misfitmorgan
Herd Master
x2
If you're making breeding and culling decisions based on dairy characteristics, why not ALSO use the eye color, moonspots and polled as part of that decision process? Hopefully you're also making breeding decisions on other things like ability to fight parasites and other health issues. I mean, yes, it does add three more variables, but then it take 5-6 generations minimum to get to an American breed mini and that's based on ears as well as other physical attributes in addition to the typical breed standards, dairy physique; udder, attachments, etc. Why not have your cake and eat it too?
Since I'd prefer to not have goats with horns, if I can breed for polled and avoid having to burn, and scurs, why not do so? (of course I ALSO want the blue eyes )
I think most people have a hard time telling the difference. I know folks who have had goats throw polled kids, but the parents were recorded as horned (disbudded).i know there is a lot of confusion surrounding polled goats in general not just the herm part but also the part where people think it skip a generation, which isnt possible. More then likely the goat was just polled or polled and burned because they either didnt know or they were trying to hide the fact they are polled.
I agree that it is fascinating. I know that a polled goat must have a polled parent, it can't skip a generation as the gene is dominant and will always be expressed if it is present. I have a friend that had two does freshen on the same day (Saanens, so they looked alike) and she was trying to figure out which kids belonged to which doe. Well she had it wrong... someone pointed out that the polled doeling had to belong to the polled doe; but the does thought otherwise.
I think most people have a hard time telling the difference. I know folks who have had goats throw polled kids, but the parents were recorded as horned (disbudded).
It can be hard when you are burning young bucklings.
We actually burn our polled bucklings, to prevent 'poll scurs'. We sold a young buckling who was polled, and as he got older he grew scurs (wasn't burned) but was still polled. He threw polled kids too.
I haven't seen them break through on does, but I do see does with very large nubs. We don't burn polled doelings, but most of our polled bucklings still need to be burned.I'm glad you mentioned the "poll scurs" They can be significant. I don't think I've ever seen them on a doe though.
I haven't seen them break through on does, but I do see does with very large nubs. We don't burn polled doelings, but most of our polled bucklings still need to be burned.
ETA: We almost burned one of our polled doeling this year, her nubs are very large. They could break through, we'll see.