Here's 'Hill Place Sparkplug's Chip' aka Chip. He's on the far right. Huck (painted twin) on the far left and Tommy (correct twin) in the middle. Tommy and Huck are 4 months old as of this week. Chip is 6 months old so he is slightly larger but not by much.
MollyD
Looks like a very well made, pretty buck. Good breeding stock?
one thing -I was told by the breeder I bought from that a healthy Boer should have dark blackish skin all around the anus. They are the color of Chip's when young and then darken at about 2 mos I believe. He looks really good, but have you had a health check done? One buck of ours got a YI from a loaner billy when young and he got pale in the back end.
I'm so sorry not to be saying something more upbeat but after all my own goat trauma I'm afraid not to.
FABULOUS MOLLYD! i know you have been waiting a while. he is a beaut!
Can't believe I missed this last night.. congrats on your new-comer..
When are they delivering your cow?
We are waiting for new stories.. how are the chicks.. and the "old" goats?
cow???!!! I MISSED SOMETHING?
you are so easy tf.. lol
LOL Tf no cow! Paul wanted to get some steers but I nixed that. After talking to a cattle farmer I think he is now persuaded that it's not a good idea under our current space.
grownut Chip is the son of the Downen Pipeline's Sparkplug. Sparkplug is the only ennobled Boer goat in the NE United States who's made it on the strength of how his progeny have done in goat shows. He's from champion stock all the way. He came with a written guarantee so no need for a health check. The goat farm he came from Hill Place Farm sells goats across the nation and to other countries. They rely on a sound reputation in order to do business. Yes I knew about the dark coloring under the tail. I've never heard of any goat loosing color under his tail from any disease. Only from lack of sunshine.
MollyD
Well guys, I'm a little old to start a goat ranch or farm. However here I am a very nubie, with two Nubian's of my own and two for a friend. I know I probably should not gotten myself into this but I do have an area of my little acre that is hard to take care of. So have it fenced off and made a shelter for them. and water. Of course I have found that they like the weeds better than grass. I have been tempting them with corn stalks from my garden, in order to get them used to me and to trust me. This is just day two, in this venture. Is there anything that I should not allow them to eat in the line of a supplement when winter comes a howling and kills off all the weeds and such that they like?
Russ
Welcome Russ.. and I haven't a clue.. I am way to new in the goat world (only a few weeks myself) to be of any help... But I can give you a warm welcome and let you know, no matter what the time of day or night, if you have a problen, somebody is usually here to lend a hand.
Glad to hear Molly. Like I said, he's a really pretty buck. With backup like that I'm sure it's fine. I was just afraid not to say anything because of what I had seen and heard. So many here are going for only paints - it's really good to see the 'correct' markings kept as breeding stock.
Enjoy!
Thanks grownut. I do have a paint buckling from a different line. Paul loves the paint but I'm more drawn to the correct form with a really dark brown head.
I found a little doeling today that I am going to buy. She's only 5 months old so she won't be ready to breed till next spring. She's for my new buck and she is a fullbred. She's half sister (same father) as my twin bucklings so she won't be for them.
randbponder would strongly advise you to visit the following goat pages for really great info:
http://fiascofarm.com/ (info on all goat subjects including what they should eat)
http://goatdairylibrary.org/
http://www.goatwisdom.com/
These three sites will give you a ton of goat info!
Welcome to the goat world and this forum!
MollyD
Hi Molly.....Congrats on your new buck! Did it seem like August would never get here? : )
Christy
Thanks MollyD; A little late tonight but will check them in the morning.
Russ
Here are just about 1/16 of this Springs Kids on my farm...
This message was edited Aug 12, 2008 12:56 AM
And here is 1/3 of the Upper pasture bunch at the barn for breeding...There are over 350 between here and on another 60 acre parcel of land...Mind you, these are not mine, but lease the barns and land from my farm...
They have just cleaned up at 3 county fairs, and the state one, and still have 2 to go...One of the Bucks cost $5K as a kid, and it's worth about $20 K now at age 2...I just love looking at them, and going down to the different pastures to see them all on my evening walks...
This message was edited Aug 12, 2008 12:59 AM
Dusty, you'll have me believing in the goat fairy next!!
I have been looking around for a herd buck for about a year now and have year to see one that suits my eye. Everybody around here seems to be going "paints" and I have some really good (not great but good) standard color does I want him for. I have one buck I love the look of who happens to be related to everybody and off limits. Oh well. Loving this thread and pics anyway.
