saanen/sable thread

[manybirds]

If there isn't one I would like to start one.

 

[Bedste]

so tell me something that makes the saanen or sable special

 

[Ms. Research]

Had to check the Saanen out myself. They are the largest dairy goat and have a very mild manner temperment. They are kindly referred to as Marshmellows. I could see why manybirds would like this breed.

Dumb question: Sable means color?

 

[kstaven]

Sable (not white) and Saanen(white) are classed as different breeds on the registries. We have both here and the sables are more vocal, a slightly heavier structure than the Saanen(white), and really show themselves to have better milking longevity.

We have found as a milker a Sable may not be quite as feed efficient as the Saanen, but in many ways they are a hardier goat. Unless a person was weighing the feed daily or running 500 head the difference in feed intake would likely not even be noticed.

Both male and female have to carry the recessive gene to produce a sable kid. So it can remain hidden in a herd for some time, as it often does not fully express itself even when a kid carries two copies of the gene. But even when the kid is white there are often more subtle cues that it is a sable. A slightly deeper body and heavier leg is the first clue that you are dealing with a sable and not a Saanen. Saanens have very white skin while a sable has a darker skin. You often see what at first glance is a Saanen only to find on closer inspection slight flecks of color on the hairs. Sables also do better in extreme heat and cold than the Saanen.

 

[77Herford]

Sable (not white) and Saanen(white) are classed as different breeds on the registries. We have both here and the sables are more vocal, a slightly heavier structure than the Saanen(white), and really show themselves to have better milking longevity.

We have found as a milker a Sable may not be quite as feed efficient as the Saanen, but in many ways they are a hardier goat. Unless a person was weighing the feed daily or running 500 head the difference in feed intake would likely not even be noticed.

Both male and female have to carry the recessive gene to produce a sable kid. So it can remain hidden in a herd for some time, as it often does not fully express itself even when a kid carries two copies of the gene. But even when the kid is white there are often more subtle cues that it is a sable. A slightly deeper body and heavier leg is the first clue that you are dealing with a sable and not a Saanen. Saanens have very white skin while a sable has a darker skin. You often see what at first glance is a Saanen only to find on closer inspection slight flecks of color on the hairs. Sables also do better in extreme heat and cold than the Saanen.

Glad your around Staven, I don't get this extra info from books I have. I was seriously considering Saanen's but the Sable looks like a much better option if I do go Goat.

 

[kstaven]

They don't get skin cancer the way their white cousins do also.

Two copies of the gene fully expressed does make more than a color change. Milking records here make that pretty obvious.

Where the waters get murky is with the registry. If they really wanted to do a clean split you would have to test every saanen out there for the presence of the recessive gene. There are many listed as saanen who really are sable. Get into the history and you find almost all the top production saanens came from sable parents, as did a goodly percentage of the top show goats.

 

[kstaven]

I was seriously considering Saanen's but the Sable looks like a much better option if I do go Goat.

It has been our experience that they have an edge in some areas. Still love my saanen's too.

No doubt some of the Saanen people will not like my commentary. But this has been our experience and production findings.

 

[manybirds]

Had to check the Saanen out myself. They are the largest dairy goat and have a very mild manner temperment. They are kindly referred to as Marshmellows. I could see why manybirds would like this breed.

Dumb question: Sable means color?

a sable is a colored saanen

 

[manybirds]

Saanens and sables (particularly sables) are my favorite goats

 

[TheMixedBag]

So would my doe be considered a sable then? She's got at least 3 spots of black hairs, very spotty pigmented skin except for a half band on her left side that's all white, very spotted ears (hair too), but her build is more like that of a Saanen, it seems. Plenty of bone, though.

It wouldn't *really* matter as far as registration, considering she's 50% RG (she's technically American, but her dam's papers were never transferred), but it would be nice to know.