# ND and Pygmy breeding



## BeckyD (Jan 10, 2011)

I asked at the local feed store about a breeding buck for my ND and one of the guys who works there (I'll call him R) offered his Pygmy buck. R says it's fine to mix the breeds as we have our does for milk but I'm such a newbie and I don't want to do something I'll regret. Patchouli is registered, his is not. He's healthy, up on his meds, etc., and the owner has a good reputation as a "farmer" - the go-to-guy with any questions at the feed store - but how important is it to keep like breeds and how important is it to have everyone registered?

I just want healthy, happy, good milkers for our family's needs on our small, family farm. Not showing and not breeding for profit... 

Help! :help: 
Becky D


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

It's all just about what YOU want to breed for. Personally I would breed her to a registered nigerian so you can have papered kids...they'll be worth a little more that way, generally. Also, sticking with a nigerian you may have the better milk ability vs. a pygmy...just depends on the quality there.

There are many pygmy/nigerian crosses that are great milkers, but if you have a reg. doe you might as well stick with registered, purebred kids, just my opinion. If you sell the kids at weaning or later on down the road, they'll have an advantage during sale over a cross being that they are papered and purebred...and showable depending on what registry your doe is reg. with.


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## BeckyD (Jan 10, 2011)

Thanks for the tip - I "feel" the same and maybe I just need to go with my feelings. Eh.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

exactly what KW said..personally I would also breed to registered buck so you can get papered kids that are worth more. But it is up to you as the breeder...I have some crosses and they are some of my best girls...but we don't milk them, they are pets


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

KW Farms said:


> It's all just about what YOU want to breed for. Personally I would breed her to a registered nigerian so you can have papered kids...they'll be worth a little more that way, generally. Also, sticking with a nigerian you may have the better milk ability vs. a pygmy...just depends on the quality there.
> 
> There are many pygmy/nigerian crosses that are great milkers, but if you have a reg. doe you might as well stick with registered, purebred kids, just my opinion. If you sell the kids at weaning or later on down the road, they'll have an advantage during sale over a cross being that they are papered and purebred...and showable depending on what registry your doe is reg. with.


Could not have said it better myself  Good luck! :thumb:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I've only had ND for 4 years and before that I raised "Pygerians"...and each of the 3 does I had were great milkers, regardless of the fact that they were ND/Pygmy crosses...if you want the milk and don't have the $ or access to get a registered ND buck, you can use the pygmy buck to get cross kids for pets. Your does will still provide milk regardless of the kids sire.

My first ND doe refused to settle with my young ND buck the first breeding season I had them...she bred and settled with my pygmy buck and her kids were sold as pets at my unregistered cross price, and she still gave a good amount of milk. IF you only have access to use the pygmy buck this year, sell the resulting kids as pets and use the money to get a quality ND buck for next time...


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## RowdyKidz (Apr 2, 2009)

Please don't breed a Pygmy to an ND! Pygmies are known to sometimes throw wide kids (since they are wide animals) and it could very well be too wide for your doe


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## BeckyD (Jan 10, 2011)

Thanks for all your advice and feedback. I've located and purchased a 3 yr-old registered ND buck from good milk lines so am now moving into the next stage of "goat-herding". I never planned to house a buck permanently but have been assured that all will be well. He stinks to high heaven (I guess I've been spoiled by my pretty little does and wethers) but I suppose we'll have to get used to it. He's really quite handsome - broken calico, I think is what the owner termed his coloring - with blue eyes. My only concern is that my favorite doe is a little on the petite side of an ND and he's a little on the large side for an ND... she's freshened beautifully twice already (having been bred to larger bucks in the past) so I'm banking that she can handle it. Her daughter, at 8 1/2 months, is already as big as she is, so I'm hoping she'll be fine, too. 

Question: Can I breed the 9 month old to the buck or do I need to wait until she's older?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I personally will not breed a doe that is under a year old...regardless of size. 
If you bred her now, she'd be a mom at 14 months old....some does do great as moms at a young age while others don't have the "mentality" to do well.
Even if she's as big as her mom, how wide is she at the hips? Do you feel that she would be able to easily deliver kids? Is her size going to be an issue with breeding? Is the buck that much bigger that his weight would put her to the ground?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I agree with Liz. I don't breed my nigerians until they're 1+ years old. Look at her size, not her age at this point...and the buck's size. :thumb:


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

agreed we got a Pygmy doe who was pregnant and fairly young...she had the baby fine, but was CLUELESS about what to do afterwards....I went out to feed and found a dead baby...she didn't clean it or anything...she had no clue! 

So I always wait till at least a year, but like to wait 1 and half years...but sometimes bucks have other plans for us as we all know how persistent they can be!


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## BeckyD (Jan 10, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. So far only one person (through a different avenue) has told me that she just makes sure her goats don't freshen before they're a year old but EVERYONE else has recommended that I wait to get her pregnant until after she's at least a year so I'm waiting. 

Liz - you asked about her hips, weight, and if the size of the buck might put her to the ground. Looking at her that way, I'm not so sure she's "sturdy" enough yet. Honestly, even though she might be as big as her mommy pound for pound, she still has that "kid" look to me - like she's not full-grown or fully mature yet. Just more confirmation to wait, you know?

I've moved the buck into the pasture with our horse for company. He's an escape artist and the pen we built (per the previous owner's instructions) didn't hold him during a bad windstorm his second night here - he freaked out and managed to get out.... The horse isn't so sure about him yet and is making sure that he knows who runs the lot but they're figuring things out. The buck actually likes sleeping close to the horse's pen so I've moved his food and water and shelter over there and it seems to be working for both of them.

Thanks again, everyone!
Becky


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