# Sell or Keep? potential for sun damage?



## GracefulAcres (Feb 22, 2012)

We are a small 4-H family farm raising commercial meat goats for market. Currently we have 28 head of high percentage boers and we are up to maintaining about 15 breeding does. (growing each year) 
So I need help deciding whether to keep one of my new 2012 doelings or sell her. 
Her dam is my herd queen and a really good mother. Her and her sister were 10lbs at birth and averaged .45lb daily gain. At 6 weeks she weighted in at 28lbs. Her older half sister from 2011 was my best sized doeling with a great personality.

My issue is she doesn't have much color - we named her Cloud. (nearly zero for a boer) The white parts of her ears barely have any hair. So.. I fear sun damage.. and more maintainance in keeping her healthy than I have time for.
I do get attached to my girls.. but as our farm grows I've got to consider the amount of time needed. My husband and I both work at other jobs and I have two teenagers. yikes!

Thoughts? Anyone with experience fighting sun damage?
At six weeks old, would NuStock or other product help encourage more hair growth for her own natural protection.

She is 4 weeks old in the photos.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Could you plan on crossing her with a more colored buck? If she'll throw enough color on her kids, I would probably keep her and then just put sunscreen on her as needed. :shrug: If she continually throws mostly white kids... that's when i'd probably find a new home for her.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Oh boy... that is a difficult one...she is adorable...but yes...she might get cancer later down the road...there is always risk with goat likes that...how is her tail..is it pigmented or not? :hug:


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## GracefulAcres (Feb 22, 2012)

Pink, pink, pink... just maybe a small spot of dark skin. : (


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## GracefulAcres (Feb 22, 2012)

Kylee.. I see where you are going with that... and that got me thinking. 
This year's herd sire is a paint boer with lots of color. Nine out of my 11 babies so far this 
year are all paint. So we can "blame" the dam's side for passing 
less pigment to one of her babies. (??) 
:GAAH: 
I may need to consider what to do with her dam.... :chin:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Well...the doe would contribute to the markings as would the sire. Some goats are more prone to throwing lots of color, but if you were to breed her to a more colored buck and you keep getting colored kids...then if she's a nice doe and you really hate to see her go...then maybe give it a shot and see what happens. :shrug:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She herself.. may be prone to sunburn... 

Hopefully the buck will have the dominate paint or solid color gene..... paints and solids are born with tail pigment...... :wink:


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