# How to pick an excellent nigerian dwarf buck?



## Bleyfarm

I am going tomorrow to look at a couple nd bucklings and a 2 year old buck. This is my first year with goats and will be my first year breeding as well. I have Nubians and I picked them because they were cute. I didn't really know what else to be looking at. So before I buy a new one I would like to know what I should be looking for. I'm gonna breed half my girls with my nubian and my other half with Nigerian to start my generation of minis. Please any tips would be great.

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## enchantedgoats

you basicly look for the same thing in nd bucks as any other dairy breed. look up the nd champions on the internet, that will give you some ideas. go to the really big breeders websites and look at their bucks. try fairlea, rosasharn, and proctor hill as suggestions to start, there are lots of good ones out there, but that's where i would start.


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## clearwtrbeach

It also depends on your area, if you're willing to ship in, how much you want to pay. Buttin heads, and Dill's are two more big names. First and foremost for me is always buying from a clean tested herd. I won't even go further than that unless they are. If you get the names of the two bucks, you can also go to the ADGA site under pedigrees - put in the name, see if they have had a linear appraisal, or if their parents have, the scores there will help you determine your decision. Also, look at your girls and see what area they are weak in and a buck that is strong in those areas.


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## KW Farms

Udders are very important when it comes to choosing a ND buck. His dam should have a well conformed udder and udders on the sire's side should be good as well. If they are, then i'd look at his conformation. Does he have nice general appearance? How is his topline? Does he have a nice rump? Correct legs? Etc. You want something as close to the ideal breed standard as possible. Not every goat is perfect and you can work with minor flaws, but remember a buck is half your herd. So the nicer the buck...the nicer the kids. Pedigree is also something I take into account. Does he have a known, proven pedigree? Not every quality buck has a great pedigree, but it does help to have animals behind him who are proven in the show ring, milk testing, linear appraisals, etc. Also, if he's an adult buck and has daughters...take a close look at them. Are they quality does? Do they have nice udders? There are plenty of outstanding bucks out there and not outrageously priced either. So take your time and find the "right" one for your herd.


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