Me again... with another goat question

[hazelton farms]

That's fantastic that you'll be getting lessons. I wish I could get some! LOL!!!
Good luck, let us know what you get and of course, pictures pictures pictures!!!!!!

Stacy

 

[BasenjiFan]

There may be a couple of health considerations before you buy... if you haven't already

Nubians do have a unique genetic disease: the G6S defect. It can be tested for. If you get a carrier, you should only breed to a non-carrier, as two carriers would give you a 50% chance of getting a G6S affected kid (they fail to thrive and usually die at a young age). Carriers are fine to keep, so long as you mind what buck you breed to.

Another disease that may be good to consider is CAE (Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis). It's a lentovirus, similar to HIV - spreads through a carrier's milk to her kids (unless milk is pasteurized), and possibly through contact with infected goats for more than a year in close confinement. I read up on it before purchasing my goats. It won't hurt you, but goats with CAE can range from apparently unaffected to having crippling arthritis and/or encephalitis (brain swelling) so severe that they will die, or experience pathologies anywhere inbetween. This is another disease that can be tested for, and I would ask for results on any adult you are considering. The herd that I purchased my kids from was not free of CAE, so I chose to not purchase the adult in-milk doe I would have liked, instead I bought two kids that had been raised on the prevention program.

Of course, lots of people don't worry about G6S status or CAE (including Fias Co Farm previously cited as a great resource) and do just fine, but I am a worrier by nature, and so I am compelled to think about worst-case scenarios.

Sorry if I caused any excess and undue worry

I found this to be a good website with Nubian-specific information (and of course, the Fias Co Farm information is great too): http://blackmesaranchonline.com/animals/goat101/getting_started-front.htm I have visited the farm, and the goats are all happy, friendly, and well-cared for. I didn't buy any because they sold out of doelings before I could put my order in

Good luck with whatever you choose, you'll have a blast!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Just a note on the numbers! I bought two goats last month and just love them!

I was initially going to buy just one, but then decided they were so cute, I had to get two. They are twin doelings. We love to sit and watch them play together! It is sooo cute and you can tell that they love eachother! I can't imagine what one would have done without the other now that I have watched them together. You really do need to get two for the sake of the goats. Just FYI!