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Last year my only milking doe gave me two doelings. I had them bred in the fall and this spring they kidded. I kept good records and one sister gave an average of a quart a day more than the other. But the low producer had a bit better conformation, slightly lower rump and better attached udder. I never would have guessed she would give less unless I had bred them both at the same time.
I'm a home milker and milk production is why I keep breeding. I have access to high quality show bucks to breed to and believe in breeding up each year. Both of these first fresheners gave me doelings. Is there any way to predict who will be the best milkers without having to breed a total of five does (one established milker and four doelings) this fall?
Since I am breeding up each year to a different really nice buck with good milk lines, am I hurting the long term milk production or health of the herd in any way by choosing to breed the daughters of the "not as nice looking but better producing" doe over the "nice looking but less milk" doe?
I'm a home milker and milk production is why I keep breeding. I have access to high quality show bucks to breed to and believe in breeding up each year. Both of these first fresheners gave me doelings. Is there any way to predict who will be the best milkers without having to breed a total of five does (one established milker and four doelings) this fall?
Since I am breeding up each year to a different really nice buck with good milk lines, am I hurting the long term milk production or health of the herd in any way by choosing to breed the daughters of the "not as nice looking but better producing" doe over the "nice looking but less milk" doe?