It’s time! The 2023 kidding season is over and the goat weaning has begun!
Goat weaning is a difficult time on several different levels. It is not only hard for the doe but for the kids as well, I mean, who wants to get separated from mom right?
But weaning is also difficult on the Rancher. This is the time that you have to decide who to keep, who to sell, who gets gets weathered and who stays a buck.
When deciding who stays a buck, there are 3 Main criteria that we look at.
First, does the young buckling pass the eye test. This is probably the hardest criteria to meet. This criteria is the “wow” factor. Does the buckling make you say wow? Is he built like a solid strong buck. You have to keep in mind that the bucks DNA will make up 50% of your kid crop. So choose bucks that are wide, stout, and meaty.
Second, does the buckling come from good genetics. Are the parents of the buck sound and built. Genetics play a big factor on the potential a buck can have. If one of the parents lacks in size and girth, that may limit the potential of the buck. This may not always be the case, but should play a factor.
Third, doesn’t the buckling have what it takes to be a breeder? This may sound strange, but there are some bucklings that do not have the drive to be bucks. When choosing bucklings to leave intact, look for those who are already showing strong breeding instincts. That could be mounting, courting, and vocalization. You also want to make sure the buckling has sound and good sized jewels. The last thing you want is a buck that can’t buck.
With all that being said, we have chosen 3 bucklings that will stay bucks this year. They have met all the criteria above and we are proud to have then represent our herd. Two of the bucks are commercial, a solid black bucks and a solid tan buck. The Third one is registered at 93%, a traditional dapple head. All three sired by our Buck Mooney.
These bucklings are closing in on 5 months and have been primarily raised on pasture.
If you are interested in any one of these bucks, please see our availability tab here. We also have a showcase video that can be found here. We look forward to hearing from you!
