# Which one would you keep?



## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

I have 3 bucklings this year that I really like and I am going to keep one of them. I will show them all in May and keep the best one but i wondered which one you guys like best. Also i know you're not supposed to breed them to their close relatives but i was wondering why not? The closest related goats that I would breeding them to is grandmother, great grandmother and mother's half-sister. I will keep taking mother and sister to my friends buck. 
Sorry i know these are really bad pics, I am going to go get more right now.


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## Daisy-Mae (Feb 24, 2014)

I like the first one but their all really cute! 


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I'll wait until you get the better pics


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## Emzi00 (May 3, 2013)

I'm going to wait too. There really isn't anything wrong with inbreeding/linebreeding(whatever you want to call it). It makes recessives pop up and you can see what's hiding in the lines you have. The problem is when people don't cull heavily. It's makes the good better and the bad worse. So, you need to go into it knowing you will be culling everything but the best. That's how you consistently breed quality animals. Perpetuate what you have, get rid of the bad, and keep the good. It's what I plan on doing, wether all bucks the first couple years, breed out the bad, and then when I'm consistently producing quality, through _very heavy culling_, then I'll put my name on some bucks and people will know I'm serious.


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## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

Are they from different dams? If they are I would go ahead and choose the one from the best gal you have. Love the sundgau coloration! It is hard to tell much when they are so little, so go by what the parents look like.


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## erikrarn (Sep 29, 2012)

Emzi- we call it line breeding if it works and inbreeding if it doesn't LOL


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

Hey everybody, sorry I didn't get pics yesterday, my friend came over and we were busy with other stuff but I got some this morning.
The first two pictures are Elm, the next two are Elder and the next are Ebony. The second to last pic is Elm's dam, Oreo and the last is Ebony and Elder's dam, Emerald. Oreo is Emerald's mother, she also has one of the best udders in the herd. That isn't saying much though, all my does have weak udders. I am hoping this new buck puts good udders into his kids. I don't have a picture of the sire since he is my friend's buck. BTW they are milked out in these pictures I forgot to get pictures of them when they were full.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They are cute!


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## Emzi00 (May 3, 2013)

I'm going to say Elm.... partially because I think he's the cutest, but I like him best.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

I also vote for Elm. I like his structure and of course a little color is always fun!
Very cute babies!


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Here is the thing with line breeding. If the line has more faults then not, then you are more then likely going to compound them. You should never breed from a buck that you just think looks nice. Always look to the pedigree first. Its not to say that the buck will not pass on his good traits, but typically a kid will only get 29% (roughly) of his physical characteristics from its parents. The rest will come from grand parents. This is why breeders will bred on odd connections. Son (1) to grand mother (3) great great grand mother (5) and also check to see where the better animals fall into the pediagree on each side. If the better animals are on the odd generations, then you are more likely to get a better kid.


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

In that case I should keep Elm, I really don't like Emarald sire at all.


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

i can only take two to the show in May, which would you leave home? I want to show the best 2 and keep the one that shows the best and I have a home for the other one.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Elm is very correct, and I like his dam a lot better too.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

If you're wanting to pass on good udders and Oreos is nicest, definitely keep Elm. I like his conformation better too. 

As far as which of the other two to leave home, I think they're pretty close. Looks like Ebony has a better rump but Elder has more body capacity. I'd take another look at them when it gets closer to the show and then make the call.

Re: linebreeding - I'm one of those people who doesn't like any inbreeding. I'd rather have healthy animals with a low chance of genetic disease over refinement, but that's a personal choice.


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

Alright I am keeping Elm. I might be able to take both other boys to the show, i just need another person to show. I am sure i can find someone though. Thanks for all the advice.


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

It will be hard to let go of Elder he is so sweet. He is my favorite out of the 3.


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