Ever thought the Internet was limitless? I seem to have plumbed its depths with this one…finding a buck willing to donate his semen for a good cause: my Poppy’s pregnancy and milking potential.
It’s not as if I’m asking for a handout. I’m willing to pay handsomely for said buck’s smiling little spermatozoa. I’ll take it fresh, fresh frozen or pelleted—take your pick. Problem is, the goat people I’ve chatted with online don’t seem to be set up to perform such a harrowing feat—that is, collecting semen from a prize buck and overnighting it on ice (dry ice or liquid nitrogen, preferably, but I’ll take what I can get at this point as long as it works).
Actually, the buck I’m looking for doesn’t even need to be that special. He just needs some Nubian-cross genes, weigh in at no more than 75 pounds, have a pleasant demeanor, carry high-butterfat genetics and a offer a lively store of replenishable sperm. Is that too much to ask? (Somehow I feel like I’m dating all over again.)
I wonder at this industry reluctance to ship semen. After all, we do it for dogs, horses and cattle all the time. Is it because hobby farms abound with bucks? (Male goats may smell bad but they’re otherwise easy to keep.) Is it the yuckiness of the whole artificial insemination thing? (Having to get all fiddly with the timing and mess of tubes and pipets may well be too much for most reasonable hobby farmers—though it’s one heck of a lot cleaner than the birthing part.)
I, on the other hand, relish the ease an independence of AI. With this approach, I can keep my girl safe and solitary until one of her female babes joins her ranks. Plus, I can pick her boyfriend from across the planet if I want to (Miami has no goat dairies so my local options are limited). That’s the idea anyway.
Maybe I’m just looking for love in all the wrong places. So here’s where I turn to you as the breeding season reaches its peak: Does anyone have an in? I found a vet tech by appealing to you in my most desperate moments. Maybe Poppy can benefit from the same sort of sniveling.
So come on, guys, help prove the power of the Web yet again in the eyes of this lonely Floridian goatherd. Hmmm…I wonder if this would work if ever I needed a mew mate of my own…
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Well...we've got two Boer cross bucks, but they were just born this year and I don't think they're ready to inseminate anything yet (since they're not busily trying to inseminate their ten female companions). And Boers are meat goats anyway. I know of one or two dairy goat farmers here in Maine, so I'll try to get them interested in your "modest proposal."
JaneA October 10th, 2007 10:52:00 AM
I found Boer semen resources, interestingly. It might me that I have a big semen operation for all kinds of small ruminants calling me back today with a buck catalog--we'll see.
Dr. Patty Khuly October 10th, 2007 11:48:00 AM
I admit to shy facination of your goat. My secret dream (when I win the lottery or retire, niether likely to happen any time soon) is to have a goat farm. Either angora or milking or both. No, really! Either way, out of this suburban nightmare! Keep us updated. I had no idea it would be so hard to AI a goat! Maybe you can find a likely candidate and send the owner a kit?
Cardimom October 10th, 2007 04:32:00 PM
My Dad lives in Asheville, NC and I think there's tons of goats in that region. I feel like goat dairies abound on every corner (well, not really. Just compared to Boston...lol...).
What about this place?
http://www.ashevillefarm.com/
Or the Historic goats at the Carl Sandburg Home?
http://www.nps.gov/archive/carl/activity/12/goat.h...
Hope that helps......
Amy in Somerville October 10th, 2007 04:45:00 PM
Have you checked with local 4H clubs? I'd think it very likely someone has a small scale operation that includes a buck that would meet your needs. Of course, you would probably have to do the collection, but if you really don't want to send Poppyoff for a , it's an option.
As for the lack of technology in goat breeding, based on a friend's 4H herd, there's not big money in goats, well bred bucks are fairly cheap, and there's just not much financial return for the backyard goat breeder who who simply wants to have a milking nanny.
Sue October 10th, 2007 04:49:00 PM
So ... should I be looking forward to fine artisan cheeses from the Dolittler Cheese Co. soon?