Wow Dusty...look at them all! Goodness, it sure gives you a lot to look at. Am I right in guessing that the farm used to be used for cattle....maybe dairy? The high feed bunk and grated concrete are give aways......but I have to ask!
My DH has been saying for awhile now that if he had owned a goat before a cow first, we would have gotten into the dairy goat business instead of the dairy cow business. Yeah....hind site is 20/20. I bet the goats are a lot more fun to watch than cows!
Christy
someone here in Fritch is dispersing of her show goat herd... nice ones! any takers?
Boers? Bucks? CF?
Nanny Boers... details are on craigslist, she is a friend of mine, very picky about her goats. i will find it and post it here...
grownut a friend of mine has a buck for sale. He's a son of Hill Place Clancy, about 16 months old. Spitting image of his father. I didn't get him cause my does are his half sisters so that wouldn't work out.
The market here is a little sour so this buck is selling for $175. Jim ships. In fact he has Canadians buying his bucks sight unseen. His web page is http://cjhillfarm.com/. This buck is very mellow and easy to handle.
MollyD
I think he has some nice bucks here for sale as well...and yes, this used to be a 1000 acre dairy farm when it was started in 1874...It's down to 100 acres now...all in hay except for the upper pastures for the goats...
DustyDS can those goats be handled easily? These goats from CJ Hill are all very friendly and very tame. They're use to being touched and enjoy a good scratch. That is one complaint I have with my new buck. He's not use to human touch so you can't approach him easily. He's learning from the others to trust us but it's a chore best avoided if you can help it.
MollyD
Amen to that one Molly! Especially the bucks!
just now got to this. i think this is my friend Barbara, but honestly i dont' know her cell, only her home phone... i iwill call tomorrow to be sure...
"My son has decided he no longer wants to show goats at the stock show. I want to sell 5 high percentage boer does and 6 show prospect kids 3 male 3 female.Four of the does have been shown, one is a reserve grand breed goat. The sire of the kids has HBS National Reserve Champion and Son A' Hoss on his papers.Asking 100. each except the reserve grand higher. I will make a better deal if you take all. cell phone 806-886-8886 Thank you. "
Location: Fritch
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 787720133
Tf - I wish I could but I already have enough quality does and no male to put them to. Any money right now has to go to a sire. Molly though has a nice buck...
Thanks but Texas is a way bit too far to go for them ^_^ Can pay $500./doe and not pay as much as shipping or gas would cost to get those!
MollyD
Hey Grow...I'm sorry I didn't get back to you right away... I have had to be up at 3am the last 2 mornings, and haven't got home before 7pm...Just haven't been able to sit here without falling asleep...
If you want, I will ask Farmer D what bucks he has available for sale and the prices, and take pics for you...Urbana is only 15 miles north of Springfield on Hwy 68...I have not seen the Bucks over on the 60 acres...only the ones he has here at my barns...These are all very well kept goats and are used to being groomed for show...He has them tagged and registered..There are pures and percentages, and is very precise in his records...I know they won bunch of prizes in these last 3 Fairs they went to...Even that huge pure Buck went, and was easy to trailer, and groom...He has a magnificent beard!!! LOL
Thanks. I'd love to see. Molly sent some pretty pics through that link of hers but New York is a bit further than Ohio. I've been too busy myself to answer half the way I'd like too (sorry Molly, it just SEEMed like ingratitude). We have some award-winning bucks around here from that same Eggs-etc line but they are either almost blond or long and tall...being bred for things I don't want. I have a gorgeous buck myself (100% out of Oscar's lineage) but so're all my does. All mine are Hershey chocolate colors -milk, standard and Startrek Warp 1 (the buck) is dark chocolate.
Love them Goatees
This message was edited Aug 15, 2008 7:49 AM
grownut no problem. I know how life interferes with the computer ^_^ Have you looked into Max goats from Pennsylvania? They're renown around the country. He was at the show I attended a few weeks ago and had some of his spotted goats there. Not a color or pattern I care for personally. http://www.maxboergoats.com/index.html but maybe one of his more correct ones? He too ships plus since he goes to shows everywhere might bring one with him that was sold.
