Goat breeding

Hi,

So, my fiancee's house is almost sold. When it sells, we put a down payment on the land we want, pay off all of our debts (both of our debts), except my house.

We are buying 1 pregnant Alpine goat from a goat farmer near where we live in Alberta, to cross with the Oberhasli goats we are picking up from Vancouver Island in Spring 2022.

A lot of line breeding happens with Oberhasli goats, and probably happens to some other breeds of goats, and adding in an Alpine can strengthen the genetics. I know about this line breeding directly from the breeder of the 2 bucks I have arranged to purchase in March. I know that it is acceptable, and that the breeder I'm getting the does from, she does not believe in this method and thinks it weakens the breed. She buys and unrelated buck every few years so that she always has fresh "blood".

My question is: Is anyone else breeding milking goats? What breeds? Are you at all concerned about line breeding, and if so, what do you do instead? Why did you choose the breed that you have?

I chose Oberhasli for their milk, their docile nature, and the fact that there are such low numbers in Western Canada - I want to help contribute to their numbers.
I am buying two pregnant does (1 Alpine and 1 Oberhasli), plus another doe and her two doelings.
The lady I'm getting the Oberhasli does from is downsizing her herd and trying to set up the people who are buying her breeding stock with either instant milkers (the doe with her two doelings is being milked), and/or with pregnant does so there is instant growth.

I'm very excited about the goats! They are my favourite out of all the livestock we have planned to get, and the most firm of decisions. Chickens are the other most firm decision. Rabbits are a strong possibility - and Ducks - both of these will be food for our LGD. My fiancee and I don't eat meat very much. Mostly fish right now, and eggs. I am thinking we might eat chicken occasionally, when we control what the chickens eat and how they are slaughtered. Ducks too, perhaps.

So, I realize my post has turned into more than just about goats and sheep. I'm interested to hear about other people's experience with line breeding and goat choosing.

Hi Lana,
Welcome to the world of goats. :) It's enjoyable, entertaining and many other things.

We started with Lamanchas, mostly because that was our first goat. So we stick with that breed, mostly. Our goats are mini-lamanchas. That means they are blended nigerian dwarfs.
We have noticed that they are not seasonal breeders, like I had hoped. Sooo we don't keep a buck on the farm.

Any goat that is a low milk producer or gets out of fences often is sold. One goat needed constant dewormer, so we rehomed. We let the purchaser know. A family actually wanted the goat that needed constant dewormer because she was super friendly. to We strive to breed certain characteristics into our herd. Goattitude and milk supply are our biggest goals. :) If I have to trim hooves, CD&T vaccinate or other medical thing, I want goats that I can work with. Not goats that run away, challenge or headbutt me.

It might not be nice...we get a new billy each year. They stink, they might pee on you...or worse pee on me! haha A buck will test fences more often then does. We don't do line breeding. Mostly becasue we don't want unpleasant characteristics concentrated in the herd.

One day, I want to have a buck yard with two-three bucks that we can rotate yearly breeding for the optimal time of year.  For us in Western NC, March seems the ideal time for kidding. Being able to time the kidding and getting an exact due date would be amazingly less stress.

Depending on where you live, you may be able to lease a buck services.

Happy goating.

Sena said, "we get a new billy each year. They stink, they might pee on you...or worse pee on me! haha A buck will test fences more often then does.

When we had goats, I always preferred to use someone else buck for those reasons.

When we got a billy kid we sold it.