:)
Gina Spadafori October 10th, 2007 05:17:00 PM
Goats seem to be a big thing around Louisiana. LSU SVM does semen collection for horses and dogs, I'd think if you found a breeder reasonably close to Baton Rouge you could work something out. I know there is at least one professor here doing some kind of research involving goats and he's holding a rather cute one in the picture on his faculty webpage... I know nothing about goats, myself, but I can ask around if you don't get any semen volunteers.
abc October 10th, 2007 06:56:00 PM
Well, I can't promise anything since they're not my goats and I don't know whether the ranch can do shipped semen or not - but I'm goat-sitting right now for this place: <a href="http://www.freetimesw.com/blueoakranch/">Blue Oak Ranch</a> and can't say enough good things about their breeding program in general. I've milked the does, and can vouch for the tastiness of the milk, and I work with all the bucks daily - OK, well, from a distance right now since they're all in rut and smell like, well, a buck in rut. Ugh.
But if Katherine can't help you directly she might know someone who can?! She's out of reach right now but try sending an email...
And good luck finding Mr. Right for your doe! Wish I could keep goats of my own... it's on the Someday List.
Stacey October 10th, 2007 11:22:00 PM
OK, Here's how you get sperm. Turn the computer on and join a yahoo group called nubian talk. You should be able to get sperm from that group or access to a buck. Usually they want you to bring your doe to their place. Sperm is not free. You can expect to pay anywhere from $25.00 to several hundred dollars. Depending on the buck. I'd like to help you out but we lost Pajamas two years ago ( our buck ) and I haven't had the heart to replace him. He stunk to high heaven but he was the most awesome creature. Gentle as a summer breeze.
Ken October 11th, 2007 12:33:00 AM
I'll try all your suggestions. Locally, it's a bust. I'm especially excited about the Nubian talk group. Why is it that Yahoo has all the fun animal groups? And Gina, I always thought I'd call it Everglades Goatherding Co., considering that I'd be on the edge of the Everglades if I ever bought significant acreage down here. I'm considering your suggestion, though.
Dr. Patty Khuly October 11th, 2007 09:48:00 AM
OMG, I was looking for my dream farm in that area the last time I came down. I found a gorgeous place for sale just off the road which leads directly into the Everglades park, and I fell in love. My longterm goal is to move to that area so I can have a small farm and live close enough to work with the people doing Everglades restoration work.
Btw, if you go down a road which is closer to Robert Is Here, you can find a small handpainted sign advertising Wild Animal Zoo. I stopped in to see what was there and found a tiny run-down house next to some wornout cages. A sign advertised 'Genuine Florida wild dog'. A man came out and tried to talk me into paying to go in, but the Deliverance banjo music was playing too loudly in my head. So, he showed me the wild dog's cage, and claimed it was an endangered Florida wild dog. I told him I'd never heard of that before(I am an amateur interested in Florida native species), but he insisted it was even more rare than the Florida panther. I debated this with him, but he insisted, yet his wild dog looked exactly like a GErman Shepherd. I didn't want to go in, he insisted it was the opportunity of a lifetime, so I finally leaned close to the 'wild dog's' cage and said "Sit!" in my most authoritative dog-trainer voice. The GSD happily sat and grinned, waiting for his next command. I nearly laughed myself silly, the man glared and stomped back into his house, and the genuine Florida wild dog enjoyed the dog treat I found in the bottom of my purse. Man, I love Florida!
Cindy October 11th, 2007 03:27:00 PM
I read a book about life with dairy goats years ago that was hysterical. It was called "Life in the goat lane" by Linda Fink. A must read for any aspiring dairy goat farmers out there.
Good luck with your semen search! LOL
Marie October 11th, 2007 08:29:00 PM
Cindy: I know that place. Run away next time--far, far away! Florida is funny sometimes. Isn't that area beautiful, though?
Dr. Patty Khuly October 11th, 2007 09:34:00 PM
Hi Doc - if you haven't come right yet, try this link : http://www.biogenicsltd.com/nubian.html - they are in Idaho and have a whole bunch of Nubian stud goats with semen shipped in straws in nitrogen tanks. Doesn't mention weights, but does talk about shape, 'dairyness', milk quantity and quality and a whole lot more
jcat October 12th, 2007 04:33:00 PM
I see someone has mentioned Nubiantalk. There are goat lists abound but that one has a huge membership of Nubian breeders. There are also a couple places that specifically sell and ship semen.
Check out cybergoats she has a list of Artificial Insemination Links.
http://www.cybergoat.com/links/AIL_goat.shtml
Doing AI is really rewarding when you succeed. You can improve your stock very quickly and get the genetics you want.
Good Luck with your venture.
Suzanne October 15th, 2007 11:41:00 AM
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