Keeping a buck just for stud fees?

[Cygnet]

Has anyone ever done this?

I have a very nice, very loudly marked, conformationally sound Nigerian buckling from a mother who appears purebred (and is very nice with a lovely udder) but no idea on her history or pedigree. His father's registerable, and very nice. I really need to send those papers in one of these days ...

I've had a couple people inquire about breeding their mutt-whatever goats to the father. He's my herd buck and I'm not inclined to risk him contracting something from a strange doe. Quite frankly, most people around here have very poor quality goats and CL is absolutely rampant.

I'm tempted to offer the buckling for stud service and keep him segregated from the rest of my herd. I would only breed him to goats which "look" healthy, of course. His eventual destiny is BBQ either way. (He is not a goat I would consider for a pet; he's not a "people goat" at all.)

Thoughts?

One $25 stud fee would pay the little guy's hay for a month ... he's only about 30 pounds at 6 months.

[Feral Nature]

Yes, people do that. But if a doe brings CL to your farm, even if the buck in question is kept away from your other goats and will eventually be butchered, your pen will be contaminated for years and years. With CL rampant, i would be picky about does coming on your place. It can be accidently spread to the rest of your farm via people or chickens or pets coming in contact with pus. So yes, you can make that little buck work for you and earn a living, but still be picky about his dates

[Lizzieag]

I would love to see a picture! Here is a pic of one of mine that I got this year. http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ag/Marvin2.jpg

[Cygnet]

Originally Posted by Lizzieag

I would love to see a picture! Here is a pic of one of mine that I got this year. http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ag/Marvin2.jpg

This is his father:

http://pics.livejournal.com/ljmouse/pic/0000752k/

He was about nine or ten months old in that pic. I know I need to take some conformation shots of both father and son. (And you wouldn't believe the number of people who ask me if his alpine wether buddy is his mother.)

I don't have any pics of the buckling at an age older than a few days. I should get some up -- he's a pretty boy. He's built like his dad, but has the same sort of black and brown spots as yours.

[HazyDay]

Originally Posted by Cygnet

This is his father:

http://pics.livejournal.com/ljmouse/pic/0000752k/

He was about nine or ten months old in that pic. I know I need to take some conformation shots of both father and son. (And you wouldn't believe the number of people who ask me if his alpine wether buddy is his mother.)

I don't have any pics of the buckling at an age older than a few days. I should get some up -- he's a pretty boy. He's built like his dad, but has the same sort of black and brown spots as yours.

hehehehe He makes that wether look like a HUGE 10 foot MONSTER!

[mygoat]

I dunno If I would do it... IF he contracts CL, it could be transmitted through manure clinging to your boots when you went from pen to pen, doing chores. Or through buckets, or through touching him, etc...

[Cygnet]

Originally Posted by HazyDay

hehehehe He makes that wether look like a HUGE 10 foot MONSTER!

I really should put a stick on Cowboy to find out how tall he is. He's a moose! I'm 5'6" and he can touch my jaw with his nose with all four feet on the ground.

It's probably a fortunate thing that he's a gentle giant. :-)

He's my pack goat -- I get asked all the time what kind of animal he is on the trail. People don't see "goat" a lot of times -- they see "small pony sized animal wearing a pack" and "goat" doesn't compute.

-- Leva

[MariaAZ]

I know absolutely nothing about goats (although I really would LOVE having a Nigerian or two if only the city would allow them!) Is artificial insemination an option? I'm just thinking that if someone is interested enough in the buck, AI might be an option to offer.