Goats and the Sun
I posted awhile ago about goats and not wanting to get some of the Swiss goat breeds due to their light color. I figured it would not be good for our intense sun. Turns out I was right. The breeder who sold us Flora and Bea Bea has a beautiful champion doe who is pregnant. Unfortunately, she is white with black spots. Her bottom area under her tail is white so the skin has no pigment. She developed a pretty bad case of skin cancer there in the last few months. They are trying to keep her alive until she gives birth in June. It's a shame because not only is she a beautiful goat who throws great kids but she is sweetie too.
So for us this means we will not be keeping goats that have un-pigmented skin on their rears. I had heard long ago that outside cats who were white almost always develop skin cancer on their ears. Now this. It will make the decision to keep or sell easier for us since one factor will be so cut and dry. For those who keep their goats inside most of the time (but I can't see how this would work well in the long run although commercial goat dairies do it) or for those who have lots of trees, it would not be a problem. But for those of us who live in sun country this trait must be culled out.
Bea Bea is more coarse and stocky in all respects compared to Flora. But she is also much darker which for me is an asset. We want health and milk more than show quality. And while it is true that points in the show ring often mean good genetics, it's not always a good indicator for farm quality animals. I have heard of many show goats with incredible udders and pounds of milk but they had terrible milk stand manners!! I would keep a good milker, with strong birthing and mothering instincts even if she did have a longer teat, or odd udder. I would try to correct it in her off spring but I wouldn't necessarily get rid of her. The skin pigmentation trait however is something I would not want to mess with. So I am learning and hopefully it will help us develop a small herd of healthy goats well- suited to our land and environment, a herd that might not win any competitions but will provide well for our farm.
So for us this means we will not be keeping goats that have un-pigmented skin on their rears. I had heard long ago that outside cats who were white almost always develop skin cancer on their ears. Now this. It will make the decision to keep or sell easier for us since one factor will be so cut and dry. For those who keep their goats inside most of the time (but I can't see how this would work well in the long run although commercial goat dairies do it) or for those who have lots of trees, it would not be a problem. But for those of us who live in sun country this trait must be culled out.
Bea Bea is more coarse and stocky in all respects compared to Flora. But she is also much darker which for me is an asset. We want health and milk more than show quality. And while it is true that points in the show ring often mean good genetics, it's not always a good indicator for farm quality animals. I have heard of many show goats with incredible udders and pounds of milk but they had terrible milk stand manners!! I would keep a good milker, with strong birthing and mothering instincts even if she did have a longer teat, or odd udder. I would try to correct it in her off spring but I wouldn't necessarily get rid of her. The skin pigmentation trait however is something I would not want to mess with. So I am learning and hopefully it will help us develop a small herd of healthy goats well- suited to our land and environment, a herd that might not win any competitions but will provide well for our farm.
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