A nubie asked me a question

[Rockytopsis]

And I did not have the answer. He wanted opinions on a buckling that only has one testicle droped, otherwise the goat looks real good. The question was "would he be a good commerical buck?" I told him I did not know the answer but would post it and let him know what folks thought.

[waygr00vy]

I had a buckling with only one testicle dropped, cryptorchid I beleive its called. Of course the people who had a deposit on him wanted him for breeding! I checked around with a couple different vets. They said it will not effect how fertile/productive he is but it can be a genetic trait and passed on to offspring. However, it sometimes just happens and can have nothing to do with their genetics and wouldn't be passed on. The big issue is wethering a buck like that. My vet said it would be anywhere from $75 to $150 depending on how much digging they have to do to find that testicle. I ended up practically giving him away w/o papers as a pet as I couldn't guarentee he wouldn't pass it on.

[Rockytopsis]

That is kind of what I thought, but was just not sure. The buckling is wanted for a commerical meat herd and I guess as long as he passes on the meaty traits it really should not matter, but it would be next spring before the man has the answer for sure, if he does go ahead and use the buckling this fall.

Thanks
Nancy

[momtoseven]

I've actually been reading up on this subject, and everything that waygr00vy said is what I've been reading. One testicle dropped will mean he's still fertile but he may or may not pass on the trait.

Our little guy (Nigie) is a pet; neither of his testicles dropped (he's six months old) and we've been wondering about whether it would be a worth it to go ahead and have a vet remove them... he still has "urges" and bugs the girls but he won't be fertile.

[ozark_jewels]

I wouldn't use him. One of the things you look for in a breeding bull or buck is even, normal-looking testicles.
Sounds like a good candidate for the freezer.

[copperpennykids]

There are too many nice bucks out there to settle for one with only one testicle. There is a reason that there are breeding standards for these types of things, whether you are looking at dogs or cattle or goats.

Commercial herd shouldn't mean scrubs. A commercial herd really needs a good buck with excellent length of loin, muscling, good rate of gain, and plenty of milk to pass on to the does for future kids. A meat truck cull is not a good choice. Find another buck.

[Cloverbud]

Retained testicles can become cancerous. I wouldn't want the risk of cancer happening to one of my sires, and I wouldn't want the trait passed on to my meat animals. Animals with cancer don't gain weight, which is exactly the opposite of a farmer's goals. Is anti-profit a word?

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Even in meat herds you have to cull kids who do not belong in a breeding herd. I mean come on now! Keeping mouth faults now undestended testicles? As long as he/she can breed to you keep hemphrodites? Ok the last is a given they are quite the conversation piece!

Your attitude with your livestock has to be, you breed and sell the best and eat the rest. I wouldn't want my reputation out there that I sold this poor quality animal! Vicki

[DQ]

many meat herds need/want to wether their buck kids, if this is genetic that makes for some really expensive meat wethers!