THREE more bucklings!

PrettyPaisley · #1 07/26/12, 12:57 PM

UGH!

What am I doing wrong here? Is there some sort of science that says if a goat is more alkaline or acidic they will have one gender vs another? If so, what can I change?

Why do we have so many bucks being born and so few does? I guess I shouldn't complain; I'm about at max capacity with goats right now-but it's still so disappointing to check and see that we didn't have a doe!

April · #2 07/26/12, 01:00 PM

We had a buck year too. We should compile theories to encourage doe births and start testing them. We'd at least feel like we're doing something!

wolffeathers · #3 07/26/12, 01:05 PM

Add "breed for doe-producing bucks" to the list of what to selectively breed for. *giggle*

I wonder if breeders kept track of how many doelings vs bucklings a buck produced that you could select bucks that produced more doe-producing qualities. Since it is the male's contribution that determines girl or boy. Obviously you wouldn't want to take it so far that you eliminated buckling production, but it wouldn't hurt to slow it down.

julieq · #4 07/26/12, 01:26 PM

The last two years have been heavy on the doeling side for us, no idea why. As we're trying to rebuild our herd at this time, it's really been of great help!

Not sure how it's going to work out with a couple of older does who we need bucklings out of though...

andabigmac · #5 07/26/12, 02:04 PM

Um...Congrats on the healthy boys? Meat is good too and now you can make your rennet. I've heard that male sperm swim faster so maybe if you stand the doe on her head after breeding the gravity will pull the female sperm down so it can catch up?
I'm sorry about your buckling season. If it helps you could have had mine. I only had three does get pregnant. One doeling has a spur teat, one healthy mutt buckling, and one was premature. Try looking on the bright side sweetie. You can try again next spring.

farmmom · #6 07/26/12, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolffeathers

Add "breed for doe-producing bucks" to the list of what to selectively breed for. *giggle*

I wonder if breeders kept track of how many doelings vs bucklings a buck produced that you could select bucks that produced more doe-producing qualities. Since it is the male's contribution that determines girl or boy. Obviously you wouldn't want to take it so far that you eliminated buckling production, but it wouldn't hurt to slow it down.

I bought a buck that had produced 80% bucks, I got well over 50% does from him, so I'm not sure that theory works either.

April · #7 07/26/12, 03:15 PM

I've used the same buck for the last two years. 2011 I had 80% girls, 2012 I had 80% boys. I have to rule out the "doe producing buck" theory.

wolffeathers · #8 07/26/12, 03:29 PM

I was just pondering if it could not be selectively bred for over generations. It was mostly humorous musing.

Squeaky McMurdo · #9 07/26/12, 03:30 PM

Now there's an idea, The Shettle's Method for goats! LOL

I actually have that book and it worked for me getting a boy after 2 girls....but maybe that was because my husband stopped taking hot baths the day before and killing off all the boy swimmers.

So there ya go, give your buck a hot bath the day before

I'm sure he'll love it

PrettyPaisley · #10 07/26/12, 08:10 PM

That makes four this week. Four for four. Two more does to go. So far we've had 13 goats born from three different bucks and only three does. Jimminy Christmas. That is INSANE!

I was actually thinking there would be something with the does that was killing off all the girl swimmers. I know there is a theory on women conceiving female babies at certain times of their cycle-is it that female swimmers are slower but live longer, so if the egg isn't right there when the swimmers arrive the boy swimmers die off and the female ones are left to claim the prize? Or like I mentioned, a reproductive system that is more alkaline vs more acidic would kill off a particular gender swimmer? Especially in the case where one year you have a far larger number of one gender born over the other-could there be something in the browse or feed that causes the does to be more alkaline maybe?

Does that even make sense?

PrettyPaisley · #11 07/26/12, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andabigmac

Um...Congrats on the healthy boys? Meat is good too and now you can make your rennet. I've heard that male sperm swim faster so maybe if you stand the doe on her head after breeding the gravity will pull the female sperm down so it can catch up?
I'm sorry about your buckling season. If it helps you could have had mine. I only had three does get pregnant. One doeling has a spur teat, one healthy mutt buckling, and one was premature. Try looking on the bright side sweetie. You can try again next spring.

Thank you. Yes, I am looking forward to my real rennet. Eating them will be another thing altogether. I guess I could look into that. I need to learn to do that, too ... though the family will probably disown me if they find out.

Alice In TX/MO · #12 07/26/12, 08:21 PM

We had a buckling year, too.