BREEDING SEASON - DECISION TIME

ACHIEVING GENETIC IMPROVEMENT MEANS SELECTING FOR BOTH BREEDING STOCK AND THE APPROPRIATE MATING SYSTEM.

Inbreeding: The production of offspring by parents more closely related to each other than the average of the population. The purpose of this mating system is to create individuals more homozygous for superior genes whether those traits are dominant, recessive or epistatic. Thus, inbreeding decreases the genotypic variation within a population and stabilized the phenotype or appearance of individuals. The breeder must be willing to cull against recessive or undesirable traits that also become homozygous of the population quality will deteriorate. Extensive inbreeding results in reduction in vigor, function, fertility, size and performance.

Linebreeding: A form of inbreeding in which multiple generations of offspring are mated to a particular individual or that individual's progeny in order to concentrate the genes of the superior animal. The use of linebreeding is indicated when a truly outstanding individual has been identified and proved superior by an adequate progeny test. Vigorous culling is again required and linebreeding should be ended if an undesirable trait appears.

Outcrossing: Using unrelated animals and crossbreeding, or the mating of two or more breeds, increase the heterozygosity of the offspring. This will hide recessive traits while improving traits associated with physical appearance. Thus, an outbred individual is more likely to look better than it reproduces.

 

WHICH BUCK SHOULD I USE ON MY DOE???

In choosing a buck, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What are your goals?
  2. Have you decided which breeding system (above) you are interested in?
  3. Do you have a commercial dairy, make cheese, or need a family milker?
  4. Do you show, or want maximum production?
  5. Do you know the strong and weak points of your does?
  6. Do you know which 1 or 2 traits you are going to try and improve?
  7. Have you checked your barn records or official records such as DHIA or Linear Appraisals to help evaluate your animals and the bucks you may be considering?
  8. Have you considered artificial insemination (AI) for your does?

Then,

  1. Contact the owner of the buck you have selected BEFORE your doe is in heat.
  2. Let the buck owner know your goals
  3. Go over and look at the buck if locally available
  4. Look at daughters and other relatives of the buck to see if the traits you want to improve are present or if other traits are unacceptable to your herd goals.
  5. Make sure to ask about offspring that are no longer part of the breeding herd...why were they culled...what percentage of the buck's offspring show qualities you are looking for.
  6. Check on the buck's health status
  7. Look at the buck and his relative's barn or official records.
  8. Make arrangements for fees and boarding, if necessary
  9. If breeding via AI, make arrangements to purchase frozen semen well before you plan to use it.