? for Breeders

[outofmire]

I would like to learn more about breeding, showing, testing, etc. What are some of the things I can do to start learning more. I plan to attend some shows soon, but what are some things I can do to learn more while I'm there? Are there any newletters or email groups I can join? Where can I learn more about breeding for productivity in a dairy animal? I know there are a couple of books out there, and shows. Will that give me the info I need. Of course, I understand experience is the key; I'm just trying to find out some of the best ways to go about getting that experience.

Thanks,

[moosemaniac]

Start with the American Dairy Goat Association and go from there.

http://www.adga.org/

Ruth

[AnnaS]

Contact and/or join one of the dairy goat clubs- there's a list of ones at the ADGA website. Go to any conferences they have. Play around on the Adgagenetics website. It has all available type and production numbers for all registered goats. There is info. explaining what the numbers mean, and where they come from. Really useful for breeding if there are linear evaluations available. You can see what kind of daughters a buck makes, and how preponent his is on different traits.

AIPL (can't remember what it stands for, just google it) is where all the DHIA milk numbers end up. Also has Elite Doe and Buck lists. If you are planning on a production focus, spend some time here. You can learn what show animals don't milk well, and what individuals in a certain herd are more productive than their herd mates under the same management. You can also see what lines milk for years and which are done in 2... all kinds of good stuff.

There are Yahoo groups for the different breeds- ToggTalk and AlpineTalk that I know of. There are groups for the different ADGA districts but they seem to be more politics and not much goat.

"Dairy Goat Judging Techniques" is a really useful book. So is the Bio-Genetics AI catalog.

When you're at the shows, make your own placings and then listen to the judge's reasons. There will probably be someone sitting next to you who will be glad to tell you what's going on. Goat people are pretty friendly!

I've just been in goats 2 years but have learned a lot from these sources. Good luck!

[okgoatgal2]

i see your sig line says in ark-there's at least one strong dairy goat club in ark...um...adga can give you contact info. many of those people are quite willing to help new folks-some aren't....you know how people are.

[outofmire]

Thanks for the responses... They sound like great ideas!