Tell me about this buck

[MaddieLynn]

If I had the oppurtunity to breed to this buck, what would you think?

Goat Detail: KASTDEMUR'S BLACKBEARD - L001484518 (PB Buck)

I have no clue how to interpret linear appraisal and such.

ETA: this one also?

http://adgagenetics.org/GoatDetail.a...ber=L001499540

[CaliannG]

FS means "Final Score". 83 trumps 77. I really like Blackbeard. Have you seen the udder on his dam? And his dam is a Superior Genetics too!

[MaddieLynn]

Ok, so 83 is better than 77. Is either good though? I mean, is one awful and one awful-er? Is it out of 100?

[CaliannG]

Linear Appraisal is based on comparing the animal to the PERFECT specimen of that breed, which does not exist. There are no 100's.

So, when looking at final scores, realize that Grand Champion, Superior Genetics, wow-those-bloodlines-are-awesome! goats that we would never, ever, barring a lottery win, ever begin to afford to buy, tend to score between 86-94.

This is a buck I am looking at for my herd:BIO-Genics, LTD ~ Mamm-Key Ti's Thingy

Look at his sire. The "SGCH" is the Superior Genetics and Championship. "SG" means that he has consistently scored high in his Linear Appraisals, AND his daughters put milk in the bucket. The "+*B" also tells you that his female forebears, and female offspring are not slouches in either the show ring or the milk parlor.

Underneath his name, with all those designations and accouterments, reading from right to left is: His ADGA number, the month-year of his last LA, his Final LA score, and and some scores (Very , Excellent, etc.). Look at the final score. Now look at the final scores of his Superior Genetics and Grand Champion ancestors.... the numbers range between 85 and 93.

In other words, between 85 and 93 lies some of the very, very best animals in the Alpine world.

77 isn't bad. 83 is pretty darn good.

[LoneStrChic23]

Are you in Texas??

I've seen Blackbeard in person, he's nice boy. At the time he was at Darla Jones' place (is he still?). She's the breeder of my boy Tonka..... If buying from Darla, you won't be sorry.... Nice herd, clean animals & HONEST. She'll be upfront on strengths & weaknesses in her herd & culls heavily....

[LoneStrChic23]

Also, I highly reccomend downloading the LA handbook:

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It not only explains everything, but it has lots of pictures so you can SEE what they are talking about..... I printed mine out & I often refer back to it when looking at scores.....

[MaddieLynn]

Yes, I'm in Texas. I'm not sure who currently owns him but he is for sale. The lady who is selling said that if she still has him in a month or so she'll be glad to arrange something.

ETA: just looked at the email again and he's still with Darla.

[LoneStrChic23]

I had heard he was for sale a while back, but didn't know if Darla had sold him & he was being resold..... Darla is great to work with and won't sugar coat anything just to make a sale. Not sure what you're needing in a buck, but you can ask Darla what to expect from him (what he corrects, bad traits he may throw) & she'll tell it to you straight.

Dunno if you're on FB, but Shawna from None Udder Dan has a pretty Lamancha buckling (ready to breed this fall) she's been trying to sell too (she needs space so maybe she'll cut a good deal just to get him placed?)...... You might also ask her if she has pics of her Blackbeard's daughters udder too..... I believe she still owns a daughter of his (she has a few animals from Darla).

Lynn at Dream Fire Farms also had some really nice bucklings listed (one of them was an AI baby out of One Oak Hill Mac Tumbleweed), and Melissa at Dreamy Delights has some older bucks listed.... One of her South Fork bucks is for sale last I saw on the FB Dairy goat group)...