Guernsey

Pammielu · #1 05/26/09, 01:38 PM

I just talked to a lady that has two little wethers only one day old. She wants them gone by saturday or she is sending them to the stock barn. Any advice on this breed. I really didn't want bottle babies, but they are too cute and little to be put through a stock barn! $75 for both

TennesseeMama23 · #2 05/26/09, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pammielu

I just talked to a lady that has two little wethers only one day old. She wants them gone by saturday or she is sending them to the stock barn. Any advice on this breed. I really didn't want bottle babies, but they are too cute and little to be put through a stock barn! $75 for both

$75 is way more than they are worth at one day old. $75 is more reasonable for a pair that is 6 months old. Who wethers them at that age, anyway? If she sends them to the stockyard she wouldn't get $10 each for them. Offer her 20-25 bucks, if she says no just tell her you'll buy them at the sale if you really want them, lol.

goatsareus · #3 05/26/09, 01:58 PM

I think you answered your own question, you don't want bottle babies.

Are you sure they have been wethered at one day of age?

Of course they are cute, but that is no reason to buy them!

billooo2 · #4 05/26/09, 02:03 PM

Purebreds are very rare in the USA. Some breeders, I believe, are using imported semen to do AI on existing dairy breeds in order to 'establish" the breed here in the US. (Similar to what ADGA recognizes when somone starts with a grade goats and breeds for a certain number a generations to a registered buck, then they can have an "American" Alpine, Nubian, whatever.
Joan Stump used to breed some beautiful Alpines. She has switched to Golden Guesrnseys. She used GG on her Alpines does to begin with. I have not spoken with her for quite a while. At that time, she was starting the steps with ADGA to eventually have GG's recognized as an "official" breed. (A very long process.)
I will try to paste a link to some pics on her web site:
http://stumphollo.com/photos.htm

billooo2 · #5 05/26/09, 02:07 PM

I would not start into goats with bottle babies. They get sick too easily.......espcially if you do not have a supply of goat milk......not cow milk, or replacer. I have been told those options can work.........I will gladly let someone else do that.

Pammielu · #6 05/26/09, 02:32 PM

That's all I needed to hear. I knew they are not purebred, as I done some investigating on my own. But she did say born 5/25, first wormer and castrated. I thought that was a little soon.

So, how do I find me some HEALTHY wethers? I know for a fact that I can go to the flea market and buy me a couple, but the chances of them being sick is HUGE! These guys go to the stockbarn buy the goats and sell them at the flea market.

I hate the thought of a stock barn, but what's the chances of finding any healthy goats there?

TennesseeMama23 · #7 05/26/09, 03:01 PM

I bet she meant to say they were born 4/25.

Surely someone here has a couple of wethers that are close enough to you.

Pammielu · #8 05/26/09, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TennesseeMama23

I bet she meant to say they were born 4/25.

Surely someone here has a couple of wethers that are close enough to you.

That would be more reasonable in age.

Yeah, you would think there would be someone close. I can be in Tn or Va in less than 10 minutes and I live in KY. Someone out there with some cute little goaties??

Backfourty,MI. · #9 05/26/09, 04:41 PM

If I was just starting out I definately wouldn't take bottle babies. There are too many folks even here that have too many problems with bottle babies getting sick then dieing. I think if you keep looking & check the right places you'll find some, ask around at your local feed stores, mill's , TSC's, etc. I bet some of those places know people that have goats.

betsy h. · #10 05/26/09, 04:51 PM

HELLO PAMMILU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THAT"S ME - the wethers are $50 each, or $75 for the pair- we Guernsey breeders USUALLY sell these boys at ***$100*** EACH as 4-H projects, so snooze or lose. There are 15 British Goat Society Guernsey breeders in the US < two of them are on this board! > so if you want a rare breed, here's your chance.

NO- they were born 5/25- just before the big thunderstorm in Gatlinburg! I have several of Joan Stump's does- these boys' dam is of my breeding- a Willow Run Togg dam with beautiful udder, and S'Wind Pan. they are FB level. I am selling them them fast because they are males and I do not want to raise them. Some big breeders would knock them in the head or the like.

We DO NOT have CAE, CL, and test for TB/Bruc.- is that healthy enough for folks?

BTW- the stock yard here in Morriswtown sells bottle babies regularly for $50 each, regardless of breed- so don't go shouting out what you do not know about without talking to me 1st!!!!!!!

betsy h. · #11 05/26/09, 04:57 PM

BTW> MANY breeders wether early- like the Bible says, 'on the third day'. OR they can be brought back for wethering at one month- or whenever folks think I 'should be' doing my herdwork.

