QUIT SELLING CULL ANIMALS!!
It has been a ROUGH year, and each time I think that will be enough - it isn't and something else happens. I have been trying to close my herd for years - and always end up having something happen to prevent that. Closing my herd means not bringing in any new goats for a LONG time. This year I started out driving all the way to Green Bay to pick up a buck that was unrelated to all my does- especially my best milker who cannot be bred to any other buck I own. We get him home and the breeder re-burned his head due to scurs and either he was born this way and she said nothing, or she literally burned his brains, but regardless he was mentally retarded. I have never seen a goat with brain damage before and hope to never again. We finally had to just put him down. Of course the breeder took no responsibility and blamed me for her brain damaged goat (saying he wasn't brain damaged even though I proved he was). So out my buck I needed and out hundreds of dollars and time travelling and time and money trying to help him. Then we thought we found a perfect buck for us and drove almost to MT. I didn't even think of asking height as he is dual registered and he should not be sold if over height (or atleast without a notation). Spent over $1000 on him with gas, disease testing, etc and he is pretty much worthless to me!! Again, the breeder said "I don't see what the big deal is" and refused to refund any money at all on him!!! It is a HUGE deal. He cannot be shown and I would NEVER pay that amount of money for a buck that cannot be shown (who would??), it effects LA scores, overheight does I may retain cannot get certian milk awards, and the kids are worth less! It is a HUGE deal. He is basically worthless to me! I did breed him to acouple shorter does but all bucks will be wethered and if we sell any girls it will be noted that the sire is over height. So if that isn't bad enough, then I find out my best milker has a defect that was passed to her kids, unseen, and then her grandkids, unseen until this fall. I will receive no money back for this loss from the original breeder as she does not guarentee offspring (more on this later). This was something unseen that could not be prevented. Regardless, this has caused me to loose 1/3rd of my herd including my best milker. I also contacted all buyers of the doe and her kids and either refunded them or gave them options to replace with other animals. This costs me well over a thousand dollars. I am literally out thousands this year because of the almost all boy kids and then this. I did this because I felt bad, even though it was nothing I did, and even though I too do not guarentee animals (no breeder can - more on that below), and even though I didn't have to, but because I have had it happen to me PURPOSELY multiple times. What I wish for is more honest breedres. So many breeders sell less then stellar animals or animals that should be culled and then take no responsibility for the sale of those animals. If you think the buck issues are a first time this has happened, you are mistaken. I bought a buck once that had seizures. She did return him though, but I saw a video later of the dam having seizures - it was genetic but yet she was selling bucks out of her. The doe should have been sold as a pet or culled. I drove all the way to MT/ND for some goats. My friend also purchased from the same breeder. My friend bought a doe and doeling and I bought the buckling. All three had horrible skin issues and immune issues. I only saw the buckling and he looked fine at pick up. I didn't know about his dam and sister until later the next spring. Unfortunately, I bred that buck to almost my entire herd, and THEN he started having issues and was culled when we found out his sister and dam were having the same problems. Half his kids (also his dam & sisters kids) died within a week of birth - all the rest were culled from our herd. There is no way the breeder did not know before selling. Why sell a buck out of a chronically sick doe?! How much money did I get back? None. Same trip purchased a doe who got staph horrible every time she kid and spread it to all her kids like nothing you have ever seen. She has been culled and kids were culled, pets, or unregistered. Another came in milk - and mastitus - a friend of mine didn't care and purchased her shortly after. There is NO WAY these breeders didn't know. But this leads to another point, there ARE genetic health issues in animals that cannot be prevented. There are genetic defects that happen - just like with every other species. A breeder cannot be held responsible for an issue that is unseen. When you knowingly have a goat with siezures - you should not sell offspring regardless of how "perfect" that goat is. If you have a goat with skin and immune issues - don't keep breeding it and sell the offspring to unsuspecting buyers. Be honest in your dealings! But things DO happen. I had NO WAY of knowing there were going to be any issues with the doe I purchased as she had already kidded at another farm and she kid the first time here without any seen issues. This is exactly why breeders cannot guarentee kids. We have no idea how two animals DNA will combine, or if there will be a mutation in the genes, or if there is some rescessive gene in there that could cause issues, or if the animal will be overheight or underheight - UNLESS WE KNOW THE PARENTS HAVE THESE ISSUES THERE IS NO GUARENTEE. You can have two perfectly wondeful goats but they just do not mix well together. Anyone that has bred any animal knows that happens. I work very hard culling goats that should not be bred even though it has cost me literally thousands of dollars over the years (just this year alone thousands :'( ). If I sell goats that have known issues then I let the buyers know those issues so they can make the decision if they still want them or not. It is very very difficult to find honest breeders out there and I will admit I am leary and don't have alot of trust when purchasing new animals any longer. Please, be one of the breeders that is trustworthy! Take the loss with an animal that is unhealthy and don't breed it or sell as a breeder. A registered adult goat that doesn't meet ADGA/AGS standards - cull it or make note to buyers of the issue. What is important on one farm isn't on another! The purpose is bettering the breed - NOT just the build, milk amount, etc, but HEALTH. That is the biggest priority on our farm is health - over everything else. I do not want my buyers to have the same issues I have had with cull goats so we strive hard, taking a loss, to make sure that we have healthy goats that are leaving our farm. Can I guarentee that health? No. How the animal is cared for can make a huge difference in the health of an animal but I do not breed unhealthy animals. Currently, there is ZERO animals on my farm that I have ever had to use commercial dewormers or antibiotics on. ZERO goats that have hoof issues. ZERO goats with crazy stuff like seizures, immune issues, skin issues. Can I guarentee free of genetic defects? NO! No one can! I do guarentee to be free of any SEEN genetic defect. With this though, I will be wethering the majority, if not all of my bucks this comming year since most are new, unless I am retaining them, or I have a specific request and it is out of a pairing I am comfortable selling offspring from (there are only two pairings for even a possibility of a buck).
A bunch of my herd is gone, what is next?!
That being said - since I lost 1/3 of my herd I still do need the milk. There is a disease free farm in western MT I have been looking at for awhile and decided to get my missing buck and replacement does from her. She was recommended to me by others so that is super encouraging! My friend is picking them up for me and should have them after Dec. 9th. My new buck from MT is from the amazing Sugar Moon lines. Seriously Elite, Superior Genetics, Top Ten, all through his sire's side! Very exciting indeed! Please check out their individual pages on my website: DOES BUCKS
New Does (Thanks to Krebs Dairy Farm, MT Rivendell, & Sand Ridge Dairy Goats for pictures and udder pictures)
New Bucks (Thanks to Krebs Dairy Farm, Sand Ridge Dairy Goats for pictures and udder pictures )
Can I close my herd now??!
Techincally I could, but I do want to bring in larger teat and better medials so I do have reservations for one more place this spring in OH. They have the the largest udders, teats, medials that I have ever seen in one place! I am hoping to bring in a buck or two and maybe a doe or two from that farm and then we will be closed. I am just EXPECTING these new animals to be amazing I am getting with no issues :) I know Krebs farm has a good reputation and that doesn't come about without selling quality animals. The other farm has some pricey animals and that doesn't come about without quaility stock - so there is hope! :)
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