relationship with the breeders in the area. that way you are "plugged" into the scene... if there is a bad breeder or a problem going around, you'll hear about it.

and around here, it also means you can call the breeder if you have a problem. the folks around here are more than happy to help if you have a question or dont know what to do.

the gal we take Nibbles to is also professional dairy. the family's kids are in FFA and 4H. and she's a dog breeder, i believe. so we didnt have any qualms at all. especially since the lady i got Nibbles from recommended her.

 

[savingdogs]

Which bucks do you mean, Karen?

 

[freemotion]

Just remember that the babies will be "straight run!" So steel yourself to the idea that bucklings will likely need to be sold for meat. Don't ask, don't tell, that will be my policy. I ate goat meat as a kid, but I don't think I could eat any of ours that were kidded here....well, by the time our buckling was a buck last winter, I would've eaten him. They get pretty obnoxious, and I don't spend any time petting or fussing. Makes it easier.

My current buckling is darn cute, but his behaviors that are now cute and funny will be horrid when he is big. I go in with a stout stick and he knows what it means. He still tries to get me from behind or the side....he is quick....but I am faster with my beatin' stick and he gets a firm rap on the ribs when he gets close enough. Right now it is playful and joyful, but that will end once the ladies are in heat. And I am removing them from his pen. It does make it easier.

If you choose my method, just don't love up the buckling and don't get attached. I did name this current one and was thinking of wethering him later, but he is no longer tugging at my heartstrings, I already know I can see him go. I now call him "Bucky" like the last one.

Sure is quiet around here without the roosters. It'll be quieter without the buck. Can't do anything about my half-Nubian, Ginger, though! She is VOCAL!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I love my Oberhasli bucks. Last year I had a coming 2 year old buck that was extremely gentle. I never had a single issue with him at all. I sold him after breeding season, and this year I have a March born Ober buckling. He's also sweet as pie. I'm considering keeping him around for a while. He's just a nice boy.

 

[savingdogs]

I guess I'm hoping that blackberries keep on a-growin' here in WA state, lol.....you wouldn't believe how much there is here and how helpful goats are. There are whole buildings covered with it only a goat can appreciate. Also I'm near Portland where the whole urban chicken thing is really hot and now lately all you see on TV is "make your own cheese" etc and the other day there was a person demonstrating making soap on the morning news! Stealing a page from my life, gosh darn it!

So for the wethers of the world, here is to the himalayan blackberry!

 

[ksalvagno]

You talked about some bucks at the breeders (I guess you bought from?) that were closely related. I wasn't sure what you meant and you can line breed. Especially if you are just going to sell the kids.

 

[savingdogs]

Oh, no, they are full nubian, too large for them as well as one of the bucks being their dad. The other is their uncle I guess, but they are half-pints. That would have been nice, then there would be no exposure to a new herd. They do 4H however so their herd might have been exposed to things mine have not.

However I am learning birds can carry things and we certainly have plenty of those. I guess we need to leave some things to fate and just do what we can.

 

[freemotion]

Aggie, I hope I don't end up with any nice bucks, or in a few years I will have a very large herd of wethers to feed! That simply cannot happen. I spend very little time with my bucklings so I cannot get attached (still do ). All I do is go in to feed, clean on occasion (quick raking is all that is needed) and he gets a quick pat once a day while eating his grain. Once a week or so I grab his collar and lead him around the pen once or twice, just to keep him somewhat leadable.

If my situation were different, I might keep two unrelated bucks and keep good records of which does are related to which buck. Not happening here in the 'burbs! I never even checked to see if I can actually keep a buck here. Don't wanna know....

 

[savingdogs]

Same here as the other side:
I see a nice Nigerian dwarf stud offered at 50 per doe within a reasonable drive although not close on CL. Is blue eyed and "throws blue eyes" is that good?

However I also see for SALE much closer for 75 a mini-nubian/oberhasle or however you spell it buckling. Couldn't I just wait until he has serviced my girls and then resell him? When do they get the bucky smell? Even if I don't make back the full 75 later in the fall I would be spending a lot less. Is that sort of what you do, freemotion? But a buckling from your own herd?

I see other bucklings for sale as well, that is just one that had some mini nubian in it and dairy type I see on there today.

 

[Blackbird]

Yes, blue eyes are 'desirable' traits.

A mini-Nubian Oberhasli mix might be too large, but if you think your girls are large enough, that could definitely work! I don't know a lot about Oberhasli's, over than they are pretty mellow. I seen some at a sale the other week, they were friendly with decent udders.
Free would know more, her buck last year was Ober I think