# Breeding Question



## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

We have started a small herd of Boers and are keeping small (Not over 15) 

For our first kidding season we had 5 does. All unrelated, 2 are 15% nubian cross. The other three are Full Bloods with one doe being a registered FB boer. 4 of these does were bred to our registered FB Boer buck and one came to us bred to a registered FB Red Boer Buck with the service memo.

My question is: What exactly is meant when people talk about 'line' breeding? I assumed that we would not be able to breed the 4 does kids back to their father but now I have some people that have told me that this can be done for one generation without 'inbred' problems. 
I sold two of my first does because my registered doe had two hefty doelings out of a new buck line. I still will have my 3 does to breed this fall and 2 doelings with the red boer blood line for when they are old enough. 

My second question is: When is a good healthy age to breed a young doe?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Linebred and inbred are basically the same thing, but some like to say that linebreeding is when it works and inbreeding is when it doesn't. So technically a linebred goat is also inbred.

Here's a good thread on the topic: http://www.thegoatspot.net/phpbb/viewto ... 47&t=11823
And here's a good article: http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/issues/ ... _Hall.html

A healthy age to breed a doe can vary a bit. I personally don't like to breed before a year. Some are ready at 9+ months if they are at or near adult size. :thumb:


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Ditto what KWfarms said aboout line and inbreeding. 

As for breeding age, 12 months is a good rule of thumb but some are ready before that. The doe should weigh 75% of what her adult weight would be. So if her dam matured at 100lbs she needs to weigh 75% of 100lbs which wold be 75lbs.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with the others...well said..... :thumb: :hi5: :greengrin:


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Thank you,
This has been quite helpful and informative. It will help us decide what we are doing with our 5 little doelings next year. 2 of those can be bred to our 'now' buck as they came out of a different buck. We were hoping our registered doe we bought bred would produce us a buck but it looks like the answer is to be looking for a new little buck for next year doelings. Our now buck must have a color gene in him and one of our does also must have color - as all red offspring came out of traditional boers. I like the dark color & we bought from Wilton Boers a bred doe from a red buck for the color. I am not sure we will breed the 3 does back to their father and if we did we would hope they would produce meat wethers only. I have known people who do this and have some great looking animals. They only breed back to the father one generation and not to the sisters, brothers. I guess it depends if you want some good qualilty show, or breeders or if you just need your star thistles eaten. I still want nice looking sturdy durable animals on our property.
Thank you everyone.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Pam,
We are looking at your #70 that is listed. We are thinking it over. I would have to figure out where to put a young buck. Not sure he could be in with our 'now' buck. hmmmm.. We will be thinking it over.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

No problem... :thumb: 

So ...you want to breed the daughters back to the sire? 
Hmmm not sure... if I would personally do that....but ..it is your derision to make...that to me... is very close.... and risky.... Just my opinion.... :wink:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Pam,
> We are looking at your #70 that is listed. We are thinking it over. I would have to figure out where to put a young buck. Not sure he could be in with our 'now' buck. hmmmm.. We will be thinking it over.


 OK let me know if you decide.... :hug:


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

It is hard to let our buck go this year for a newbie. He isnt that bad looking of a buck and keeps his weight well. Maybe a bit short bodied. Would your buckling be ready for breeding season this fall? We still would only have 3 does that would be old enough this fall.

We will think it over and in a day or two I will let you know what we decide if you still have one for sale that is.. We could sell the other 3 doeling daughters and still eventually have 5 does next year to be bred that are unrelated to our buck. We would just have to sell out the 3 daughters or not breed them to keep our buck. No,we have no need to breed them back to the father and wont be doing that.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I know what you mean....

yes our young buckling would be ready to breed by fall .... :wink: 

If you only have a couple of Does that need to be bred to a different buck...I see your dilemma... What I have is 2 bucks at all times ...so I can go back and forth with the Does.... if you have the space to house 2... it may be an idea....if you are not wanting to get rid of your buck you have now....

Just let us know ...what you decide... either way is OK.... :hug:


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Just be very careful when thinking about breeding young does. This year I bred a doe to early and we ended up with a c-section and a dead baby. I will now wait until they are 18 months till I breed them. Just my 2 cents.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

The Law here is 10mos *and*100lbs.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Pam,
We do have to have a new buck eventually. We have decided that we will make good use of our buck this fall with the unrelated does and by the next fall when those three does are ready to breed, we will be needing a new buck. It would be good to get a young one now but we have decided that we need to first build another good buck pen before we get another buck here. We are going to hope to have one built this fall or sooner. So we may have to wait, and we may even sell those doelings depending what next spring babies bring us. I will have our registered doe bred to our buck for first time and probably want to keep those kids. It was good to hear opinions on the line breeding. We had wanted to know more and were already not wanting to do any line breeding but so many people were telling us that it was good and safe. We wont be breeding related animals at all.


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## Dodge 'Em (Jan 13, 2011)

I had a buck who was TIGHT line bred.... full brother to full sister. Cochise's family tree didnt have ANY forks in it! :laugh: He did throw some nice kids for me. Linebreeding enhances the "good" quality, but it also enhances the "bad" ones too. 
I show Bluetick coonhounds. I bred a niece to uncle. Got some nice built pups, great conformation except they all toed out on both front feet. I did more research and the grandfather had toed out on 1 foot....I enhanced that "bad" trait by breeding so close.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Pam,
> We do have to have a new buck eventually. We have decided that we will make good use of our buck this fall with the unrelated does and by the next fall when those three does are ready to breed, we will be needing a new buck. It would be good to get a young one now but we have decided that we need to first build another good buck pen before we get another buck here. We are going to hope to have one built this fall or sooner. So we may have to wait, and we may even sell those doelings depending what next spring babies bring us. I will have our registered doe bred to our buck for first time and probably want to keep those kids. It was good to hear opinions on the line breeding. We had wanted to know more and were already not wanting to do any line breeding but so many people were telling us that it was good and safe. We wont be breeding related animals at all.


 No problem..... good luck wiith everything...and if you ever need a buck look me up...hopefully we will have 1 then..... :thumb: :hug:


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Thank you Kathy for your input. I definitely do not want to inbreed after reading your post. I have always thought that with dogs, it was never good to inbreed at all. 

With livestock as herd animals, I thought it might be different than a dog as a 'pack' animal. It does not sound like it is at all a good thing to breed livestock in this way either although many have done so with livestock and with less problems. I've seen a lot of what I think could be inbred dogs especially in the Lab breed of our area. 

So if I thought it not ok with dogs, why did I question line breeding with goats? Well, I just thought that livestock was different as they are herd animals and have a big sire goat where as dogs desire to have a companion mate. I am glad for being able to read through the information posted. Thank you everyone. It has been helpful to me and I've come to conclusion that we don't want to line breed.


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