Yes, I guess you can tell I am not happy about this being brought here without Pammilu coming to me for info 1st!
***********************
I DID NOT say 1st wormer- I said 'baby shots'- C&D antitoxin for overeaters and Poly Serum for e.Coli, A. Pyogenes, and Pasturella, or other upper respiratory issues. If more folks used C&D at birth, there would be less clostridium issues and floppy kid in babies.

Pammielu · #12 05/26/09, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betsy h.

BTW> MANY breeders wether early- like the Bible says, 'on the third day'. OR they can be brought back for wethering at one month- or whenever folks think I 'should be' doing my herdwork.

Yes, I guess you can tell I am not happy about this being brought here without Pammilu coming to me for info 1st!
***********************
I DID NOT say 1st wormer- I said 'baby shots'- C&D antitoxin for overeaters and Poly Serum for e.Coli, A. Pyogenes, and Pasturella, or other upper respiratory issues. If more folks used C&D at birth, there would be less clostridium issues and floppy kid in babies.

I am sorry if this made you mad. I asked general questions about them. I am learning and have found this place very helpful in the past. I did not call you because I wanted to be 100% sure I wanted to make that commitment first. I wished I knew you were a member here, then I would have asked you directly. But I am very happy you are here to clear everything up. I put wormer by mistake, they happen. I had very little info to go on, and I apologize.

Freeholder · #13 05/26/09, 05:41 PM

It does concern me that these babies are being wethered so young. It probably wouldn't matter if they were going for meat, but it sounds like they are expected to go for pets (more or less). A male goat's urethra increases in diameter as the goat matures. When the buck is castrated, the diameter of the urethra ceases to increase, possibly leaving the wether more vulnerable to urinary calculi later on. I try to err on the side of caution with my buck kids, and wait until they are close to eight weeks old to castrate -- longer for bucklings who are definitely going to be used for pack goats. The wether I kept for my own packer didn't get castrated until he was sixteen months old (by the vet). A day or so old is WAY too young to be castrating, IMO.

Kathleen

chamoisee · #14 05/26/09, 06:25 PM

The question is, who wethers Golden Guernseys, a rare breed that is hardly represented in America?

Of course, as wethers their only value is for meat.

What a waste.

Pammielu · #15 05/26/09, 07:56 PM

The only thing I know is that I am wanting some wethers for pets only. I just want to give some little guys, that most ppl say are worthless, a good loving home forever. Still looking.

AnnaS · #16 05/26/09, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helianthus

The question is, who wethers Golden Guernseys, a rare breed that is hardly represented in America?

Maybe a person who is interested in maintaining the quality of the breed and not letting sub-par examples reproduce just because they are *RARE* in the US.

Pammielu · #17 05/26/09, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnaS

Maybe a person who is interested in maintaining the quality of the breed and not letting sub-par examples reproduce just because they are *RARE* in the US.

Good answer. And I do agree.

chamoisee · #18 05/26/09, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnaS

Maybe a person who is interested in maintaining the quality of the breed and not letting sub-par examples reproduce just because they are *RARE* in the US.

Perhaps, and if so, then I agree. My cynical, snotty opinion is that it is probably specifically to maintain the exclusivity and rarity of the breed. Can't pay $3000 for a GG buck? Fine, he's a wether. Of course, this is the breeder's right, but it makes me sad, and I've seen it happen with very good, hard to get bloodlines in not-rare breeds. One example I can think of was a Sodium Oaks Sasin grandson (and the dam placed in the Nationals, so the pedigree was sound on all sides) that was wethered for just that reason, and sold at auction. Breeder's right, but what a waste. I have seen it happen with does, too.

TennesseeMama23 · #19 05/27/09, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betsy h.

BTW- the stock yard here in Morriswtown sells bottle babies regularly for $50 each, regardless of breed

I need to find your stockyard and send some of mine there.

pokyone42 · #20 05/27/09, 02:42 PM

I wish you lived near us in New York state, Pammielu...
We have a bunch of very sweet, loving and GORGEOUS little 3 month old Boer cross wethers, that we would love to find homes for....and they all (shame on me) have names, too! Let's see... there is Lincoln, Uncle Floyd, Squareface, Frecklenose, Spaz, Stripe, etc...