How to find the right buck for my does....time is now!

[()relics]

I guess I should have prefaced that with the fact that the only show experience I have had is ABGA and USBGA sanctioned shows....County fairs are a whole different animal. While we do show at the county level most of the animals are terminal...They Go But They Don't Come Home. At our county or any other show for that matter you can ask for and get multiple stalls, sometimes it costs extra. That puts an empty on both sides of your animals. I don't think the people to goat disease risk is very large...Money at Goat shows? Win a Classic or the State Fair...heck even win at the county level...you will have people calling you for wethers for the show season next year. I admit if you really wanted to slip in a sick animal there is a way, but what would you have to gain? My sons wether went off feed the day before we had to check him in at the fair this summer. I left him at home, much to my son's dismay, because I told him there was No Way his wether could compete against a wether on full feed, even though he only really didn't eat 1 day....Why go if you can't win?

 

[glenolam]

I like your perspective, jodieF, thank you. Helps to set a calmer tone in this thread as well, which it needed!

I agree, as well. You need to weigh all the pros and cons and decide what's best for YOU and YOUR GOATS.

It does seem that there are many examples of disease spread despite cautions being taken. I think it will boil down to using good judgement about people and how the animals/facilities themselves look.

I wish more people thought like that.

I'm beginning to think I'd prefer to use some word of mouth sources to find a stud rather than CL where I saw so many last year, such as asking for a reference from the folks we bought these gals from.
I have some leads at my work as well.

Just don't completely knock out the CL ads....you may find that one diamond in the ruff! The main thing, as you said, is finding someone you can trust.

 

[cmjust0]

I guess I should have prefaced that with the fact that the only show experience I have had is ABGA and USBGA sanctioned shows....County fairs are a whole different animal.

Read again...I'm talking about the Kentucky State Fair. These are sanctioned shows. The dairy shows were ADGA sanctioned, and there was an IBGA sactioned show for FB and percentage Boer does, as well as Boer bucks. An acquaintance of mine *cleaned house* with her herd, and had the grand champion yearling buck.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really into the whole show scene, but I know just enough to realize that these aren't exactly piddly little shows.

I also happen to know that ABGA held their nationals at the Expo center in Louisville this past June...I saw the pictures...same accomodations at the nationals as there are for any other goat show at that particular venue. Plenty of butt-sniffing opportunities.

And the goats can sniff noses, too.

I don't think the people to goat disease risk is very large...

Maybe...maybe not...but I don't see much difference in how goat snot is transferred from one goat to the next, but only that it gets transferred -- be it goat to goat, or goat to hand to goat..

Maybe there is a difference, though...I dunno.

Money at Goat shows? Win a Classic or the State Fair...heck even win at the county level...you will have people calling you for wethers for the show season next year. I admit if you really wanted to slip in a sick animal there is a way, but what would you have to gain? My sons wether went off feed the day before we had to check him in at the fair this summer. I left him at home, much to my son's dismay, because I told him there was No Way his wether could compete against a wether on full feed, even though he only really didn't eat 1 day....Why go if you can't win?

Because some people would rather make someone else's goat sick than disappoint their son...that's why. You're not one of those people -- and for that, you deserve credit -- but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that you're in the minority.

Not to mention, hell, I do stuff all the time that I'm no good at, simply because it's FUN! Or, I used to...before I got goats...when I had time.

Fishing.. Golf.. Sex.. I'm not particularly good at any of those, but I still enjoy participating! Likewise, I suspect there are people who maybe have a sickling or two that could stand to stay at home, but...meh...they already made plans and took the time off work, the human kids are all stoked, blah blah blah...load'em up. Maybe they'll get lucky and the goat will improve, or maybe nobody else's goat is any better..

Know what I'm saying?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

So, ()relics, if show people always quarantine their show goats, isn't it perfectly reasonable to bet that many people who offer stud services also quarantine or have a separate buck just for studding out?

And yes, in an ideal world nobody would bring a sick goat to a show, but we both know we don't live in an ideal world. I have shown sheep extensively and I have NEVER been to a show that allowed one person/family/whatever to leave empty stalls on either sides of sheep or goats. There's just not that much space to go around. And we both know that when goats are penned next to each other, they will nuzzle/sniff/butt/etc each other over the fence.

 

[()relics]

I will say that if more people thought through some of these issues Beforehand and tried to workout viable solutions/plans, like you and I and several other breeders here, that APHIS and NONAIS would have little use to anyone, or should I say No Use at all, because they have little use now.

@ CM

 

[cmjust0]

I have NEVER been to a show that allowed one person/family/whatever to leave empty stalls on either sides of sheep or goats. There's just not that much space to go around.

X2...there's almost always overflow in the dairy cattle barn for dairy goats that wouldn't fit in the barn with the rest of the dairy goats.

And we both know that when goats are penned next to each other, they will nuzzle/sniff/butt/etc each other over the fence.

My wife and I were walking through the concourse of Broadbent Arena at the State Fair last year when this little wether steps right out into the hall -- all by himself -- like...."Wassup, peeps. Hey, you got any grain you can spare?" I looked at the nearest pen and saw that someone had knocked a lynchpin loose, so I sorta flight-zoned him back in and shut it.

He was like..."Whatevs. I didn't wantcho grain ANAHOW." That's what I took him to have said, anyway.

There was nobody around at the time...everybody was in the arena, watching a show, while the goat-ignorant public was just milling around the concourse, petting all the cute lil' goaties.

 

[cmjust0]

I will say that if more people thought through some of these issues Beforehand and tried to workout viable solutions/plans, like you and I and several other breeders here, that APHIS and NONAIS would have little use to anyone, or should I say No Use at all, because they have little use now.

@ CM

It's true.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

He was like..."Whatevs. I didn't wantcho grain ANAHOW." That's what I took him to have said, anyway.

 

[Roll farms]

He was like..."Whatevs. I didn't wantcho grain ANAHOW." That's what I took him to have said, anyway.

 

[Roll farms]

Something I haven't seen brought up yet, but I fear greatly, is goat STD's. A bad case of Chlamydia can cause abortion storms. We offer breeding here, but *only* to either virgin does, or does that I've sold who I know have never been w/ another buck.

A breeder friend of mine loaned her buck out to someone she trusted a few years ago, and the abortion storm there the following year nearly wiped her out, mentally and financially.

You can't SEE that kind of problem...no matter how careful you are.

And it WOULD be nice if everyone was honest about their goats' health....but that's just NOT how it is.

DTA- don't trust anyone...ask for proof...and then feel the goat up anyway.
The breeder we got CL from was 'big name' and he DID have a good rep. The CL goat came w/ BOAH (Ohio) health papers saying the herd was clean.

Seems the breeder is out of the goat biz now. Gee, I wonder why.