# Good goat pairing or pass?



## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

So I’ve been back and forth with this breeder for a while now and she just bred a pairing we’ve both agreed on and have been waiting on for a long time. 

Im hoping for a doeling from these two. What is everyone’s thoughts on the pairing? Obviously not perfect, but I’m hoping to get better milk capacity and attachments than the doe I have right now. Any thoughts are appreciated!















Left is the buck and his dam’s udder, right is the doe and her dam’s udder.
Bottom photo is the doe on the right. She’ll be an FF, and apparently I have a thing with getting kids from first fresheners. 🥲
Lastly, the bucks family. All photos are from the breeder.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They are nice looking goats.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

I'll come back to this soon, but after a quick glance, I didn't see any glaring flaws, just some pretty goaties! It would be helpful to know what your herd goals are, body conformation, udder conformation, milk production, flash, etc.? 🥰


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## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> I'll come back to this soon, but after a quick glance, I didn't see any glaring flaws, just some pretty goaties! It would be helpful to know what your herd goals are, body conformation, udder conformation, milk production, flash, etc.? 🥰


I’m mostly looking for udder capacity/milk production and attachments. There are no other breeders around me that breed for milk or show, so I’m working with the best I’ve got! My hope with the doeling (if she is born) is to use her as a starting point to my end goal of having healthy, happy milkers.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Udder-wise, I honestly think they look pretty nice! It's a little hard to see the attachments on both does, but I think they could be stronger/tighter, but they definitely are not at all bad IMHO!! Both dams also seem to have pretty high escutcheons, which is great! Considering the fact that yo don't have too many good breeders around you, I think overall, they look really nice!! Another thing to consider is the buckling's sire's dam's udder. I personally think it's important to consider what her udder looks like as well, but I also have heard of some people who don't. 

I see you're in Canada, they is an AMAZING Nigerian Dwarf breeder (Mossy Rock Farm) who is also located in Canada!! IMHO, her Nigies are OUTSTANDING and it is a dream of mine to get goats from her. I know Canada is huge so she might be pretty far away from you, but I just thought I'd throw that out there. 😉 🥰


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## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> Udder-wise, I honestly think they look pretty nice! It's a little hard to see the attachments on both does, but I think they could be stronger/tighter, but they definitely are not at all bad IMHO!! Both dams also seem to have pretty high escutcheons, which is great! Considering the fact that yo don't have too many good breeders around you, I think overall, they look really nice!! Another thing to consider is the buckling's sire's dam's udder. I personally think it's important to consider what her udder looks like as well, but I also have heard of some people who don't.
> 
> I see you're in Canada, they is an AMAZING Nigerian Dwarf breeder (Mossy Rock Farm) who is also located in Canada!! IMHO, her Nigies are OUTSTANDING and it is a dream of mine to get goats from her. I know Canada is huge so she might be pretty far away from you, but I just thought I'd throw that out there. 😉 🥰


Thanks so much! A lot of good advice, and I’ll definitely have to look them up. I appreciate it!


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Kaitlyn said:


> Thanks so much! A lot of good advice, and I’ll definitely have to look them up. I appreciate it!


You're welcome!! Glad I could help! Yes, I highly recommend checking them out!


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## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> You're welcome!! Glad I could help! Yes, I highly recommend checking them out!


Just checked them out and I. Am. In. Love!! 😍 thanks so much for the recommendation!


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

If you can get on a list with Mossy Rock, I'd do that instead, they have some really nice goats. I think she was on here for a while before. I keep up with them on instagram. Gorgeous stock. 

If this is what you have to work with, it's not terrible. But needs some improvements. Teats are far to the side, you want them a bit closer together. However...for ME, this is like the least of my concerns when looking at an udder. I'll take wider set (but straight) teats if everything else is great and will improve certain things. These are though a bit more on the outskirts. They don't seem to have any division in the udder floor. You don't really want a straight udder floor but you want some cleavage basically. If they don't have that, it signifies a weaker medial ligament which you can see in the pic. However, they don't have anything glaringly wrong with their udders. Nice height, fullness....are these FF pics?

I don't think it's a terrible match if you can't find better. Esp if it improves your own.


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## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

Jubillee said:


> If you can get on a list with Mossy Rock, I'd do that instead, they have some really nice goats. I think she was on here for a while before. I keep up with them on instagram. Gorgeous stock.
> 
> If this is what you have to work with, it's not terrible. But needs some improvements. Teats are far to the side, you want them a bit closer together. However...for ME, this is like the least of my concerns when looking at an udder. I'll take wider set (but straight) teats if everything else is great and will improve certain things. These are though a bit more on the outskirts. They don't seem to have any division in the udder floor. You don't really want a straight udder floor but you want some cleavage basically. If they don't have that, it signifies a weaker medial ligament which you can see in the pic. However, they don't have anything glaringly wrong with their udders. Nice height, fullness....are these FF pics?
> 
> I don't think it's a terrible match if you can't find better. Esp if it improves your own.


