# Would you breed your CAE/CL negative doe to a buck from a CL positive herd?



## farm mom (Feb 25, 2008)

I have a Nubian doe that is CAE/CL negative. I would love to breed her to a Boer buck but there are not a lot of them in my area that offer outside breeding. I do have the option of one buck but he comes from a CL positive herd. I don't know if he has ever exibited symptoms of CL but I know the does have and he runs with them from fall until kidding time. Does this pass on through semen or is it only shed when an abcesses is draining? I haven't ever had to deal with CL so I wasn't sure but I definitely don't want it in my herd. My doe would not be with the other does, she would be in a pen alone with the buck for breeding. Thanks!


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## Odeon (Oct 26, 2007)

The CL bacteria can live outside of the host, so it can be in the ground (on the hair) even if NO abscesses are visible. They can be internal, rupture and then spread by caughing, etc. I would NEVER expose my herd to a CL positive buck, no way, no how.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I won't even vet folks that I know have CL. No I would not let my doe even be hand bred to a buck with CL, let alone have him on my place or leave my doe there to be bred. CL exude is passed on shoes, tires, animals including dogs etc...so think of it like this, it's not just that their herd has CL but their whole property (why I have no access for vehicles to go in with my goats at all). Vicki


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

I would never breed any of my does to a buck from a positive herd. If you want to breed your doe to a Boer, you may need to invest in a Boer buck from a negative herd or buy semen and AI her. I would venture to guess that those breeders near you who do not offer outside breeding have clean herds and want to keep them that way. Perhaps one of them may have a clean buckling you could get at a reasonable price and then put in the freezer when you're done using him if you don't want to keep a Boer buck.


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## farm mom (Feb 25, 2008)

Thanks everyone, that is kind of what I thought. I did buy a buck last year from a clean herd. He was registered, a beautiful Boer buck that cost me $250. He ended up being unable to breed. Not sure what the problem was. He didn't impregnate any of the girls last year when he was around 10 months old. Then this summer he never went into rut, didn't stink, could care less about the girls, nothing. We ended up eating him. Pretty disappointing to pay that much money, feed him for a year, and nothing happening. I only have two milking does now and can't justify spending over $200 on a Boer buck to breed to one goat and then eat. I don't see many other Boer's for sale around here but when I do see one for cheaper they come from backyard breeders that don't test at all. Oh well....I'll figure something else out. Thanks everyone!


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## Bernice (Apr 2, 2009)

You'll figure something out or a better offer will come your way, just hang in there. It's just way to risky to gamble on that buck you mentioned. Take your time, ask questions and a nice fellow will come along.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Why not breed her to a dairy buck? There was a thread on here not too long ago talking about how the buck actually influences the lactation of the doe that he breeds because his DNA (along with hers) is used in forming the placenta, which in turn affects her lactation (that is to say, that you will probably get more milk for longer if you breed to a dairy buck than a meat buck.)


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

Did you ever get in touch with the breeder of the Boer who wouldn't breed your does? Usually they will replace an infertile animal.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Not in a million years.


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## Odeon (Oct 26, 2007)

I have heard that some Boer bucks are slow to mature, and that often times young bucks wont breed their 1st season. Not sure if it's true... I'm not a Boer breeder (and I dont play one on TV).. ok bad joke.

Ken


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## farm mom (Feb 25, 2008)

I wanted to breed to a Boer because we wanted to raise the kids for meat. I know I can use a dairy goat for that but it is not as worthwile.

I did talk to the breeder about it but she did not have any other replacements for him. She had his brother who she had several kids from last season (he was breeding then at 8-10 months old) and is definitely doing his job at 20 months now. 

I have one other resource I can check for a Boer, then I'll probably just breed her to a nice Saanen that I have used in the past.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 27, 2007)

The closest I will get to a known CL positive herd, is talking to the owner over the telephone. :nooo
I have Boers and eat them, but I also dam raise and butcher my dairy wethers. This year I butchered four, the Lamancha was over 85 lbs at 5 months of age when I butchered him. The Nubians triplets were almost 80 lbs and the Nubian single was 90 lbs. This was just dam-raised with browse and hay, no grain, no worming or shots. So, they can be very worthwhile if you dam-raise(also milking the dams when needed of course) to butcher out dairy wethers.
My Saanens and Alpines never butchered out quite as well as my Nubians and Lamanchas. More bone and height, less meat.
Good luck!


