You know you're a Saanen owner when....

mpete · #1 08/28/12, 11:09 AM

you know your doe by the udder:

I was calling a doe by one name all morning, then upon getting her on the milk stand discovered it was another doe!

andabigmac · #2 08/28/12, 11:57 AM

That was one of the reasons I didn't go with Saanens. Skwiss had babies and I couldn't tell them apart. One had a little freckle on her eyelid but I had to be right on top of them to see it. They either shared that freckle or their brain too because their personalities would switch back and forth on a daily basis. One day one would be sweet and then the next be crazy and vice versa. So their personalities wouldn't even give hints. I don't have a problem telling my Saanens apart now because I only have Skwiss.

Cannon_Farms · #3 08/28/12, 12:44 PM

It took me a while before i could feel comfortable taking the collars off mind, one is heavier bones, one had scurs one was just prettier two i couldn't tell till i sen udders

mary,tx · #4 08/28/12, 12:50 PM

I brought home two Saanen buck kids in February, and couldn't tell them apart at first. Now I can. Unfortunately, though, my Nubian does were NOT impressed with them.

I finally brought home two same-age Nubian bucks, and they all came in to heat and were ready to breed the next week.

The Saanens are destined for sale.

One of the things I love about Nubians is that they do come in all colors, and you never know what you're going to get.

saanengirl · #5 08/28/12, 01:01 PM

You know you're a Saanen owner when:
1. The milk doesn't fit in the bucket.
2. Writing descriptions when filling out registration applications is very easy (either white or white; wattles)
3. Your adult milkers never even attempt to get out of the fence, even when the horse has knocked it half-way down.
4. You have a waiting list of people who want to buy milkers from you.
5. Your yearlings stand still on the milk stand from day 1.
6. Your bucks are the size of ponies.
7. Your does come into milk whether they are bred or not.

DamnearaFarm · #6 08/28/12, 01:43 PM

8. You know that shelter under all circumstances is vital. Being made of sugar, they melt in the rain SUPER easily.
9. Not much talking going on at all in barn so you know if you hear them and it's NOT feeding time, there's a good reason.

gunsmithgirl · #7 08/28/12, 05:38 PM

Funny! I got my first Saanen this summer, I imagine that having 2 or more would be hard to tell them apart.

mary,tx · #8 08/28/12, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saanengirl

You know you're a Saanen owner when:

3. Your adult milkers never even attempt to get out of the fence, even when the horse has knocked it half-way down.
.

Wondering what that would be like. My Nubians got out this morning through a chain link drive-through gate that I had wired shut. They just pushed at the bottom and made themselves a little space to duck through, below the latch.

CaliannG · #9 08/28/12, 06:25 PM

My Alpines are close to the same. If the gate is wide open, Yaiza will step cautiously through and peer outside. She is bravest of them. They really don't like going off property; there are monsters in them there hills.

My Mini-Nubians, however, would happily push their way through the Gate of the Abyss if they thought there was a bush over there that they hadn't tasted yet.

Cyngbaeld · #10 08/28/12, 10:32 PM

Even my largest does will skin under the fence in the least depression the dogs have made. Funny they can't get back in the same way. They have a 3 acre, overgrown paddock, but they are sure the weeds on the OUTSIDE of the fence are MUCH tastier than the same species INSIDE the fence. Mine will wade a torrent (I've seen them do it) to reach the other side because that MUST be better tasting than this.

I do love all the different colors and the LaManchas are easily trained to the stand. Mine milk thru also.

copperpennykids · #11 08/28/12, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saanengirl

You know you're a Saanen owner when:
1. The milk doesn't fit in the bucket.
2. Writing descriptions when filling out registration applications is very easy (either white or white; wattles)
3. Your adult milkers never even attempt to get out of the fence, even when the horse has knocked it half-way down.
4. You have a waiting list of people who want to buy milkers from you.
5. Your yearlings stand still on the milk stand from day 1.
6. Your bucks are the size of ponies.
7. Your does come into milk whether they are bred or not.

