# Is there a gender you are more appted to get??



## Arabiansnob (Jan 17, 2011)

When you breed goat are you more appted to get one gender then the other or is it all just a suprise??


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## TigerLilly (Jan 17, 2011)

Unless you know genetics, it's all pretty much a surprise, I'd imagine. 
I've been blessed to get 2 doe out of 2 diff mamas (bred by diff bucks also).


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## elevan (Jan 17, 2011)

Man I wish we could breed to the gender that we want!


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## Our7Wonders (Jan 17, 2011)

I've read that livestock given apple cider vinegar have a higher rate of female offspring.

I'm inclined to think it could be true.  When using natural family planning couples that are trying to increase their odds of having girls are encouraged to use ACV rinses.  There are many other things that come in to play with this but the ACV theory was that it made the environment more acidic and therefore more "hostile" - sperm carying "girl" stuff is hardier and therefore able to survive the acidic environment where as "boy" stuff were less hardy - and the odds of having a girl are increased.

Now, when feeding it to livestock it's going an oral route, which who knows if it really does anthing because ACV is acidic but apparently doesn't create an acidic environment once broken down through digestion - it's encouraged to be eaten on alkaline forming diets - but now I'm rambling.....

My original point though, is that some swear they can increase the odds by feeding a little ACV in the water or supplemented in their feed.  We use ACV but it wasn't done while they were breeding (we didn't get them until they were already PG).  I am going to track my results each year and see if I don't seem to have better odds.


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## jason_mazzy (Jan 17, 2011)

Our7Wonders said:
			
		

> I've read that livestock given apple cider vinegar have a higher rate of female offspring.
> 
> I'm inclined to think it could be true.  When using natural family planning couples that are trying to increase their odds of having girls are encouraged to use ACV rinses.  There are many other things that come in to play with this but the ACV theory was that it made the environment more acidic and therefore more "hostile" - sperm carying "girl" stuff is hardier and therefore able to survive the acidic environment where as "boy" stuff were less hardy - and the odds of having a girl are increased.
> 
> ...


You are correct on acidity. low ph causes male sperms to die off faster, making it much less likely for them to make it to the egg. Do not know if it applies equally in goats (from dosing vinegar).


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## julieq (Jan 17, 2011)

We tried ACV in early years, but without much success so we gave up on it.  We still use it occasionally due to the high mineral content in our well water.  If we want doelings we usually end up with mostly bucklings.  If we desperately want a buckling to retain from a certain breeding, or have reservations on one then doelings are pretty much guaranteed.


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## Our7Wonders (Jan 18, 2011)

julieq said:
			
		

> If we want doelings we usually end up with mostly bucklings.  If we desperately want a buckling to retain from a certain breeding, or have reservations on one then doelings are pretty much guaranteed.


All part of the Doe Code of Honor.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 18, 2011)

I can't speak about goats but I'm guessing this is probably true for all animals. You usually end up with about 50/50 overall. You may have some girl years, you may have some boy years. I'm right at 50/50 with my alpaca births and this is over a course of 14 years.

As far as the ACV, I talked extensively to my vet about it. You have to change the ph of their blood to affect the sex of the offspring. Taking it in by mouth, you would have to give the animal one heck of a lot of vinegar to do this which would mess up their stomach.


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## chandasue (Jan 18, 2011)

I read somewhere that while it's typically 50/50, if the bucks are low in minerals they'll produce more bucklings than doelings. I don't know if there's any truth in it though.


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## TheNewMrsEvans (Jan 18, 2011)

In mammals the sex of offspring is determined by the male...some bucks make more female or male sperms...however the environment they get put into can change who makes it to the egg...male sperm are faster swimmers, but it means they use up energy quickly...female sperm swim slow and steady, therefore surviving longer...if the doe is bred before her actual ovulation, you are more likely to get girls, but if she is bred right when she ovulates then males are more likely. The best idea to increase doe numbers is to chart a does heats so you can put her in with the buck a day or two before. That being said if your buck throws mostly boys you will still be more likely to get boys!
It's a game of odds


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## helmstead (Jan 18, 2011)

In my experience, for some unfair reason, junior bucks tend to throw mostly buck kids their first season.

Outside of that...yep, it comes out right around 50/50.  Some bucks have higher %s one way or the other.


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 18, 2011)

I don't know the stats for goats, but somewhere I read that in humans more male babies are born than female babies. I'll have to look that up again to give any more details...


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