To get a buck or not get a buck

[HaysFarm]

Ok we are at a point where we have 6 girls, and well were thinking of getting our own buck. But keep hearing alot of bad stuff about them. More bad then good. So with 6 girls, would you have your own buck or just take them to the stud?

[Paula]

What breed of goat?
Regardless, with does I personally would get a buck. Too much hassle involved with getting that many does carted around.
But I have space and facilities to deal with a buck, and am (unfortunately) familiar with the nasty critters.

[HazyDay]

I would. Im keeping 1 of my papered bucks to breed this year. Only 2 does. and maybe our 3 boers. But it saves me 100.00 to breed my 2 nubiand to him, then to drive for 1 hour and pay 50.00 ea!

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER YOU HAVE TO SMELL THEM!

REMEMBER YOU WILL HEAR MORE BAD THINGS THEN GOOD. I have went in with a buck in full rut and he diddn't even give a care in the world that I was taking his doe from him! There add a good thing!

[Liese]

If you have a buck that'll improve your herd very close by to breed with and can get your girls there in enough time and you aren't paying $50/breeding then you aren't in need of a buck. I have Nigerians, perhaps the full size guys are different, have no trouble to keep a buck and buddy in their own paddock. But service fees in this area to a quality guy is $50, so x6...., I bought a very nice buck for $150. By the time I had built a 40x 80' paddock and a small shelter for them had spent almost in $300 total. So it made economic sense for us. Course I haven't factored in their hay, but with NIgerians the food bills don't have to be high, especially if you have the browse - thank goodness they like Poison Ivy!

[HazyDay]

AND DON'T FORGET WITH A BUCK YOU CAN SIRE HIM OUT! wHICH MENAS FOR ME 50.00 A POP! bUT MY aLPINE BUCJK im PLANING ON BREEDING WITH IS COSTING ME 70.00! THATS 1 BREEDING! bUT SHES WORTH IT! sHE TOOK GRAND CHAMPION DOE AS A KID AND DRY YEARLING! AND IM BUYING HER FOR ONLY 250.00!

[tioga12]

We rented bucks (brought them to our farm) last fall for a month. Although they did "yucky things" and got smelling quite bucky, I think they really aren't as bad when rutting as so many people say. The ones we had here weren't overly aggressive, and I didn't have a problem with them.
We are keeping three of our buck kids this year for breeding. It's convenient having your own, although I worry about "accidents!" Hopefully I will be able to keep everyone in their rightful place and breed each doe to the intended buck. We will still have to go outside to get bucks, however, because we can't breed sons to mothers, and I wonder how much use we will get from the bucks we are keeping since we don't intend to line breed. (We are keeping one each of a boer, alpine, and oberhasli buck) Basically unless we brought in stock from new lines we will only be able to repeat breeding them to the same couple of does each year, and find different bucks for the sisters/daughters.

[Slev]

....they spray their beard with urine & semen then rub it everywhere. The smell lasts for months WELL AFTER he's been shipped.

[susanne]

i do have three big boys and love them all three. they do what they're supposed to do and of course they smell. it doesn't bother me very much but some people are sensitive to the smell. all three are very well mannered and not aggressive at all. i would own a buck any time.
there are still a lot of bucklings that where born this spring for sale. get one of those to breed your does. after he is done you can put him in the freezer or bring him to the sales barn. a young buck is not as smelly and if you don't want to own one you buy a buckling each spring and get rid of him after breeding.

[DocM]

I keep three bucks, and have no problems with them, they're both gentle and well behaved. They don't "stink" until they start rutting, which varies depending on the area you're in - mine are aromatic from Sept - Jan. The smell doesn't bother me, they're not confined in a small space, they have a fenced acre and their own barn that's far enough removed from the girls and the house that I don't smell them until I walk over there. Keeping them sheared (beard and long leg hair) does keep the smell to a minimum. I make a tidy sum leasing them out and have aquired several nice doelings in return (instead of a stud fee). I can't say anything bad about my boys.

[Idahoe]

I brought home a buck for my seven does. I didn't realize you could rent a buck until I heard it from the gal I bought my Nubians from. With as many does as you have, if you want them bred for sure, I'd recommend purchasing a GOOD buck (I drove to southern CA to pick up a Rosasharn ND buck) or renting a good buck who's owners have papers proving he is disease free. You'll have to provide the same for your own herd too.

I didn't think about renting out my own buck (NO WAY), but I'd allow disease free does to come on over to my place. That's a good idea, I should think about that more.

