# A dairy buck question?



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I have no idea about conformation on a dairy buck, so I need some advice. My little well not so little anymore rescue Saanen buckling got tested for diseases a couple weeks ago. The lady who helps me with my goats said that he wasn't a keeper because he has small veins, and wouldn't make a good sire. So I was going to wether and sell him. Today, a lady stopped by to see if I had any goats for sale. She thought he would make a great sire, and small veins isn't what to look for, it's his conformation... If I post pics of him could you guys try to help me. What shots do you need? I just need some more opinions before I permanently alter him.


----------



## CindyWard (Jan 6, 2015)

Need pics from the side, front and back


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

small veins??? never even heard of that before. I Guess if maybe you are judging an animal on how easy they are to draw blood from, then maybe that might be something to breed for... not.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Okay, pics tomorrow. I'll get both sides front and back. 

I've never heard of the small vein thing either. All tested negative, so he's clean. For being a rescue buckling that is a HUGE relief...


----------



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Crap, I guess that makes my new doe a cull! Took me a good dozen tries and I still barely got 1 ml from her. On the other hand, if I'm selecting for goats that are tolerant of needles...lol!

Whether or not a buck is worth breeding varies greatly depending on who's looking at them and what their goal is. 90% of rescues aren't going to be breeding quality to show folks, especially when you don't know the bloodlines. If he was a commercial meat buck with a good build it might be worth a breeding season to see what he throws, but there's little demand for commercial dairy bucks (commercial meaning not registered), and breeders select dairy bucks based largely on their dam, which you don't know anything about. I like my grade Nubian buck for MY purposes, but when I'm done breeding him he's getting castrated because he'd probably end up getting either neglected or butchered if I tried to sell him.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

There really isn't a big demand for registered dairy bucks either. People around here just want stock for their own use. I just want to know conformation wise if the lady yesterday knows what she is talking about, and go from there. I will most likely keep him around for a little while at least if that is the case. He isn't a problem, and I would like at least 1 doe from him. Yes, he was a rescue, but that doesn't mean he useless.


----------



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Because you need an excuse to keep more goats!  My point about not knowing the dam is still valid though. If you're breeding dairy stock, the best body conformation in the world isn't worth much if they have a terrible udder.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I didn't know anything about Bella's past, and she's giving me just shy of 2 gallons, so things can work out for the best;-) He would just be one more goat... I'm already feeling better since I sold all but 1 kid, & my kinders. Will take pics this afternoon;-)


----------



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I'm more willing to take a chance on does, especially since you'll know how they perform sooner. Bucks you have to wait for the kids to freshen before you know if they're any good.


----------



## Freerunningtwo (Jan 6, 2015)

Its all about the bass, study the hip structure, lots of good info on the web. Hope this attachment works, it's to a chart explaining desirable traits in a dairy goat/LA
http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2012/09/30/dairy-goat-linear-appraisal/


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Freerunningtwo said:


> Its all about the bass, study the hip structure, lots of good info on the web. Hope this attachment works, it's to a chart explaining desirable traits in a dairy goat/LA
> http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2012/09/30/dairy-goat-linear-appraisal/


Good info. I'll be heading out in a bit to copper bolus and take pictures... I'll try to compare him to those charts...


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks by the way


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Janeen, if YOU like him and want a doe out of him, then go for it. Sometimes we don't have the luxury of being able to pick and choose or know the history of the animals that show up in our lives. I've had a couple that I actually regret not having bred just because I would have liked to see what came from them. Can't wait to see pics of him!!


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Well judging from that article he is definitely lacking, but I doubt if he's the worst LOL...

























It was hard to get pics of him by myself since he loves attention... and every time I moved he wanted to follow. He's lacking in the rump area for sure.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Still deciding if I will keep him or not, most likely not though, but he is a sweetheart for sure, which makes it harder...


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Any thoughts on his pics?


----------



## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

He's got a cute face he doesn't look terribly narrow to me from the back (udder area on a doe) but he seems to toe out a bit. The rest I can't tell.


----------



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Well, he's not pure Saanen...


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

He's not show quality, but I don't think he's terrible either. :shrug: It's kind of hard to critique from those pics.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Yeah, I had a hard time with those pics, he kept trying to follow me..


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Wild Hearts Ranch said:


> Well, he's not pure Saanen...


What do you think he's crossed with... Just curious...


----------



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

The face and ears kinda look like ND. How big is he?


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

He's huge, no ND in him. He's 9 months and is about a 100 lbs. He just had a growth spurt... He's about as tall as my ober buck.


----------



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Not sure then, the ears aren't full Saanen and he looks a little thick. Maybe small percentage of Boer?


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Wild Hearts Ranch said:


> Not sure then, the ears aren't full Saanen and he looks a little thick. Maybe small percentage of Boer?


Huh, okay... That wouldn't be a terrible thing really..


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

He does have longer hair though... I'm just calling him a mystery mutt;-)


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I'm just going to wether him and keep him for a brush eating crew this summer;-)


----------



## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

Janeen, he is a good looking guy. Never underestimate the hybrid vigor aspect as a plus. Here are a few pics of my 4 yr old Saanen Buck. He is super friendly except during rut. He is 300+ lbs, so if you keep him, be sure you can handle him.


----------



## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

The third picture are all his kids, all does we have retained. His breeding does are Spanish, Kiko and boer crosses, which explains all the colors. All his daughters were covered by our NZ Kiko Buck this fall. He is super meaty and muscular, but shorter than all these half saanen does. We are just building our own little herd of really big, friendly, hardy, self reliant, multipurpose goats. 4 years into it now and still having fun.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

So far my guy is really well mannered, sweet, and hasn't caused any issues... Huh? Perhaps I'll think about it some more...


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

By the way you've got a very cool looking guy there..


----------



## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

I failed to mention, in that first picture he had not killed and consumed someone, with his red beard and all. It was right after Christmas and he was enjoying some leftover red velvet cake.


Russell P. Hammonds


----------



## russellp (Apr 10, 2013)

He is quiet spoiled. 


Russell P. Hammonds


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I guess... Red velvet cake huh?? LOL.. That's funny


----------



## Lily's Mom (Jun 8, 2012)

Never heard of checking veins unless you would be checking the vein that leads back to his scrotum area, across his abdomen. This would translate to the "milk vein" that supplies blood to the udder in a female. I would be really hesitant to keep a buck if I had never seen his mom's udder. If he has a large round scrotum with no lobes and well placed teats on either side it would be a maybe.
When I buck shop I go look at does and then choose from a really nice does buck kids.


----------



## Lily's Mom (Jun 8, 2012)

Are you showing or just keeping goats for milk? That makes a difference too. Show wise he wouldn't score but he could possibly be a decent sire for a hobby milk herd. How old is he? 
Like I mentioned before, check out his "junk" as my daughter calls it. In goats size matters.


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

His mom actually had a decent udder I thought for being starved to death. A friend dropped him off at my place while I was at work. We then went out to the place the next day, eeks they were in bad shape. A month and a half later 5 of them were euthanized, thankfully the vet did do some tests to make sure it wasn't Johnes, it was not. I asked the guy what they feed, and he said in broken English nothing, they are goats. My friends husband's co worker was a neighbor, he started throwing them hay at 3 AM before anyone was up, before the authorities came in. I wasn't involved with anything other than getting Sammy, and getting a call from the vet saying they were disease free. They lived in mud, but with all of that she looked to have a pretty good udder from what I could tell. I'm not into show, so that doesn't matter much. I've decided to keep him and keep him intact.... I'll use him on some of my girls....


----------

