Can you tell a "good milker" by pic of udder?

Laura Workman · #21 10/23/12, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Laura, I guess it's because I'm approaching middle age, but I don't want to waste time and money and feed on goats that aren't going to take my little herd in the direction I'm hoping to go.

Just different ways of raising goats. It's all good.

Nobody wants to. Maybe I'm just a little more willing to take risks because 1) I generally have a pretty good idea what I stand to gain or lose and what the odds are, and 2) I've had the risks I've taken pan out so often.

poppypatchFarm · #22 10/23/12, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23

Now, I'm not a ND breeder, but IF I were to jump into ND's, or even get back into breeding miniatures, I'd be hunting for a Nigerian Dwarf buck out of a doe like this girl here:

Does-Senior-NC-PromisedLand MG-Mizi

Love her udder, and she also has been on milk test so you have some documented proof that that udder isn't just pretty, but it's productive too

Always wise to invest in the best bucks you can afford, they are 1/2 your herd

I owned a son from this above mentioned doe and well lets just say what you see isn't always what you get...he produced tiny teats and lowed milk production in his daughters over their dams. Still have one daughter from him here but her teats, capacity, udder shape(MSL) are not her strongest points. Her dam who finished her ADGA championship as a milking yearling is much stronger in those areas. She does have nice general appearance so we keep her around and breed to bucks to improve the areas lacking.

CaliannG · #23 10/23/12, 01:09 PM

Down here, if we are looking for milking NDs, we look for the word "Jobi" in the last three generations.

Joanne Jelke, at Jobi Dairy, has spent 25 years breeding for, in her words, "High production does with teats even a man can milk."

I've been to her dairy (Some of my Alpines are from her Alpine lines), and her NDs have NICE teats and udders. Her ND lines have also consistently placed in the Top 10 National Producers as well.

gabby, if you can swear a mighty oath that you will be eating ALL of the babies, no matter how cute, loving, and adorable they might be, then go ahead. $25 is cheap to get your does bred.

But if you cannot honestly swear that, look for something that will improve your herd, from lines that are *milked*. You will thank yourself later for that foresight. (Or curse yourself later if you keep kids from a breeding that produces poor milking qualities.)

gabbyraja · #24 10/23/12, 01:58 PM

Ugh, trouble is I don't know that I'll be able to eat them all. I COULD sell them and not feel too bad, but yeah, I do want to keep a doeling... I'm weak, but my children are even weaker. She did say her daughter milked some of the goats, only for her own use and never kept records... So, same thing, really, as never been milked. She also has several other bucks I can choose from, this was just one example. Now that I know what to look for I might fare better. Or, I'll keep her in my back pocket and keep looking. Thanks for all the advice, ladies.

gabbyraja · #25 10/23/12, 03:22 PM

Just for my own reference, some of these look better, right? -Nigerian dwarf does Like the last one on this first page, or the first on the second page?

CaliannG · #26 10/23/12, 05:12 PM

The two "softs" (Cottony Soft and Angel Soft) that you mentioned do look to have good teats.

Oddly enough, the FF that is next to last on the second page, "Potato Bowl" has good teats for an FF. You can't really see that from the back view, but it is obvious from the side view.

FF teats are hard to judge, though. They ALWAYS get bigger and longer, but you never know *how much* bigger and longer they are going to get.

gabbyraja · #27 10/23/12, 06:36 PM

Ok, then at least I feel like I know what I'm looking for. Obviously you can't tell, without milking, if the udder is the size because of milk or because of tissue. But as far as teat size and placement I know what I'm looking for. Thanks!