One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update

[OneFineAcre]

I will breed a Nigerian at a year... as long as they are developed and good body , size, and weight... It is @Goat Whisperer that is always saying no let's wait. She'd wait til 2years on everything.

I will say sometimes it is hard because with the standards and minis the Nigies just seem so small and I do worry. But they are such hardy animals I don't worry as much with them. They are amazing goats.

We don't always breed ours either
It really doesn't matter
But you have a doe who is producing and raising kids that are capable

 

[NH homesteader]

OK thanks! My buckling is teeny like her. The person I got him from said he was tiny compared to her others and always had been. He's only 4 months old though!

Yeah my Nigie does are 60 lbs or so.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

On the subject of Nigies... I have a ~1/2 Nigie (1/4 Alpine, 1/4 Saanen)... what would be an ideal weight/age to breed her at approximately? Right now she's 5 months, so still too young yet, but thinking ahead to fall/winter...
ETA: If she needs to wait until next year, that's fine too! I want her to be ready, not breed her too early.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

We don't always breed ours either
It really doesn't matter
But you have a doe who is producing and raising kids that are capable

I'll probably breed at least one of Ruthies kids. They are both does and have a date with the boy I got from you!
Really happy with Leah's kids growth. The two doelings I have were out of her quints. They are 34 & 38 pounds. I think that is pretty good for them being to tiny at birth.
What do you think? They were all born Jan 19 of this year.

I would never breed an adult ND that weighs only 30lbs.

All of our adults are in the same range OFA posted.

… 'cept Ruthie when she is really fat, she is over that range
I told Southern I'm going to call Ruth honey boo boo

 

[Southern by choice]

I told Southern I'm going to call Ruth honey boo boo

Yes she did! I said No you didn't!

 

[babsbag]

@BlessedWithGoats , so she is a mini. I seem to have a barn full of those this year myself. I plan on breeding them in Dec. or Jan. I'm one of those weird people, I have never weighed one of my goats so no idea what my minis weigh right now. They are as big as my Alpine kids but thicker, almost as if they were part Boer. I'm sure @Southern by choice weighs hers.

I have been told that being bred kicks in a growth hormone and that yearlings are meant to be bred. I have waited on a lot of mine in the past but I think that is changing. This year's Alpines that I kept will get bred to my new Nigi buck and maybe the LMs too, not sure about them. I have a couple of really nice Alpine does that I would like bred to my new Nigi buck too but he is really little and they are really big...

 

[OneFineAcre]

I'll probably breed at least one of Ruthies kids. They are both does and have a date with the boy I got from you!
Really happy with Leah's kids growth. The two doelings I have were out of her quints. They are 34 & 38 pounds. I think that is pretty good for them being to tiny at birth.
What do you think? They were all born Jan 19 of this year.

I would never breed an adult ND that weighs only 30lbs.

All of our adults are in the same range OFA posted.

… 'cept Ruthie when she is really fat, she is over that range
I told Southern I'm going to call Ruth honey boo boo

I think 34 and 38 is exceptional for quints.

Forget Me Not only weighs 21 lbs. She was the doe of Rosies that Zamia raised. She's your bucks sister. The thing is, when we took the two bucks away Zamia weaned her too. We kept her on the bottle for a few more weeks. She is very correct, just tiny.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Group photo.
Unusual to get them all together.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Almond Joy is actually the biggest kid. She's Cocoa's single.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Marigold and Checkers are Taffy's twins. (Changed our mind on names. Was originally going to call one Willow, but she looks more like a Checkers to me.)