What do you think?

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I have noticed that not only are there are definite differences in personalities between the breeds, but the owners seem to have some similarities too. What I'm wondering about is whether we select a breed based on their personality, that is compatible with ours, or whether we become influenced by our constant contact with our beloved goats?

For example, the Nubain breeders that I have met have (generally) seemed to be the type of people who will spend a lot of money on their goats and love them a lot. Nothing is too good for the goats! They pamper them and seem to be more emotional than say, Alpine breeders.

The Alpine breeders that I've met seem more hard nosed. ' If she can't produce at least 12 lbs a day on grass hay and barley, she goes to the auction!' or, 'If they're not big enough to breed by 6 mmonths, I don't want them.' I have known Alpine breeders to cull almost entirely for something like a pink nose (not Alpine enough), color patterns they don't want, small shelves in the foreudder, and feet that turn out in front ( that would be me!) It seems that when Alpine breeders get a pet peeve, they will cull ruthlessly.

And for some reason, Alpine and Nubian breeder soften don't seem to get along. "Well, what did you expect? She's a ****** breeder!'

What do you think? Is it just my perception of things, just chance that the breeders I've met are like this? What have you noticed about the owners of different breeds?

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 24, 2001

Answers

This is an interesting topic sure to ruffle a few feathers! I'm a nigerian girl myself. Maybe I chose this mini breed because I'm only five feet nothing?! Actually, I can't honestly say I chose a dwarf because of my personality. My reasons were a bit more practical: I don't have large barns or extensive acreage, so a mini breed seemed the way to go. I do love the variety of color of these guys. Actually, my perfect goat would look like an cou clair alpine with the temperment of a la mancha and give milk like a saanen!

-- Lynn (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), December 24, 2001.

Interesting, I haven't noticed, but I have noticed that goat people are different than other people. Goat people seem to go out of their way to help people, no matter the time or trouble. And it is wonderful, wish the rest of the world were more like that. I also have mini, Nigerians, and I chose them for barn and land space. But mostly because of ease of handling. My first two, were Alpine, mix and I loved those goats, they had amazing personalities and were quite dominant. I could not keep them because my hubby could not handle them well and he feeds and cares for them while I am at work. He is retired because of medical problems and is limited in how much and how hard he can work. He loved them also, when I first got them and they escaped their pen, he yelled and said "no goats" they go as soon as possible, but within three days he had changed his mind. He started sitting in the barn and talking to them and then they won his heart. Funny isn't it....

-- Barbara (vozarbi@sensible-net.com), December 25, 2001.

Does that mean I like my kinder goat 'cause I'm short too? Seriousy, it is easier to handle a smaller sized goat.Merry christmas!

-- VickiP. (countrymous@webtv.net), December 25, 2001.

Hmmmmmmm..... I gotta think on this!

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), December 25, 2001.

I must have multiple personality. I have a dear goat friend that raises obies and she's as sweet and gentle as they are and a friend that raises nubians that sure likes to talk alot. Might be something to this. I have another friend that doesn't have any ears ,um. He he

-- sherry (chickadee259@yahoo.com), December 25, 2001.


What an intresting question. Depending on my mood is who I like best that day out of my herd. I have 4 different breeds. My alpine is faithfull (and commonly into mischief), the oberhasli's are calm and sweet, my kinder is a crack-up and my LaMancha crosses are the clowns. I must really have a weird personality if they are the reflexion of me! :) I honestly feel that I don't get along with one of the 'breed' type of people but I would never say what breed because I would hate to make anyone feel bad.

Hope that everyone had a wonderfull holiday today.

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), December 25, 2001.


Well, like Sherry's friend, I like to talk, and have Nubians!haha.

I believe I would have liked any breed, but these happened to be available. I do enjoy the fact that I never know what color I'll get, and the long ears do make the kids oh so cute!:)

-- mary (mlg@colderado.com), December 26, 2001.


I don't know. The lady I bred my first goat to had Alpines and Nubians. She seemed to like to talk, but she didn't have any troubles culling anything either. I have Togg Alp/Togg and a Nubian. I have to say that I really like the temperment of my Nubian the best. One of my Alp/Toggs is just an absolute terror! of course she will probably be the most productive milker...See, all things have some good points! I'm kind of hoping that when she has her first kidding that she might calm down a bit.