Ain't it the truth! But I also have to look at udders to tell some of the girls apart - more distinctive than faces, especially relatives.

Ditto on #2.

8. They have an incredible will to milk. It is their job and they love it.

Cheribelle · #12 08/28/12, 10:50 PM

Ruby has the red collar on, Marsha has the wattles

ani's ark · #13 09/03/12, 02:18 AM

I took Salma to run with her old hill-farmed herd with their new buck. When I dropped her off I thought could easily tell which one she was becuase she was whitest from all the pampering, grooming and indoor straw bedding. I went to get her 2 weeks later and couldnt pick her from the herd even at 10 yards off. And she's my pet! When I got closer I could see her horn ridges and her udder better, plus she ran straight to me to see if I had banana while the others hung back. But I've gotta admit they all looked the same.

She's my sweet home milker, placid and quiet, no problem to fence. Will I buy more saanens? Yes. Personality plus? No.

Her AlpineX kid was big as a house, pushy and hyper, noisy and an all round nuisance. But he DID make a wonderful roast! I think I'm a Saanen girl too...

Zilli · #14 09/03/12, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saanengirl

You know you're a Saanen owner when:
1. The milk doesn't fit in the bucket.
2. Writing descriptions when filling out registration applications is very easy (either white or white; wattles)
3. Your adult milkers never even attempt to get out of the fence, even when the horse has knocked it half-way down.
4. You have a waiting list of people who want to buy milkers from you.
5. Your yearlings stand still on the milk stand from day 1.
6. Your bucks are the size of ponies.
7. Your does come into milk whether they are bred or not.

I especially like #5.

My yearling will be bred this fall/winter for the first time but she jumps up on the stand and lets me do everything to her that I will do to her when I actually milk her. She had that precocious udder thing and I milked her out a few times and she acted like a pro. She had absolutely no problem with it and I am excited about doing it for real next spring.

The thing is, though, is that she is only half Saanen (mom's LaMancha). And while I know there are people here who swear by their LaManchas' personalities, and while the two LM does that I have are very sweet and they follow me around and want to be petted, they just aren't cuddly. My LM/Saanen doeling literally cuddles with me - rubs her face against mine and is so calm and patient and will "cuddle" with me as long as I want to stay out there and let her. And the two LM/Saanen babies from this year (full siblings to the older doeling) are the same way.

I just have to believe that the Saanen half of them is the cuddly half.

I used to think that having an all white herd would be boring.......until I got my first Saanens years ago and I flat out fell in love with their personalities.

CaliannG · #15 09/03/12, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zilla

And while I know there are people here who swear by their LaManchas' personalities, and while the two LM does that I have are very sweet and they follow me around and want to be petted, they just aren't cuddly. My LM/Saanen doeling literally cuddles with me - rubs her face against mine and is so calm and patient and will "cuddle" with me as long as I want to stay out there and let her.

This is what I love about my Alpines. I have friends who have Lamanchas, and yes, they are standing ON the fence to get pets and scratches, and my friends tease me about my "mean, stand-offish, aloof Alpines"... which are crowded at the gate (with one of them standing on the fence) to see me....

But my big, course-conformation, Alpine doe, Yaiza, will come up to me in the pasture and lay her head in my lap...and Lulu will tuck her nose under my arm, and Cypress leans against my leg and looks up at me with those eyes, and Princess curls up at my feet, and Nipper, if I am sittng down, lays her head across my shoulder.

Even Bamboo, with all of her male hormones, has to come up for hugs and cuddles once in a while.

Nothing really pushy. Nothing in your face. Just soft, quiet affection.

Yeah, I'll take my aloof, stand-offish, mean 'ol Alpines.

eclipchic · #16 09/03/12, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary,tx

Wondering what that would be like. My Nubians got out this morning through a chain link drive-through gate that I had wired shut. They just pushed at the bottom and made themselves a little space to duck through, below the latch.

too bad this rule doesn't go for Saanen wethers. Lucky us, he's a big sweetie and easy to catch

Zilli · #17 09/03/12, 10:38 PM

Well, my above-mentioned "cuddly" Zoey is now on my you-know-what list.

