Raising Bucks: 2012

Bucks, like many other cattle, battle for dominance at times and at other times simply agree to get along.  Here are 2 bucklings sparring.  This is Achilles, on the left, and Triton, on the right - both born in 2012.  Triton recently purchased- further details below.


Here is a portrait of the bucks on our farm in 2012 and the breeding facts.

Bucks from left to right:

Butler - arapawa/saanen cross
2010
purchased off farm
Arapawa is a small animal found on island of Arapawa in New Zealand

Helios - saanen/arapawa cross
6/2/2011 from doe (Further/Saanen)  Buck (Butler/Arapawa)

Cupid -  saanen/arapawa cross
2/14/2012 from doe(Pearl/Saanen)  Buck(Butler/Arapawa)

Achilles -  saanen/arapawa cross
4/2/2012 from doe (Khaos/ from Sorrelina & Butler) Buck (Helios/ from Further & Butler)

Triton - nubian cross
2012
purchased off farm

We keep our goats as a non kill facility.  We may  be partnering with another family looking to produce goat meet concurrent with our dairy operations.  We are giving it some thought.  For myself, a vegetarian, I find it difficult putting an end to a life that I care for on a daily basis - not from the standpoint of the work that I do or the TLC, tender love and care - but more from the standpoint of really seeing through to the soul of every creature.

That being said I know that not everyone is a vegetarian and that includes some of the animals in my care for decades - notably dogs and cats.  Since I feed them meat, based on the very nature of their food choices.  I witness my cats harvest many mammals from the wild including field mice, birds, chipmunks and rabbits.  I have run to the rescue of many of these animals - preferring to give them a chance at life when I can save them.  That is just my nature.  So how do I reconcile raising animals and also sending them to slaughter.  I will post on this again and continue to ponder on it.

In the meantime we have 4 withers and may not use the arapawa cross bucks for breeding since the offspring are too small for dairy, in my opinion.