On Buying A Unicorn...
I'll start this simply. Unicorns don't exist.
We all wish they did, but there is simply no such animal.
Regardless of how much you pay for a kid or who its ancestors are:
- there is no guarantee that a goat will mature well enough win at shows, even if both parents are champions.
- there is no guarantee they will become top ten producers, even if their dam made it to the top ten.
- there is no guarantee that any buck will throw amazing offspring in your herd no matter who his parents are.
There are simply too many variables in genetics, compounded by differences in herdsmanship and handling. All we can do is work to improve the odds.
Welcome to the genetic casino!
As farmers throughout milennia have learned, investing in young stock really is a genetic lottery. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you can certainly improve your odds through careful selection!
Buying progeny of the best available animals does make a tremendous difference: while the offspring of two amazing goats may be a disappointment, you will never get something beautiful out of lousy animals.
Sometimes when buying a kid, you will be incredibly lucky. Sometimes not.
I have bought high-priced stock from top bloodlines only to quietly get rid of them as adults. I have settled for the last pick of a litter, only to have that lackluster kid grow up to be a permanent champion while its initially impressive littermates languish in mediocrity as mature animals.
It's a mystery, but you should always hedge your bets by obtaining the finest stock you can afford.
Price is not necessarily tied to quality, but buying cheap for the sake of saving a few dollars is false economy. In southern California, alfalfa hay is currently $20/bale. By maturity, a goat will have eaten more dollars in feed than it cost to buy in the first place, never mind health care and the value of your time in labor. As with most animals, the purchase price is a small part of the eventual investment over their lifetime.
Most people like to buy kids, because the price can be lower and they have a chance of being lucky. The more proven an animal is, the fewer things are left to chance.
- A yearling milker has already freshened successfully but may continue to grow and improve (or worsen) in form or production.
- By the second freshening, you will have a very solid idea of the animal's adult conformation and production.
- By the time a doe freshens three or more times, what you see is what you get. A known quantity.
Why choose purebred stock?
There are certainly some nice unregistered animals out there, but they are rare. On the other hand, buying an animal with a registration certificate does not ensure that it is special. It merely meets breed standard for height and color, as did its ancestors.
What it does ensure is that the animal is permanently identified with tattoos and that the ancestry (and therefore genetic potential) of the animal is known. Registered animals are far more likely to be evaluated, shown and on milk test.
Purebred breeders have a lot at stake as we develop bloodlines and select for the best possible traits. We invest heavily in Linear Appraisal for structure, milk testing for production and showing to compare our stock with other herds, head to head.
On the other hand, there is no intrinsic value in being "double-registered" or even "triple-registered." We simply have several competing registries in the US that allow Nigerian Dwarfs (ADGA, AGS, NDGA); breeders choose to participate in one, two or all three.
Again, it does not mean the animals with multiple papers are better, although it is certainly more expensive to maintain multiple registry entries per goat.
We use both ADGA and AGS at this time, because we participate in shows sanctioned by both. Your own choice of registries should be governed by the services and programs they offer. All three organizations accept cross-registrations as well as registration conversions from Canadian stock (CGS). Check their individual websites for requirements and limitations!
Ok, I lied... there is one way to buy a unicorn.
If you happen to be in the right place, at the right time, and have a LOT of cash to burn, occasionally you'll encounter a herd that is selling out completely. If they have some stellar animals, they will be priced accordingly, and generally sold to friends/breeders who have established strong breeding programs, supported by type and production evaluations.
We have been VERY lucky ourselves on a few occasions, and have missed others. Chances are though that by the time you call the owner of a unicorn, based on a rumor or even advertisement, they are already sold.
Don't despair, because...
The journey is everything!
There is a special joy in earning your first GCH ribbon on a goat that bears your own herd name. I experienced that feeling many times when I had La Manchas and Toggs, culminating in a Champion Challenge class with nine entries, all bearing our herd name. I am delighted to be following the path again with these delightful Nigerians.
So forget chasing the unicorn and join us in the mortal world instead; experience the enjoyment and long-term challenge of breeding your own mythical stock.
As a whole, goat breeders are a friendly lot, engaged in friendly competition and sharing in the excitement that outstanding animals bring, even if they are not our own - we can always order our next herdsire from that goat...
We hope to see you within our friendly camaraderie soon!
Don't even get me started on winged unicorns...