I just went outside and she was standing in my driveway, awfully close to where I have my new asparagus planted at the edge of the garden.

Ack! This is the second time within the last week that she has done this and I have no idea how or where she is getting out or how she is getting past the two strands of hot wire inside the woven wire!

This is not good!

She's such a sweetheart in every other way, but this makes me very, very angry, which then makes me feel very guilty because she is so perfect in every other way.

She doesn't even seem to understand that she's done anything wrong - she just stands there, looking like she's happy to see me. And so far, at least, she hasn't shown any interest in my new fruit trees or berry bushes.

So far.........

CaliannG · #18 09/03/12, 11:21 PM

My hermaphrodite Alpine stands 32" at the withers. A BIG girl, and she is still growing!

On one side of the corral, where it meets the barn, there is a section of chain-link panel. There used to be a gate there, but I got tired of repairing the dang thing, so I just replaced it with a 6' section of dog kennel. The kind with the tubes to provide solid edges, yanno?

At the bottom of this section is a small gap where the aluminium ties came loose. It is, perhaps, 2' wide and the gap is perhaps 4-5"...yes INCHES.

And just yesterday, I saw that 32" tall, *muscular* Alpine wiggle her (his?) way under that gap.

5 INCHES.......... And until I saw that, I didn't even KNOW the ties had come loose.

The old saying is that if it won't hold water, it won't hold goats.....

LoneStrChic23 · #19 09/04/12, 11:59 AM

Caliann, what is an aloof, stand offish Alpine????!!!!! I've literally grown up with Alpines..... I've had a few who were horrible bullies to other goats (culled), but never one who was aloof with people....

I think generalizations never work.......4 of my 5 Alpines are leaners & huggers...... 1 likes scratches & loves to be talked to, but isn't big on hugs & snuggles. 3 of my 4 Lamanchas are hugging, snuggling love bugs.... 1 just loves to walk with you, stand by you & will occasionally lean a lil so you can scratch the right spot...

My 1 Nubian is the QUIETEST, most laid back, undemanding goat on the property! How's that for not during a breed stereotype??!

The loudest diva title goes to one of my Alpine doelings.. She talks loud & expects everyone around to stop what they are doing to go tend to her.... Ignoring her demands is helping, but she pouts about it

One of the meanest, most annoying goats I've ever owned was an adorable Nigerian! (only one I've ever met like that)....

Love Saanens.....Almost every Saanen I've met has been a big sweetie.... Wanted Sables.... All the good stuff, but in color

......Alas, couldn't get nice enough breeding stock, & truly I don't NEED another breed

Zilli · #20 09/04/12, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliannG

My hermaphrodite Alpine stands 32" at the withers. A BIG girl, and she is still growing!

On one side of the corral, where it meets the barn, there is a section of chain-link panel. There used to be a gate there, but I got tired of repairing the dang thing, so I just replaced it with a 6' section of dog kennel. The kind with the tubes to provide solid edges, yanno?

At the bottom of this section is a small gap where the aluminium ties came loose. It is, perhaps, 2' wide and the gap is perhaps 4-5"...yes INCHES.

And just yesterday, I saw that 32" tall, *muscular* Alpine wiggle her (his?) way under that gap.

5 INCHES.......... And until I saw that, I didn't even KNOW the ties had come loose.

The old saying is that if it won't hold water, it won't hold goats.....

Well, when I found her out last night, it was almost dark. I did a quick check on my fruit trees and a few of my berry bushes and they looked ok and then I checked my fencing (without finding the trouble).

Unfortunately, in the light of day, I now see where she did a bit of a number on one of my new elderberry bushes. Not a lot of damage and I'm sure it will recover just fine - but still.

I'll be paying close attention today, watching to see if she spends more time at any one spot along the fence line than anywhere else. Because I'm just not seeing anything.........