By Sherri Talbot, Saffron & Honey Homestead
www.saffronandhoneyhomestead.com
When raising heritage animals there is a tendency to want to breed every animal for as many babies as possible. After all, they are endangered, right? We need numbers! Also, due to the scarcity of San Clemente Island Goats for some breeders, the desire to take whatever is available may seem a no-brainer.
However, conservation breeding needs to be about more than just numbers. In fact, because the numbers are so low, a bad set of genetics, or a poor build on a goat can mean far-reaching consequences for the breed as a whole due to the likelihood of the genes continuing to be passed on.
It can be hard to cull a goat, especially one that we have lots of time and love into. We run into this often with our rabbits, and I find myself making excuses for rabbits I’ve had to nurse along through some issue, or one who is especially cuddly but has bad feet. The problem is, if an animal needs that much extra attention, they probably shouldn’t be passing those issues on to the next generation.
I frequently see new goat owners on social media who picked up a baby goat based on a cute face or blue eyes. They are often posting for help because the baby is sick, and now they don’t know how to care for it. They have no bothered to research the health of the parents, body form, milking capacity or any of the other important traits needed in good breeding stock.
So, since many SCI goats do have body issues, what does one do?
Breed up.
We have two does who are cow hocked, meaning the hind feet aren’t parallel when they stand still. In the case of coats, the feet turn out and the knees turn in. In one case, the knees actually touch when she is eating. Since both goats are sisters with the same sire, this is likely a genetic issue that will continue through his other daughters.
In a perfect world, these does would never be bred. In fact, they would probably be culled in order to prevent accidental breeding. However, since the trait is in two out of five of our does, this is obviously not a great solution for us – financially or for herd structure.
Luckily, Carson has great legs. We will try breeding both ladies to him and keep an eye on their offspring. They will not be sold until we can be sure that this trait doesn’t continue into the next generation. Does this mean we may end up stuck with goats with bad legs? Yes. Does it mean we may end up culling both these ladies and
their offspring? Yes. But we will know, and we will guarantee the quality of our future lines by making these hard decisions.
A cute face and adorable personality is not enough to keep a goat, or to breed it. I am absolutely guilty of having done it and was very lucky with three of my ladies and both males. It can be hard to find good SCI goats though when shopping online for a goat in another state that you will never see until they reach you. So, here are some basic tips.
- When buying your first SCI goat, don’t just get cute baby pictures. Ask for shots of the mom’s udder, hind end, etc. Has she ever has issues nursing or milking?
- Don’t forget the dad. How are his teeth? Is he a good breeder? What does his form look like? And illnesses in the past? All these things can affect his offspring. Also, ask about his mother’s udder and milk production. Issues there are likely to get passed on to his daughters.
- What is the lineage like? Learn from current SCI owners who some of the great goats are. Be warned though, some of those goats may have been bred so often that they are hard to find unrelated genetics from!
- Don’t ignore a great looking goat because you prefer darker/lighter or bigger/smaller goats. Personally, I prefer the dark SCI goats and the reds. But Carson is a magnificent fellow with great parents – I wasn’t about to turn that down!
- Cost may be a factor for you, but it’s better to pay an extra $50-100 for a healthy, happy goat than get a lower quality goat and spend that $100 on vet fees. Remember, in any breed, if someone is selling a goat for $50, it is likely because they cannot get rid of it any other way.
- Talk to people who know genetics when making your plans. Even if it isn’t in goats, we have gone well having experts in cattle look at our goats and planned breeding. Many of the body issues and genetics issues are the same.
- Have a plan. What are you going to do with these goats moving forward? Do the goats you are looking at fit in to that plan? What will you do with the offspring if they don’t fit your plan?
In short, breed with care. And good luck!