Breeding a Mini back to a Standard

[Tiss]

Here's my dilema. I have 2 Alpine does who I've just started milking and I've decided I don't like their milk as much as my Lamanchas' milk. I guess I'm so used to "half and half" on my cereal now that 2% just isn't cutting it.

I happen to have 2 mini-mancha doelings and am considering keeping one to breed this fall so I can sell one of the Alpines next spring. Problem is, I only have a Lamancha buck. The only ND buck in the area is their sire and I don't want to pay stud fees- cost me a fortune last year, that's why I bought a buck.

I have been doing a lot of research online about breeding the mini doe back to a standard buck and can't seem to find anything definitive on the subject. My main concern is that she'd be a first freshener. My other mini-mancha has been successfully bred to a boer buck before and I intend to breed her to my Lamancha this year.

I'd love your input.

 

[Fluffygal]

It would be best to breed her with a mini buck versus the full size buck.
Reason is the risk of the babies growing too big for her to deliver with risk complicated birth and possible loss of the doe.

I am just a newb with the opinion that it is best to not risk it especially if you are attached to the doe.

 

[Tiss]

I'm sure a mini buck would be best, but I bought a buck just so I wouldn't have to do anymore goat dates or pay stud fees. That cost me more than the buck and a year feed for him last year!

Does anyone have any actual experience breeding a mini back to a standard buck?

 

[meme]

I don't have minies, but I have heard many horror stories about breeding a small doe to a large buck. Of course, sometimes it works out just fine, but to me the risk just sin't worth it. We had both of our does bred for free to very nice registered bucks. I have asked other people with champion bucks and they only ask $30-$50 per doe. It sounds like you were way overcharged, unless he was an absolutely amazing buck.

 

[Tiss]

Breeding around here goes for $50-$100 per doe. And by "around here" I mean within a 1-3 hour drive because there's nobody closer. Multiply that by 5, add in fuel, and you get the idea.

I don't want anything bad to happen to the minimanchas. I guess I'll just have to sell them and deal with the less creamy milk until I breed some full Lamanchas next year.

 

[cjhubbs]

I don't have mini's, Nigerian Dwarfs or Pygmy's and I definitely wouldn't advise you to put your animals in harms way. However, how much smaller are the mini-mancha's supposed to be compared to the Lamancha and do you know how much larger they are supposed to be compared to say their Nigerian dwarf parent(s)? I would think that the mini's would be better suited to being bred to a larger buck then a Nigerian dwarf (never!) although that is not to say that I know it's the right decision or safe. Just putting my questions/thought out there...

 

[Tiss]

My 5 year old mini-mancha is practically as big as her full blooded herdmates, only shorter. I am definitely breeding her to my Lamancha buckling. For perspective, she's bigger than the ND buck I bred them to last year.

I was just wondering about the doelings since they will be first fresheners.