Buck shopping a year in advance LOL....any opinions?

So what I am considering doing is purchasing two bucklings from the best breeder I can afford and air shipping them...

Btw I think i have to buy two because I will have no other baby boys for one to be paired w/ and now that Miagyi is with Bliss I don't think I'd put another baby baby in there with him.

So I was hoping to discuss the pros and cons of some of these big herds )...with the caveat that we have this discussion with great integrity and when i say pros and cons I really mean for my preferences & purposes, NOT for the purpose of saying anything negative about any of these folks (which is what I mean by integrity)

I have a huge preference for weanling age dam raised babies, NOT bottle babies...so I have been sort of ruling out herds that do not dam raise. I am really interested in getting some really good milk genetics & don't care at all about show quality ect. IF they come in the same package great, if not I only care about what they can put in the pail and how physically sound & hardy they are.

Another big deal for me is that the whole herd is CAE, CL and Johnes tested neg at a minimum.

So far I have not been able to find a herd in the AGS top ten for milk that meets any of those preferences

But I have been looking at this farm:

http://www.fairleafarm.us/index.html

Any thoughts...any suggestions?

small world. I just happened upon that site - I emailed her and she responded very graciously. No arrogant airs - awesome. I saw Georgette on her site. ^^ agreed "very" nice people. I was "referring" to the lines of her goats - not any herd specifically. I first saw her buck "gator" aka Renegade - then I saw Jasmine the coat blew me away! then I saw she had Grand Champion two years in a row.

btw - I took on the chore of washing and trimming my teenage boys hoofs today - then when I had my doe on the stand tonight I took a look at hers - been putting it off cause it is never a good thing. I am sick over it - her back hoofs have always been really bad - I never trimmed them "enough" or often enough since I wasnt very successful. The mud has rubbed holes in the hoof between the heels - and the hoof wall was kind of separated from the hoof - it made me sick.... I have put down old composition roofing and thin sheets of plywood for them to walk on - it the pen under water? No. but the mud is clay and is very abrasive.... I have wood chips also but not good enough obviously. All I know to do is start washing their feet every day - figure night, when they will be doing less walking around, hoof guard for awhile... sick over it. ;/

Nicholas Windsor said:

Those are all amazing herds, but Algedi no longer breeds. This year was there last. Trilogy ranch has alot of there herd, there up in Cali. I can personally say the lady who owns the san genes goats is VERY nice. I had the opportunity to buy Georgette(listed in her website)and she was very nkce to talk to, exactly the kind of person I would like to buy from.

Replies

Marty December 12, 2012 at 10:28pm

I'm glad you talked about Jobi in TX. I called her this evening. (If you call her, call early afternoon, she goes to bed at 6:30 and gets up at 3 a.m.) We talked a bit about what I needed, and we're going to try to find a doe for me to purchase this spring. I'd rather pay more at this point for honest good milkers, than trust the ADGA star milkers. She felt bad for me that my doe only give 12 oz / day with 3 milkings. Totally NOT worth the trouble, except that I must have goat milk for my (human) kids, who can't have cow milk, and store goat milk is not yummy. My doe isn't producing much, but the milk is extremely delicious, easily the best tasting goat milk I've ever had. (Beats my old saanan and nubian hands down for flavor anyway)
Melissa Johnson December 12, 2012 at 7:35pm

there are goats on her site that have them as parents.

Margaret Langley said:

Melissa, sorry about the hooves. Don't feel like the only one. I am guilty of letting mine go and am fixing to have to face that too. Hoping I won't have problems. It is just such a battle with a few of them, that I really procrastinate.

Just wanted to tell you all that I checked out the photos of Gator and Jasmine and I agree with you guys, they are both very striking goats! I am curious if they happen to have the right qualities to be a mating pair also. If they are compatible mates they should have awesome kids!
Nicholas Windsor December 11, 2012 at 8:49pm

He caught my eye too!
Margaret Langley December 11, 2012 at 7:55pm

Thanks Nicholas, very nice indeed. I especially like that little boy "Doppi", a little bias on my part he looks a lot like my Sr. buck "Quill". I didn't get to see him at that age, but have pics from younger and considering how he has turned out I would have pictured him looking just like that at the same age. He too, has confirmation but is also the same coloring except I really didn't pay attention to if he has moonspots, which Quill does have. Anyways he is a very attractive little fellow. I don't blame them for keeping that one. Since my Quill has thrown some gorgeous moonspots his first season, I am hoping he will throw me one with them and the conformation to go with it.
Nicholas Windsor December 11, 2012 at 7:29pm

Margaret - Jasmine and Gator make beautiful babies. You can see a couple of there progeny on her website, Herimone and the little buck at the bottom of the page. Gator hasn't had any daughters freshen yet but she says they have been nice conformation wise.
Margaret Langley December 11, 2012 at 6:55pm

Melissa, sorry about the hooves. Don't feel like the only one. I am guilty of letting mine go and am fixing to have to face that too. Hoping I won't have problems. It is just such a battle with a few of them, that I really procrastinate.

Just wanted to tell you all that I checked out the photos of Gator and Jasmine and I agree with you guys, they are both very striking goats! I am curious if they happen to have the right qualities to be a mating pair also. If they are compatible mates they should have awesome kids!
Melissa Johnson December 9, 2012 at 10:55pm

small world. I just happened upon that site - I emailed her and she responded very graciously. No arrogant airs - awesome. I saw Georgette on her site. ^^ agreed "very" nice people. I was "referring" to the lines of her goats - not any herd specifically. I first saw her buck "gator" aka Renegade - then I saw Jasmine the coat blew me away! then I saw she had Grand Champion two years in a row.

btw - I took on the chore of washing and trimming my teenage boys hoofs today - then when I had my doe on the stand tonight I took a look at hers - been putting it off cause it is never a good thing. I am sick over it - her back hoofs have always been really bad - I never trimmed them "enough" or often enough since I wasnt very successful. The mud has rubbed holes in the hoof between the heels - and the hoof wall was kind of separated from the hoof - it made me sick.... I have put down old composition roofing and thin sheets of plywood for them to walk on - it the pen under water? No. but the mud is clay and is very abrasive.... I have wood chips also but not good enough obviously. All I know to do is start washing their feet every day - figure night, when they will be doing less walking around, hoof guard for awhile... sick over it. ;/

Nicholas Windsor said:

Those are all amazing herds, but Algedi no longer breeds. This year was there last. Trilogy ranch has alot of there herd, there up in Cali. I can personally say the lady who owns the san genes goats is VERY nice. I had the opportunity to buy Georgette(listed in her website)and she was very nkce to talk to, exactly the kind of person I would like to buy from.
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres December 9, 2012 at 2:45pm

I was just pointing out that the farm you linked to has Pholia lines in it too! They are really great goats. One day, I will afford one. :)

Rachel Whetzel said:

I did! :) Very nice.

Melissa Johnson said:

did you check out that site I listed? sansgenegoats?? look at that black doe Jasmine and the buck "gator" ish! I have been drooling over those two goats since last night...... lol
Nicholas Windsor December 9, 2012 at 3:23am

Those are all amazing herds, but Algedi no longer breeds. This year was there last. Trilogy ranch has alot of there herd, there up in Cali. I can personally say the lady who owns the san genes goats is VERY nice. I had the opportunity to buy Georgette(listed in her website)and she was very nkce to talk to, exactly the kind of person I would like to buy from.
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres December 9, 2012 at 2:40am

I did! :) Very nice.

Melissa Johnson said:

did you check out that site I listed? sansgenegoats?? look at that black doe Jasmine and the buck "gator" ish! I have been drooling over those two goats since last night...... lol

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