About Bucks

The most critical part to any successful goat operation is the selection of a quality buck. Just think about it, in theory, 50% of the quality, traits, etc. are going to be directly tied back to the buck, or bucks that you select. If you desire to improve your heard, the number one way to make a dramatic change in your quality is to have a quality buck. A high quality buck can produce high quality offspring even when mated with an average doe. Boer goats tend to gain weight at about the same rate as their sire, so a buck from a proven fast growing bloodline will be much larger than that of a poorer quality goat. We have seen this on our farm with some goats that we brought in out of some percentage stock. Goats that were out of our buck, or other quality bucks grew off at a rate of twice that over other goats. Regardless of if you are growing goats to take to the show ring, or if you are growing meat goats for slaughter this will mean a higher rate of return (for those that have meat goats) or the chance to be more proud of your goats in the show ring.

The primary market for slaughter goats is a 35-80 lb kid; kids should reach marketable size at weaning age. The kid of a proven fast-growing sire might weigh 80 pounds at 90 days, while the kid of a poor quality sire might weigh only 35 pounds at 90 days. An average quality buck will initially be less expensive to purchase; however, they can significant undermine an operations long-term profitability. Other criteria for a breeding Buck include:

• Jaw alignment – most meat goats are raised on pasture. A goat with poor jaw alignment will be at a significant disadvantage when feeding on pasture; poor jaw alignment is not acceptable in a commercial herd sire.

• Good feet and legs: needed to move about the pasture.

• Two well formed equal size testes in a single scrotum: -the main purpose of a buck is to breed does.

For breeding purposes, one buck is normally required for every 25-35 does. Under ideal conditions the ratio can be as high as one buck for every 50 does. Bucks are normally separated from the does except for when breeding is specifically intended. Often does are bred for six weeks every 8 months, resulting in three kid crops every two years. We are moving to one breeding each year as this tends to put less stress on our does, and the does have more time to recuperate after each breeding.

Successful bucks must have the ability to consistently produce the animals that you desire to raise.