I know that you all are trying to help with critiques and what not and I do understand that - but I wanted to bring a couple points out to share "my side" with everyone. I am by no way judging anyone or "upset" but I feel like now I must explain my “inability” to purchase the best of the best and that I am doing what I can with the budget, time, availability that I can that fit into my breeding schedule.
I am a working adult who works 40+hours a week. I also go to school full time for my Bachelor's degree (which is NOT easy). We have a total of 5 kids - 2 of which live with us full time. My work is 40 minutes from the ranch and hubbies is another 30-40 minutes from my work. We car pool which puts me at work 1-2 hours before my start time and up to 2 hours after I am off of work. Our children go to school near my husband's work - so if they have sports or whatever it is even longer – which means I have less time to go “searching” for a buck.
I have my goats as a hobby that I love. I have the veterinary background to handle most situations and feel that I do good with caring for the animals, although I am always learning from others on the boards as I am a constant learner in life.
However, I am not made of money, and my offspring are to help me offset the cost of the feed and care for them and for the horses and sheep (which we eat).
I have my goats for milk and pets mainly, as we trade for farm fresh eggs and other things for the milk, along with cooking with it for ourselves. Yes I have registered goats, but that is because for what I paid for them, I could not pass it up as I would have paid that for an unregistered. My minis sell a lot faster and easier then my larger goats, so this is where most of the cash is coming in.
Do I register everything born - NO. I only register what is worthy. I have not sold one goat as being registered - either because the owner didn't care about registration or they were not of the "quality" that I wanted my name on.
I do plan on one day showing, but I don't want to make an idiot out of myself either and want a goat that is "worthy" of showing. But, to get to that place, I have to have the genetics, the breeding quality, and the offspring to do that. I can not do that in the first year unless I pay top dollar along with shipping to start with the best. So I have to do what I can do with what I have available at the moment.
Although there are some beautiful bucks out there - it is not in my budget for when all is said and done to pay 500 and up for a buck. My family must come first. I just can't do it at this time. So I have to look at what is in the budget, what I am trying to improve, and work from there, as I imagine a lot of you had to do with your herd.
In all honesty, at this point, I feel very insufficient since I don't want to purchase a $500.00 buck. I feel like I am a "poor" breeder or looked down upon because of this - and I don't think it was ever meant that way - but in honesty that is how I am feeling.
I think that what I am doing by searching, looking hard, and knowing what I want and what I can comfortable do, I will find what I am looking for that will help in at least one area that I am trying to improve. But please remember that not everyone has the ability to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on a buck. Whether that be the purchase price alone or the gas, shipping, and time to pick up the buck – that must be figured in also.
Just voicing my feelings.