# Polled or Not Polled?



## Red Mare (Aug 17, 2011)

I have a choice between two bucklings. One is polled, one is not. 
In talking to a good breeder friend, she said to me that polled goats are linked to the intersex gene and are more of a fad. 

Another breeder friend pointed out the ugly heads the girls get from it. 

They sell very well down here, and from the local breeders to me. But I am told the serious breeders shy away from them. 

Whats your opinion on it? onder:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have a polled doe and her head isn't "ugly"....and she's an awesome milker with a great udder( at least to me) polled genetics I think have gotten a bad rap as far as "intersex"....if one parent of polled offspring is horned, the chance of sterility is slim. I bred my polled "pair" together and got 2 polled boys and 1 horned girl...1 boy died within hours of birth but the remaining two were as normal as any healthy baby goat. I'd seriously consider other attributes in those boys besides the polled genetics...how do they look confirmation wise? How are their dams udder? Does either one have any thing that would improve upon your does?

I like the anticipation of seeing wether or not a baby will be born polled when you know the chance is there.


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## Red Mare (Aug 17, 2011)

They are from surpurb genetics- (they are brothers) the dam is FANTASTIC and both parents are MCH's. 

I do not breed polled to polled- and would not. I had been warned previously about it. 

I do love the not needing to burn my babies heads part of the equation for sure, plus like I said, for some reason the polled kids do sell well.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If both boys have what you like, I can see your dilemma... if your does are horned then the polled boy would be ideal as far as the chance that the kids may be polled. Genetics are funny though because with my polled doe, she was bred to a horned buck 3 different kiddings and never had a polled kid.


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## Red Mare (Aug 17, 2011)

My last buck gave me 75% polled kids, and I do have horned does. 
Guess I had great luck?

I Do like them both, and wanted to make sure I wasn't getting googley eyed with the polled thing.
ESP after a friend I very much respect gave me her 2 cents on it!


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I have 2 polled doelings and will be breeding them to a horned buck, I look forward to seeing what they throw. I had another polled doe freshen this spring with a horned doeling. My polled does have bumps where the horns would be but their heads certainly aren't ugly.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

As far as I know (and I have studied on it), the defect linked with the polled gene is only a risk if you breed polled to polled, as Liz said - and even then, it's not a great risk.


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2011)

milkmaid said:


> As far as I know (and I have studied on it), the defect linked with the polled gene is only a risk if you breed polled to polled, as Liz said - and even then, it's not a great risk.


 :thumb:


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## Wild Wind Farm (Feb 9, 2010)

I like the way my polled doe looks and I love not having to disbud.


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## Red Mare (Aug 17, 2011)

Thank you for all your input!!
We decided on the polled buckling. He is longer throughout as well, but I was just concerned!
I'll post pictures as soon as it's official!


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Good for you. Looking forward to seeing pics.


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