But to be honest, if I had known about the large differences in personalities, I would have started out with nubians. My life is too full of angst and fights on other levels....and Yes, nothing is tooooooo good for my goats.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), December 26, 2001.


My mentor was an Alpine gal, though she had Nubians also for the money. Bernice has Alpines and we get along famously! ;) I think it has alot more to do with what you do with the goats than what breed you have. I know that I come off as hard nosed sometimes, but that is because I had to make a living with the goats. I am much eaiser going now, NO REALLY, now that I am a small hobby show herd. A biggy for me is that most folks don't really know each other, they know OF each other. The one Nubian like quality to me is my mouth and my in your face way of speaking. I also think older breeders go through bouts where they need a new goat fix. Maybe burnt out would be a good word for it. No matter what breed of goat you have I think folks who show have a whole nother personality than folks who only have goats for housemilk. And folks who milk commercially or who have commercial meat operations are also very missunderstood by folks who have hobby herds.

Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 26, 2001.


Vicki, that was really interesting! Could you elaborate a little more on the differences between hobby goat keepers, show folks, and commercial dairymen/women ?

I didn't mean that nubain breeders have a hard time culling, what I did mean is that the Alpine breeders that I have met HERE (maybe they're different elsewhere?), seem a little heavy handed when it comes to culling. It could be due to the fact that goat prices are poor here, but I have seen very nice, registered does go to the sale barn. It isn't just in culling either, the management of Alpine breeders is often different from other breeders, especially the Nubain breeders. The Alpine breeders here just don't seem to cut their stock very much slack! ( I think this can be good, it leads to strong, vigorous stock, but also kind of wasteful. It's not a doe's fault if she can't birth a kid sideways all by herself!)

An example- I arranged to buy a La mancha doe and buck sight unseen, and to have her delivered here. The seller was a lady who had bought several breeds simply to see what the cheese from each breed would taste like (yeah,I know.) When she came, we walked the animals down to the barn. She was shocked by my barn and lot, because it was spring and the goat yard was muddy. She wanted to know what the goats were going to eat, since she couldn't see any food in sight. I explained that all our goats were on rotational pasture. Alarmed, she said that the La Manchas would die if they had to eat pasture. I pointed out that all my does were alive, but, I could transition the La manchas by giving them some hay in addition to pasture. She said my barn was so dirty! She seemed to be getting really upset, worried about the goats getting cold, etc. Finally I asked her what things were like in her barn. She said that hay and grain and I think alfalfa pellets, were available in many plastic feeders nailed up in the barn, at all times. The barn was very nice and airtight and there was a heat lamp for the goats so they'd never get cold. She cleaned the barn daily, and was very disturbed by the manure pack in my barn! After hearing all this, I didn't bother trying to convince her anymore. She went away crying, begging me to call her if the kids ever got sick or seemed like they doing well, she'd come and get them, and so on. The thing bothered me for days!

The kids never did do really well. They were rolling in fat, and the doe wouldn't milk much, just bossed around my Alpines! I think this lady was a little extreme though, it probably isn't fair to say that she was a stereotypical Nubian breeder.

As for me, I wanted to get Saanens, which are so mellow and gentle, but got an Alpine doe for some reason, and so here we are. There was a time when I couldn't stand the Alpine personality. Looking back, I think the Alpines have changed me, made me more assertive ( you have to be, when a big strong doe has a mind of her own!)Maybe this is a good thing, maybe not, but from what I hear of other people's Alpines, I think I must have rubbed off a little on my does, too. My bucks aren't mean at all, and most of the does are pretty laid back. As I said, Saanens and La Manchas have bossed them around before!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 27, 2001.



ok, what does this say for me then , as i have boers , hubby likes the meat , and size(he is 6 ft 4) and we have saanens, and will be getting alpines on sunday , and looking for lamanchas.....

well, obvious to me , my goats are as varied as my many interests and hobbies :) Beth

-- Beth Van Stiphout (willosnake@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.


How exciting! I bet you are a very well rounded person having so many breeds! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.

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