[thaiblue12]

Mine was not aggressive but he was not friendly. I was glad of that since he did pee all over himself and I would not want him to come up to me and say "HI". He was however and very bad escape artist when he was in rut and damaged my fence. Got on my nerves and etc.
You should consider that with only 6 girls if he breeds them all he will then be related to all the kids and would you breed him back to his daughters? Or breed the new bucks to their moms? I do not like to in-breed since you do not know what the result will be. I sold the buck after he did the deed. I made a small profit and happily waved good bye to him.
You might find someone who will cheaply let you "rent" one or "borrow" one for the cost of you feeding and caring for him. This way you can judge if you want to keep one around and not go throught the hassle of selling it.

[HaysFarm]

We have Nubian x's , We have no plans to keep any of the babys ( i say that now :-) We would be butchering them. So there is no problem with in-breeding or line breeding which ever you want to call it.
Breeding around us runs any where from 20 to 50 + each girl. We belive it would cost us less to keep a buck year around then it does to take the girls to a stud.
i understand that when the boys go in to rut they start to talk and scream alot.
We are in north florida. Where everyone seems to come in to season year around,lol
Thank you everyone for your input on your bucks and what works best at your house.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Our neighbors have a new Boer buckling, and we are planning to let our dairy girls visit him when necessary. We aren't increasing our herd, so the offspring will be barbecue.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

I don't care if I only had one doe, I would keep my own buck. The idea that I have to take my doe over to someone in the middle of the night to get bred, bother them, hope they are home, hope he didn't die last week...or worse, bring someones buck onto my place that can bring me disease etc....Purchase a young buck, grow him out with good advice so he isn't awful. All bucks smell, the more they smell the more your girls ovulate, the faster they come into heat and are bred. Then sell him in the fall or winter when you know the girls are bred...purchase another young buckling when your does kid...this way you are only keeping a very young buck around.

There is nothing prettier though than a big full grown buck, I have 3 full grown bucks and 2 bucklings. An older buck is gentle if he has not been ruined by having to live alone, has had his feet or nutriton overlooked...bucks who have company, are fed good, are beautiful majestic creatures who stink to high heaven! You should spend more money, and more time finding a good buck to improve your girls than in any doe you have purchased. Vicki

[Jillis]

I vote with keeping a buck. I have done it both ways and having your own buck is much better.
Mine do not smell at all when they are not in rut. They are all gentle and friendly.

[HaysFarm]

Good bucks are hard to come by i've heard.
We have been looking and have found 2 that we like and both come from good milkers.
All right then, So it would be a good move to go a head and buy our own buck. And to find him a buddy.
Thank you everyone for your info and your thoughts. Guess i just needed someone else to tell me ya it's ok,,lol

[Jcran]

I have a boer buck that I paid moocho dollares for, but got it all back through outside breedings (TarzanPipes son); he is humongous, gorgeous, stinky and sweet. HOWEVER, he is an uncut male with horns. I would NEVER, EVER, EVER take his disposition for granted. My 7 1/2 year old daughter is not ever allowed in his pen, for any reason. I never turn my back on him, figuratively or literally. I have had good friends have terrible accidents with their breeding sires (goats, cattle, horses) when they got sloppy. That being said, I love having a buck on the place and the scent isn't so bad. It's really only noticeable through the Fall. He is just now starting to get stinky and will probably start to "hit his stride" in August.

[Mary Cody]

I have my own ND buck and he is so handsome and gentle, I just love him! I have 5 does and 1 wether. I have done the rent and borrow a buck, driven 1-1/2 hours for breeding, and am happy to have my own buck. Bello is very neat in his appearance and I don't mind the smell at all.

[PygmyLover]

I can't have my own buck because of where I live, and my parents said no. but when I rented two bucks (different times) they were very well behaved. Both boys are brothers and where bottle kids. They love attention and didn't seem to notice that I didn't want to get all stinky before work!

I have had bucks (oberhasli bucks) at my place before and they were the same way. Be sure to check out the buck before you get him and see how he is handled and how he acts around people. You want one that respects you.

[HaysFarm]

Theres a lady not far from us. that has a Oberhasli buck he's about 2 weeks old now. But shes asking 25$ for him. Cause he's from late in the season. His breeding is from show and milking stock. Very sweet little guy. She usely sells her bucks for 250 to 500 each, so this is a really good op if this is the way we want to go for next year.But i didn't know if Oberhasli is the way to go, But being that i have X breeds ( all very good girls, and love them all) Does it really matter the breed of the buck as long as the size is right?