MollyD
Thanks again Molly! These definitely suit my eye! I'm with you on the paints: somehow when it gets that popular or prevalent it makes me want to dig in my heels and say NoNoNO.(big pout and humph). Things are a little tight here right now. I had hoped to breed all my does in September, but it doesn't look like I'll be able to make it unless I just find some easy loaner. There was a good goat sale that I wanted to take all my bucks to yesterday, but too many small inane tragedies to allow me to just cart off a load of goat, particularly when we've never sold before. Ahh,well...
Be careful on borrowing a buck. That's how most goat diseases are transmitted (like any SD among humans). You don't know what does he's been with or what they had (or what other bucks they've been exposed to) that he might have caught. That's why we ended up buying a buck. We wanted to avoid that issue. You might want to ask around about AI in your area. It's not that expensive unless you ask for the semen from a very choice buck. Most of these smaller outfits do the work for you so it's only a matter of giving your doe a shot of some stuff that brings them into heat at the right time for their 'appointment' with the AI person.
MollyD
We borrowed from the most reputable breeder in the area, so I don't think that was a problem. She had raised him and given him to a nephew to show, but the nephew couldn't keep him for a while after his parents divorced. The only other contact he(the billy) had was with very experienced breeders in the area.
There are a couple of very nice outfits here doing AI but I don't like their bucks. We use the same vet, though and I might be able to get help there, although I would still have trouble diversifying after. I don't want a big herd, just 6-8 does and a good buck.
With AI you should have access to bucks from across the country not just what is owned by the people doing the AI. In fact you can buy semen directly from the buck's owners in some case. Good bucks average $100./tube. Prices go up or down from there depending on the buck.
I would still be leery of using a borrowed buck. What one experienced breeder considers safe another would consider dangerous. It's risky.
MollyD
I'm probably missing an obvious point here, but by those standards any proven buck not born into my herd and previously tested would be a 'borrowed buck', coming into the herd with outsider experiences? I went to the most highly recommended breeder in my county and got does, and then through her again to find a buck so that I would not have to commit to raising goats until I was sure I wanted to continue. Now that I am, I need a good stud of different bloodlines.
My idea for Claire was that, since she probably would not want to be constantly breeding, but only the minimum to maintain milk production at most, that she has time to locate a good breeder or owner to help her out or establish a relationship with on the few occasions she may want to breed her does. The dangers of breeding are inherent, but I think much greater in a large herd. S'pose AI would be a possibility and limit cross-contamination.
For the purpose of maintaining a healthy diversity of bloodline I want to find a herd buck not related to any of my does, which I can't do with AI as I won't have a herd large enough to support 2 bucks or not breeding the mother of whichever male I might keep.
This message was edited Aug 15, 2008 11:34 AM
grownut with AI you could continue to cross your does to sperm from unrelated males. You aren't limited to a one time use. In fact unlike owning your own buck you now would have access to mulitiple bucks so that you could change yearly who you crossed your does to. In my area there is no one to do AI. I looked into that first before considering buying a buck since now I'm limited to that one buck unless I buy another buck or finally find someone to do AI.
I bought a young buck who had never been exposed to a doe so he would not carry that particular risk. He is guaranteed to breed so if he proves infertile I can return him and either get my money back or another buck. If I had bought an older proven buck I would have insisted he be tested for the major goat diseases such as AI, CAE, etc. I would not accept a buck that tested positive for diseases such as these no matter how good the price cause eventually he would cost far more in vet bills for himself and any doe + kids he infected. Free is not always the best price! Btw buying a proven buck who has covered the does in one herd does not carry the same risk as a buck who has covered does from multiple herds since he has not been exposed to the same number of disease sources. Remember that it's not just the does but whatever other bucks the does owner may have exposed her to. She may be carrying a disease given to her by a buck who got it from a different doe who got it from another buck and so on. It's just like the 'free sex' indulged in before AIDS became prevalent.
Sorry to rant on but now that I've said my piece I'll drop it and everyone can do as they see fit with their does.
MollyD
Teeheehee. I've often thought that we expose our animals to free love in a way that we would never condone for people.
This buck had only 'proven' himself once and originated from the same herd stock. I guess the main thing to take from our collective(if you'll include me) rant
is that anything not AI is cross-contamination and should be carefully monitored for the health of any herd? I was assuming natural would be preferable (ahh, the human perspective) and it never occurred to me to eliminate it altogether: ). And "Beware the Promiscuous Billy" is a good thought.
Is there a billy that's not? LOL ; )
This message was edited Aug 15, 2008 4:45 PM
the one that sings, "don't fence me in"...
LOL