Unfortunately Mossy Rocks is in BC while I’m in Manitoba. A couple hour flight. Not sure if it’s possible.

This would definitely improve my herd as unfortunately my only milking doe doesn’t produce much, and her udder isn’t anything to marvel at either. This is a picture of her when she was earlier in her lactation. 








Essentially anything would improve my herd at this point, but I’m definitely looking in to getting on a list with Mossy Rocks eventually.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

Yikes!! It's kind of like TX, people think oh so and so is in TX...yea well it's a 14-15 hour drive from the east border to the western tip LOL and I think the same from the panhandle to the southern tip. 

Oh yes, they will improve. In the meantime, you can search for your next herd for later that you'd want to bring in for the next improvements. But yea, I think this would help for sure!


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Bummer Mossy Rock isn't closer. But I too agree that they are an improvement from what you already have. I really would ask for udder pictures of both the buckling's sire's dam and the doe's sire's dam...who knows, maybe their udders are awesome and have more division of the half's. Giving the doeling from this pair a good chance of having a better udder than her grand-dams'. Now, of course there is also a potential of their (great paternal grand parents) udders to be not so nice, but that's why I think it important to consider them too since they will play a part in how the doeling's udder will turn out.


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## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> Bummer Mossy Rock isn't closer. But I too agree that they are an improvement from what you already have. I really would ask for udder pictures of both the buckling's sire's dam and the doe's sire's dam...who knows, maybe their udders are awesome and have more division of the half's. Giving the doeling from this pair a good chance of having a better udder than her grand-dams'. Now, of course there is also a potential of their (great paternal grand parents) udders to be not so nice, but that's why I think it important to consider them too since they will play a part in how the doeling's udder will turn out.


I will definitely try to get those photos. Thanks so much for the help! If this pairing doesn’t end up having a doeling I will probably have to look outside of Manitoba, which I’m willing to do for a quality doe. Of course I’m not even a year into having goats, so I’m not sure it’s worth dropping that much money on a goat just yet.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Kaitlyn said:


> I will definitely try to get those photos. Thanks so much for the help! If this pairing doesn’t end up having a doeling I will probably have to look outside of Manitoba, which I’m willing to do for a quality doe. Of course I’m not even a year into having goats, so I’m not sure it’s worth dropping that much money on a goat just yet.


Please post udder pictures here when/if you do get them, I'm very interested to see what they look like!! You're welcome!

Oh, trust me it's worth it! I remember when I first got goats I didn't understand why are some goats were just SO stinking expensive! Now, almost four years later, I TOTALLY get why (because their quality matches the high price tag) and wish I would have started with better quality goats sooner on. I say if you still love goats after raising them for almost a year and want to breed the best you can, then I would look for the highest quality you can get within your budget. The problem I'm finding right now is, the first goats I purchased are not very great and I don't have the space for too many goats, BUT I do want higher quality now, BUT to do that I first need to "cull" a few, BUT I can't get "rid" of my first ever doe OR the first doeling to be born on our farm....see my problem (it's actually a real-life one I'm facing right now)? I guess what I'm trying to say/do, is to "save" you from getting into my situation. But at the end of the day, the decision(s) is (are) completely up to you. 😉


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## Kaitlyn (Jan 20, 2021)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> Please post udder pictures here when/if you do get them, I'm very interested to see what they look like!! You're welcome!
> 
> Oh, trust me it's worth it! I remember when I first got goats I didn't understand why are some goats were just SO stinking expensive! Now, almost four years later, I TOTALLY get why (because their quality matches the high price tag) and wish I would have started with better quality goats sooner on. I say if you still love goats after raising them for almost a year and want to breed the best you can, then I would look for the highest quality you can get within your budget. The problem I'm finding right now is, the first goats I purchased are not very great and I don't have the space for too many goats, BUT I do want higher quality now, BUT to do that I first need to "cull" a few, BUT I can't get "rid" of my first ever doe OR the first doeling to be born on our farm....see my problem (it's actually a real-life one I'm facing right now)? I guess what I'm trying to say/do, is to "save" you from getting into my situation. But at the end of the day, the decision(s) is (are) completely up to you. 😉


I totally get that! We already have had to stop from breeding one of our does since we found out after we bought her that she was actually fainting. Our newbie mistake. Now I’m trying to convince the rest of my family not to buy for price and cuteness and instead look for quality goats. It’s a tough time. Theyre also not willing to spend the money for quality, so I’m going to have to sneak in some goats myself!


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