# over height???



## goattee22 (Nov 7, 2009)

Sorry if this is a stupid question im pretty new to the Nigerian dwarf breed and I was wondering What over height meant? When a buck is over height would y'all not recommend him as a herd sire? What if everything else about him was great?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Over height with ND means that he grew to be over the official maximum height allowance for the breed. If you have does that are a good deal below the maximum height allowance, he may give those kids more height...if that is what you want then go for it, sometimes a kid "in between" is better than favoring just the sire or just the dam.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

There is a height limit for nigerians. I would have to look up the exact height limit, but if a buck goes over the limit it is generally not a good idea to use him as a sire...though other breeders may think differently. And that is ok.

I had a gorgeous buck who was out of a champion doe, well bred, good conformation, with good milk genetics, but he went over height and the breeder told me he might go over when I purchased him as a buckling, but I wanted to take a chance on him. He ended up going over and I sold him. Nigerians need to stay small and that is why they set a height limit. I feel like even if the buck is superb in every other aspect, the main characteristic of the nigerian dwarf is to be a miniature milking goat so if he's over height there's a good chance that some of his kids will or could be. As a breeder we need to try and keep the breed "evolving" and moving forward and breeding an overheight buck makes me feel like it would be going backwards. Just my two cents.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I agree. For this breed you would not want this buck. Again, a buck is 50% of your herd. He will not be like a doe that can mess up on a kidding change bucks next time. This buck in one kidding could make all over sized kids. It's like saying you breed minis of any breed. All your does are minis but you are breeding to a standard or large version of the breed. You will get both in this case and one is correct and the other is not. If you want to produce consistant breed consistant. Same things with teats, a scured doe could or could not produce this again and if she does you take a chance on one maybe two kids per breeding season. With a buck you could be taking the chance of every kid you have on the groud with scurs. This is way it is so important to keep you bucks CLOSE to the standard. Hope that helps.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

kind of depends if you know if his kids go over as well. If you can see enough of his kids and they arent over height. its hard when those bucks get mature their necks get thick and their whole body muscles up it can make them go "over."


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## goattee22 (Nov 7, 2009)

Thanks everyone this really helps. I am having a VERYYYY hard time deciding between two bucks. They are the same price, same color (my favorite), same driving distance, and have awesome lines and udders in the family, along with successfully shown parents. And both bucks have been successfully shown when younger. But I think the deal breaker is going to be the over height. I'm just sad about it cuz he's polled: ( but the other Buck is just as nice. 

I would post pics to get opinions but I'm not sure of the rules here and I did not ask permission to post the bucks. I just hope I make the right decision. Ill post pics when I've made the purchase and y'all can tell me what you think. 

Thanks again for the help cuz I was really stressin over it!!


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Well, you could also always ask for a buck or doe from the same breeding by the over height breeder. If you get the horned buck now you can get a second lator or a doe later and breed them together and have BOTH lines and breedings. Just a thought...


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Oh and as for the pics if they were given to you so you could choose to buy they were given to you. This means that copy is yours now I see no reason why you can not post away. If they were not given to you, just refer to the site each is at and folks can look that way or ask for a copy.

Just my thoughts.


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## goattee22 (Nov 7, 2009)

Oh yeah I could post a link to the bucks since they are on the internet. ..I didn't think about that...thank you

Here is the over height one...oh and he's 1/2 " over
http://www.toominianimals.com/Pride%20o ... 0John.html

And here is the other one
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/grd/1789482611.html

Which one would be a better choice and why?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

the young buckling looks really nice - but I would have pictures of the dam's udder sent to you to be sure it meets your qualifications - just because one judge said she had the best udder in teh show doesnt mean it fits what you want to produce in your herd. Not saying the udder is bad just everyone has their own likes and dislikes and their needs for improvement in their heard.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i'n not gonna lie.. a 1/2 inch over height to me is nothing.. it could be he needed his hooves done, or they measured incorrectly.. 

also it says the younger placed in a class at 5 weeks.. to me that s nothing to brag about.. i don't even drag kids out into the ring till they're 4-6 months old.. they change so so much in the early months

i'd say go with the olderguy, his lines are extremely nice, he is extremely nice ( for being over height) and i think it may be from his dairy character..


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## goattee22 (Nov 7, 2009)

Thank you both very much. The pride of Texas bucks dam is a little nicer in my opinion than the other buckling...I saw an udder pic and she wasn't full and its hard to tell. Her topline wasn't very level either....goshhh I keep going back n forth! 

Well thank you all for help ill let y'all know which one I get!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Something else to think about is if you sell the kids out of him and they go over the limit. I have a friend who sold kids out of a buck that ended up going over height and they too went over height. The people who bought them were doing it to show goats. So now they have a goat that they can't show. The owner is very embarrassed and feels very bad that people who specifically bought goats from her to show can't even show them. She is selling her buck and not using him anymore since you can't predict which kids may go over or not.

I have also ended up with a buck who is over height. I have decided not to use him on my Nigerians but I think he will be great for my Boer goat and my Alpine/Nubian goat. So we are keeping him to breed to our big girls.


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