# Sable Saanen



## kstaven (Aug 30, 2011)

Anyone own or breed sable saanen?


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## Roll farms (Aug 30, 2011)

I'd love to get some....but I gotta talk DH into getting rid of the wooly mammoths...er....Toggs...first.  
I did a lot of research on them a few years ago when I was looking at getting a few.
I've always liked Saanens but have never been a fan of solid white animals.  Sables would give me the best of both worlds...


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## kstaven (Aug 30, 2011)

I have a few here. Not registered but I really don't care about that anyways.

Wooly mammoths makes me laugh. I have Toggs also.

Both breeds have been great milkers. But I have to say the Toggs have more attitude.


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## Mammawannagoat (Sep 13, 2011)

I work on a farm with dairy goats and one of our white Sanaans had a sable baby.  She's lovely, the baby.  She's the youngest of our babies born this year.  Genetically speaking, I don't know that you can breed specifically for the Sable.  We have many Sanaans of the white variety and this was our only sable this year out of nearly 40 does.  It's a recessive gene and both parents have to be carriers in order for the offspring to have a chance of being sable (we have 2 Sanaan bucks).    You'd have to know the family histories on your buck and doe.


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## kstaven (Sep 13, 2011)

You can breed for Sable. Not that much different than selecting for poultry characteristics if you know the lineage well enough.


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## Chaty (Sep 16, 2011)

You can breed 2 Saanens and get a Sable. The only difference is the color but when you register them you state they are Sable as they arent white.


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## kstaven (Sep 16, 2011)

Chaty said:
			
		

> You can breed 2 Saanens and get a Sable. The only difference is the color but when you register them you state they are Sable as they arent white.


That works if both parents carry the recessive gene. This modifier effects structure and a few other factors besides color.


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## arabianequine (Sep 19, 2011)

kstaven said:
			
		

> Anyone own or breed sable saanen?


Can I see pictures of your sable saanens? I have a friend that wants to breed her sable doe to my white saanen buck this fall. I don't think I have ever seen what the sables look like.


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## willow_top_farm (Sep 20, 2011)

Here's a photo of my doe Betsie that was a sable saanen. (Atleast I think so...)











She had an almost cream/ginger color to her. She was a bit more stocky than my other doe that was not a sable.  Hope this helps.


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## wannacow (Sep 20, 2011)

I was looking at my 2 saanens tonight.  The older is definitely creamier in color than the younger.  I'll have to check with the woman that has the buck to breed with her.  My saanens came out of her stock, 2nd generation.  they aren't registered, but can be.  You've got me thinking...


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## kstaven (Sep 21, 2011)

Skin pigmentation is a dead give away. Saanen's are pale pink. Sables are quite dark skinned.


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## wannacow (Sep 21, 2011)

Ok.  I'll check her out this morning.


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