I have two registered Nigerian does due to kid in May. I am considering keeping a buck from each doe, and using each buck to breed the other doe once the buckling is of age (over 8 months). Obviously I don't know if my does will actually kid in May and if there will be any bucklings. But supposing it happens. . . . My purpose in keeping bucklings is that I don't think I would ever put the $$$ into buying the bucks I expect these does to have. These does have some serious bloodlines and I expect their offspring to be of high quality. I won't sell any intact males as I don't want all the responsibilities of a breeder but I would like to have quality bucks to breed my does back to later without introducing new goats into the mix. My questions are, how troublesome are Nigi bucks? I intend to house the two together, away from my does. What are the fence height requirements? Will livestock panels with 4" x 4" openings be suitable? Is no-climb wire a must for their fencing? How big of a shed would they need? :help: Is this idea feasible or am I just asking for trouble? I haven't talked to my husband about this plan yet, but I do have a good idea about where to put the little buckies.
I have 3 bucks...housed together with Goat Panels..these are the 2x2 squares....They are 4' in height and I haven't had a jumper yet...though I did find out that 4 strands of hot wire will not keep them from my girls! My bucks are easy to handle...actually a bit too sweet! My pb reg nigi tongue flaps up my arm anytime I'm near him, his son is just a "need to be in my back pocket type boy" and my pygmy buck would rather be left alone...never had a "handling" problem with any of them. If your does have the lines behind them, then yes it would be a wise decision to keep a buck from each. The three I have are in a 5x12 foot shed and have an aproximate 50x75 pen.......they are "free browsed" when I'm off work and penned at nite
Are the does bred to the same buck? It wouldn't matter the first breeding year, but it would be something to think about because the offspring of the second breeding year would all be related in some way and you'd need to find new bucks. does that make sense? I would say the same set up for your does would work for the bucks.. the only time bucks really seem to be determined to get out is when their in rut and you have the does near.. You might need to get a wether if you only get one buck and don't want him with the does.
I think that plan sounds fairly reasonable. . . . Personally, I like to keep as few of bucks as possible. But that's just my wierd self. I'd love to have a big variety of bucks to choose from but do not like the pains of caring for them all. For example, if both accidently get out and then I don't know who bred who. That kind of problem. But like I said, that's just a personal quirk. Everyone is different and lots of people love their bucks! I do too, just prefer to have one, possibly two. I'm kind of curious to hear the bloodlines behind your girls. I always love looking at pedigrees, major goat nerd. (Where's the "nerd" smilie??) :roll: :shades:
Each doe is bred to a different buck. So I figure I can put a buck on the doe who's not his mama. The old saying I read on Fias Co Farms website: If it works it is called line breeding; if it doesn't work it is called inbreeding. And I wouldn't be able to keep a lone buck; maybe a pygmy wether or a nice brush goat wether. I don't know if the lines are well-known or all that special, but I bought the does from a dairy. The owner is older now but had spent decades showing, acquiring ribbons, and improving for milk. AGS registered. My Ginger: Sire: Jobi Morgan Damn: Jobi Cleome 5 My Spice: Sire: Same as they are sisters.
Those are quite nice bloodlines. Jobi is well-known for producing lovely dairy animals. So, you have some nice animals there! So, the breedings you'll be planning will be somewhat related? I think line-breeding is a good thing sometimes. I don't like the idea of breeding brother to sister though. I have a doe out of a half-brother, half-sister breeding (total accident!) she is pretty nice and her udder is coming in nicely but her shoulders are not good. Both her dam and sire have exceptional shoulders, so I have no doubt it's from the close line-breeding. It can bring out good traits but can also bring the bad ones up. . . . I would just be sure that both the doe and buck have the same, strong, good traits and not the same faults. Even though you're only selling for pets, I'm sure you still want quality animals. Better in the long run. . . .
When we raised ND's we housed the bucks together but now we raise Mini-Nubians and we secured the bottom of the fencing with 2X4's or 2X6's.
I originally only had one Nigi buckling. He was kept with the Pygora and the Cashmere bucklings when they were young. However, the bigger boys were too rough on him as they got older, so I had to move him to his own space, but he was next to the "girl pasture" so he didn't seem to mind. When I got my Tiny Town buckling (he was about 9 months old so not a little guy) I put them together...no issues at all...I was really surprised. Then, when the "buck kids" needed to be weaned I put them in with the bucks, to see if that would work. Again, no issues at all! They get along better then the girls! The only problem I have with the Nigerian bucks is they like to rub their nasty selves up against me when I'm visiting. But, really they are the least "bucky" of the bucks I've had.
My bucks have always lived together. Only on a rare occasion have I had to separate a buck and that's only been a mature buck who was here a short time for studding. Bucklings raised together usually do well together. I would think it would make more since to buy an unrelated buck and sell your bucklings. Now I do plan to keep a buckling myself this year and kept one last year but I have a lot of unrelated animals to cross him to. I can't see the point in 2 bucks with just 2 does. Seems like a lot to me. If you do decide to do it though, and they are both unrelated then it does sound like it could work. If you keep daughters as well then you would also have more to cross the other bucks to.
Silly question, but if both your buck and does are out of good bloodlines, and you get bucklings from these breedings - could you not sell (or trade) the bucklings for another unrelated buck with great genetics? Couldn't you sell them for what it would cost to get another buck which could service ALL your does? Would it be worth considering??
Thanks all. Sounds as if Nigi bucklings will be manageble, and I appreciate the tips like having the 2 x 4's at the bottom of the fence. As far as bloodlines, the seller suggested I keep a buck from these girls. I really don't want to get into the breeding business and my eventual plan is to have mainly brush goats as that's what we have a lot of around here. The bucklings would only be to keep the does fresh. If I could make an "equal" bloodline trade, I would be willing to do that. The bucks on theses does are Jobi Ace and Jobi Roscoe and I would be willing to trade one or two kids for a healthy buck. Because I don't plan on registering my offspring I am mainly interested in the health of the buck rather than the bloodlines. Now, of course, it could turn out that we love goat milk so much (I am not a milk drinker at all; yogurt and cheese, please!) or that I love having dairy animals so much that I could end up with a bunch of dairy goats, in which case bloodlines would be very important. I am hoping more will be revealed as the time becomes closer. But since I feel stranded down here with no other registered Nigis that I know of within 100 miles, I think keeping a buck & wether, or two bucks, to ensure I have quality kids is the way I want to go. These little guys sound like they will be reasonably easy to keep.
Sounds like you've got a plan! I just wanted to say - I feel you pain regarding feeling isolated. I have looked and looked for ND's closer to me, but the closest I have found is 4 hours away. Maybe we have just gotten on the ND boat a little earlier than everyone else, and they need to catch up. Good Luck!
