As we continue to move ahead in this Boer Goat Industry, we are
more aware of the changes taking place almost on a daily basis.
Since its inaugural appearance in 1993, the Boer Goat has somehow managed to capture the hearts of thousands of Americans.
In the beginning and for about three years a very good foundation was laid so as to preserve the intent of those who first
gambled upon this animals success in America. We have now managed to slide into that dreadful record keeping position that
is so important to preserve the bloodlines we fought so hard
to establish.
We find it particularily interesting that entry level buyers
seem to be more interested and concerned with paper work than
the actual goat. To them the papers are proof of the animals
true blood and a tracking device for extended record keeping.
Also the same buyers are most intrigued with who the goat is
(son of or daughter of) rather than what the goat looks like.
Its hard to believe that the papers may not be correct isn't
it?
Recently upon examination, we found several registration
papers that were wrong and errors were not detected early.
If the animal had been sold it certainly would not have been
a true representation of the goat's pedigree.
We happened to be at a Boer Goat farm this summer to look at a
doe. We found what we wanted and asked if she was registered
and if the papers were ready to go. The owner said that she
had not been registered but had all the information to do so.
He said
it was easy to tell because of the color and long ears.
After
questioning this breeder we found they simply turned out
the bucks with
the does and registered the kids according to
whom the kids looked
like or if they saw the coupling made record of it. (Wonder who took
the night shift?) Well we passed
on the doe because it is very
important to us that we know
the actual bloodline to blend pedigrees
for future Boer Goat
development.
Being organized and keeping good
records is a true sign of
business success. It is perhaps one of the
most envied and
the hardest to acquire AND it is BORING!! Tracking
Boer Goats
is truly difficult especially if you are a large breeder.
Those breeders must put bucks out separately with does so as
to record
births and eventually register kids. Well what if
you have 20 bucks
and 20 groups of does? How much land do you
have to have? (Didn't we
have this in General Math?)
OK leaders of the industry, where is our
DNA testing? With
DNA, breeders could draw blood on their bucks, turn
them out
with the does and when the kids are ready to register, draw
blood on them to get the exact sire and therefore the correct
information to use on their pedigrees. It is our opinion that
these
blood tests should accompany each pedigree because that
is the only
true indicator of the purity of the breed and the
genetic bloodline of
the animal. It is the buyers only guarantee that they are getting
what the seller is selling.
It is very important to us that we pass
on the most correct
information we can to those who will pick up where
we leave
off.
We hope each of you had a very pleasant summer.
Happy Trails,
W.E. and Carolyn Whitehead
T4 Ranch