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

We also butcher Nubian wethers at the same size as Emily- before winter sets in and they are plenty meaty for Squidge to slice sandwich meat off a grilled hind leg. There is more bone than a meat goat but since we feed our dogs raw this works for everyone. We also give them no extras because it mostly goes to internal fat and so essentially all they cost is the 12 weeks of milk till we toss them out to fend for themselves. Goat meat gets pretty expensive pretty fast if you grain them at all.
Lee


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## Rose (Oct 26, 2007)

We sold three dairy kids to a family for cabrito barbecue. They were THRILLED at the size and the tenderness of the meat. They prefer to butcher when the goats are approx 50 lbs.

An April 15th LaMancha buckling, butchered in October yielded over 20 lbs of hamburger and all the organ meats for the dogs.

I don't think the difference in meat yield is worth the hassle of having an extra buck around. Just butcher your dairy wethers and excess doelings.


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## wheytogosaanens (Oct 26, 2007)

Nope. Never.

And we have never had a problem having our young Boer bucks breed by 7 months. They may breed the wrong end at first LOL, but they always seem to get the job done!

Are you anywhere near Kat Drovadahl (I'm sure I spelled that wrong!). She used to have Boers as well as Toggs and LaManchas. Pretty certain she would have a clean Boer buck - and she's very nice too! Check your ADGA directory or google Fir Meadow.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

The closest I will get to a known CL positive herd, is talking to the owner over the telephone. 
.................

That was hysterical! Vicki


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## farm mom (Feb 25, 2008)

I do know of Fir Meadow. Beautiful goats but unfortunately she is about four hours away from me.


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## Bella Star (Oct 27, 2007)

How about another meat type goat, like Spanish,Kiko or Fainting goat .... check your vets office for a disease free Boer or other meat type ..... call your feed store and ask them for a boer breeder in your area. 
Good Luck but I too would say :nooo to a CL buck.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 27, 2007)

Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> The closest I will get to a known CL positive herd, is talking to the owner over the telephone.
> .................
> 
> That was hysterical! Vicki


  Having been down the CL road when I first started in goats, and knowing that heartache......I'm never going back if I can help it!!


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## wheytogosaanens (Oct 26, 2007)

farm mom said:


> I do know of Fir Meadow. Beautiful goats but unfortunately she is about four hours away from me.


I'd call her - perhaps she can refer you to someone. Word of mouth is a great way to go.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Quick hi-jack of the thread-

a couple of people mentioned feeding their dogs raw goat meat/bones/organs. Any issues with the dogs going after the goats? I can get raw meat and bones and such from the local butcher shops, but they mix it all in together. There is goat in with the beef, chicken, pork, etc. I was afraid, since Malamutes are so prey driven, that giving them raw goat would cause problems if the dogs got loose.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 27, 2007)

dragonlair said:


> Quick hi-jack of the thread-
> 
> a couple of people mentioned feeding their dogs raw goat meat/bones/organs. Any issues with the dogs going after the goats? I can get raw meat and bones and such from the local butcher shops, but they mix it all in together. There is goat in with the beef, chicken, pork, etc. I was afraid, since Malamutes are so prey driven, that giving them raw goat would cause problems if the dogs got loose.


I feed completely raw to my dogs. They get bones, meat, organs, hide, feet, guts, etc. Literally *everything*. The dogs never bother the goats, cows, horses or cats, even when hungry. Mine are LGD's though.....but my sisters malamute is on the same diet on the same farm. No problems.
I wouldn't presume to say how your dogs would do if they got loose, but my dogs have been fine(they are loose at all times with all the animals).


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## farm mom (Feb 25, 2008)

We feed our German Shepherd raw and she is fine. She is a chicken chaser (if one happens to get out) but she is only four months old so that is understandable. But no, they do not bother the other livestock and I have never known one who did. If you turned them loose with chickens to kill them themselves for their own food I imagine you would have problem. I don't think they equate you handing them a piece of chicken or goat to what you have outside in the pen. Unless they killed one themselves accidentaly I don't think they would make that connection.


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## LaManchaPaul (Jun 2, 2008)

Nor would I knowingly sell an animal to a CL + herd. :twisted


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I would not take the risk. Getting a slightly better meat yield is totally not worth taking the chance of getting CL in your herd. CAE maybe, but not CL.


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