# Breed & Sex Questions...



## JusticeFamilyFarm (Jun 7, 2011)

Hello!  I have a deposit in on two kids- a brother (wether) and sister that are Boer x Oberhasli, but I've been having some second thoughts about the wether.  The owner of the kids (and many others) says she prefers the girls, especially with my young daughters, because they tend to be sweeter.  She has other girls I could choose instead of the wether, but I liked this little girl and her brother.  Any input on that?  If it is true that I may have better luck with friendlier girls, I will call her and change my pick, but I want to be sure I have a reason.  Anything else I should know about choosing a doe over a wether or vice-versa?  Also- the other does she has are Boer x Nubian, not Oberhasli- I don't know much about the breeds and temperaments, so don't know if that matters much.
Thanks so much for your help!!!


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## 20kidsonhill (Jun 7, 2011)

Nubain can be load, but we have some really sweet nubain/boer cross.

The biggest concern about having a whether and a doe, is size difference.  He will get muc bigger than her. You will have to make sure she can have plenty of room to eat, if he decides to be bossy. 


A whether can still act a little bucky, but I don't keep whethers long term, so I don't have any experience with this. 

A whether can get Urinary calculi,  you wouldn't have to worry about this with two does.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jun 7, 2011)

All the wethers I've owned (sheep and goats) have been THE SWEETEST pets ever.  In fact, I always prefer male animals as pets (always castrated) because in my experience, females tend to be more attitude prone. Males just want love and attention!

ETA: And I've never had a wether act bucky/rammy at all!


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## helmstead (Jun 7, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> All the wethers I've owned (sheep and goats) have been THE SWEETEST pets ever.  In fact, I always prefer male animals as pets (always castrated) because in my experience, females tend to be more attitude prone. Males just want love and attention!
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> ETA: And I've never had a wether act bucky/rammy at all!


 ditto


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## elevan (Jun 7, 2011)

helmstead said:
			
		

> aggieterpkatie said:
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Yep


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## crazyland (Jun 7, 2011)

My wether is an in your pocket goat. He will try to crawl in my lap, follows us like a dog, first to run to us when we go out. 
My girls prefer their distance and only like to come for food.


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## freemotion (Jun 7, 2011)

Just don't play "head games"  with him, don't let him butt or push anyone with his head, ever.  Watch guests and neighbors around him and explain, firmly, that he shouldn't be allowed to do this and why....it is for the safety of your children. 

I had to talk to a neighbor that thought it was funny to goad my buck into ramming the fence.  It is still not safe for me to bend down outside his fence with any part of me....especially my head....close enough to the fence that I'll get hit when he hits the fence and it bows towards me.  I've gotten a couple of good headaches and saw a few stars thanks to ignorant neighbors.  Don't worry, though, bucks are much more inclined to this behavior than wethers.  But teach him that using his head on people is never acceptable.

As long as you are watchful as he is growing up he should be a great, loving, fun, playful pet for your family for years to come.


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## lilhill (Jun 7, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> helmstead said:
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I agree.


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## JusticeFamilyFarm (Jun 7, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> A whether can get Urinary calculi,  you wouldn't have to worry about this with two does.


I've read a little about Urinary Calculi- how big of a concern is this?  Is it very common, or if you feed them right is it easy to avoid?  
Thank you all so much for all of the advice and help!  I am very excited about our new babies, but nervous at the same time.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jun 7, 2011)

JusticeFamilyFarm said:
			
		

> 20kidsonhill said:
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I know it isn't all that rare. That is why I wanted to mention it so you can research the subject and learn what to do.  It is a very ugly death and very expensive to treat with surgery.  Being educated on the subject should help a lot. 

the later they are castrated the better.

feeding grain is okay, but feed a pelleted goat grain with ammonia chloride in it. 

Consider having extra ammonia chloride on hand and giving a little extra every know and then, in addtion to what is in the grain.  I just purchased a couple lbs from our local feed store. 

feeding extra things like corn, sunflower seeds, changes the phosphorus to calcium ratio, so you are better off sticking with a goat feed formulated for growing meat goats, referred to as meat maker or goat grower or goat developer.  It will have a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio.  

You don't want too much phosphorus compared to calcium in the grain. another words you want the label to have atleast twice as much calcium as phosphorus. 

A good example is purina goat minerals. this does NOT have the proper ratio of Ca to P. and one should avoid feeding it to males, unless you are providing higher calcium feeds along with it like alfalfa. 

The extra ammonia chloride (AC) wont hurt the doe. They get stones too, but they don't get stuck in the urinary tract like it would on a male causing a blockage. 

feed plenty of grass and long steamy stuff. often times the reason why a show animal gets stones, is because they are eating a lot of show grain and not very much grassy steamy stuff. They need to produce saliva from chewing their cud to help the phosphorus and calcium work in t heir system properly. 

So a little grain treated with ammonia chloride.
a little extra ammonia chloride 
good pasture or hay

And Plenty of fresh WATER at all times!!! a male should never go with out water or clean water for that matter. Goats do not like dirty water.


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## JusticeFamilyFarm (Jun 7, 2011)

Thank you so much- perfect time for this info, as I'm trying to compare prices and feeds right now so we can start our supply.  We'll be picking up the kids in about 2 weeks.


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## JusticeFamilyFarm (Jun 9, 2011)

So, my neighbor is a feed supplier and he is willing to supply us our hay at a lower cost than we could get it at local feed stores- he has alfalfa hay or bermuda grass hay.  He says he prefers the grass hay for goats... what do you think?
The goats I am purchasing are currently on an all-alfalfa diet.  No grain other than for pregnant or milking does.  Treats here and there, but that's it other than alfalfa hay.  Is this what I should continue?  My head is spinning with all the different opinions I am getting from people around here (at the feed stores, my neighbor, a local goat breeder, etc).    I know it's like so many things- ask 10 people you'll get 10 answers... I just don't know how I'm supposed to decide!  
I'll be asking at the feed stores around about getting some ammonia chloride to supplement their diet, and also looking into what brands of grain and mineral they carry and what the ingredients/ratios are.  
Thank you so much again!!!


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## elevan (Jun 10, 2011)

If they are on all alfalfa hay right now and doing well and you can get it at a good price, then I wouldn't change it.  I buy a mixed hay that contains alfalfa...you could also buy both and "mix" it.


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## Chirpy (Jun 10, 2011)

I have experimented with my milk does in regards to grass and alfalfa hay.   My girls give more milk and it actually tastes sweeter when they are on straight alfalfa hay and grain with BOSS mixed in it.  So, when my does are dry they get grass hay; when they are in milk they get alfalfa hay.   

You might want to try your own experiment with your goats and see if either way makes a difference?


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## Jake (Jun 10, 2011)

One reason why you can get so much varied advice from your local folks is simply that there are about as many ways to keep goats as there are people doing it. And generally they all work well.

For the goat they do better on alfalfa then grass as their digestive system handles the alfalfa better, besides the alfalfa being more nutritional, goats are more browsers then grazers, and the alfalfa fits into that much better.  

If you can train your goats into also taking some pellets it will help to stabilize their diet, and you can avoid straight grain. Alfalfa, pellets and minerals is an excellent diet for goats.  I try to avoid anything other then a tiny amount of grain. A treat at milking, is fine. As like a handful. 

The Black Oil Sunflower Seed I think is a must for most all domestic livestock, from rabbits to cattle.


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