About Our Herd
At Gryphon Tor, we endeavor to breed quality Nigerian Dwarf goats for strength of type and production. We have selected our bloodlines with great care and strive to improve with every generation.
Along the way, we've met with some failures, who are no longer in the herd, and some real gems that will continue as part of our genetic pool.
Our zoning bylaws dictate that we will have to sell some very nice animals each year that I'd prefer to keep. Typically we have a lot of kids and yearlings, and then very few in the older age groups. This year, we kept fourteen kids, freshened six yearlings, three two-year-olds, two three-year olds, and so on.
We will offer you honest and detailed evaluations of the stock you buy, which means that we will not guarantee unicorns. ;-)#
We all wish they did, but there is simply no such animal.
Regardless of how much you pay for a kid or who its ancestors are:
- there is no guarantee that a goat will mature well enough win at shows, even if both parents are champions.
- there is no guarantee they will become top ten producers, even if their dam made it to the top ten.
- there is no guarantee that any buck will throw amazing offspring in your herd no matter who his parents are.
There are simply too many variables in genetics, compounded by differences in herdsmanship and handling. All we can do is work to improve the odds.
Welcome to the genetic casino!
As farmers throughout milennia have learned, investing in young stock really is a genetic lottery. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you can certainly improve your odds through careful selection!
Buying progeny of the best available animals does make a tremendous difference: while the offspring of two amazing goats may be a disappointment, you will never get something beautiful out of lousy animals.
Sometimes when buying a kid, you will be incredibly lucky. Sometimes not.
I have bought high-priced stock from top bloodlines only to quietly get rid of them as adults. I have settled for the last pick of a litter, only to have that lackluster kid grow up to be a permanent champion while its initially impressive littermates languish in mediocrity as mature animals.
It's a mystery, but you should always hedge your bets by obtaining the finest stock you can afford.
Price is not necessarily tied to quality, but buying cheap for the sake of saving a few dollars is false economy. In southern California, alfalfa hay is currently $20/bale. By maturity, a goat will have eaten more dollars in feed than it cost to buy in the first place, never mind health care and the value of your time in labor. As with most animals, the purchase price is a small part of the eventual investment over their lifetime.
Most people like to buy kids, because the price can be lower and they have a chance of being lucky. The more proven an animal is, the fewer things are left to chance.
- A yearling milker has already freshened successfully but may continue to grow and improve (or worsen) in form or production.
- By the second freshening, you will have a very solid idea of the animal's adult conformation and production.
- By the time a doe freshens three or more times, what you see is what you get. A known quantity.
Why choose purebred stock?
There are certainly some nice unregistered animals out there, but they are rare. On the other hand, buying an animal with a registration certificate does not ensure that it is special. It merely meets breed standard for height and color, as did its ancestors.
What it does ensure is that the animal is permanently identified with tattoos and that the ancestry (and therefore genetic potential) of the animal is known. Registered animals are far more likely to be evaluated, shown and on milk test.
Purebred breeders have a lot at stake as we develop bloodlines and select for the best possible traits. We invest heavily in Linear Appraisal for structure, milk testing for production and showing to compare our stock with other herds, head to head.
On the other hand, there is no intrinsic value in being "double-registered" or even "triple-registered." We simply have several competing registries in the US that allow Nigerian Dwarfs (ADGA, AGS, NDGA); breeders choose to participate in one, two or all three.
Again, it does not mean the animals with multiple papers are better, although it is certainly more expensive to maintain multiple registry entries per goat.
We use both ADGA and AGS at this time, because we participate in shows sanctioned by both. Your own choice of registries should be governed by the services and programs they offer. All three organizations accept cross-registrations as well as registration conversions from Canadian stock (CGS). Check their individual websites for requirements and limitations!
Ok, I lied... there is one way to buy a unicorn.
If you happen to be in the right place, at the right time, and have a LOT of cash to burn, occasionally you'll encounter a herd that is selling out completely. If they have some stellar animals, they will be priced accordingly, and generally sold to friends/breeders who have established strong breeding programs, supported by type and production evaluations.
We have been VERY lucky ourselves on a few occasions, and have missed others. Chances are though that by the time you call the owner of a unicorn, based on a rumor or even advertisement, they are already sold.
Don't despair, because...
The journey is everything!
There is a special joy in earning your first GCH ribbon on a goat that bears your own herd name. I experienced that feeling many times when I had La Manchas and Toggs, culminating in a Champion Challenge class with nine entries, all bearing our herd name. I am delighted to be following the path again with these delightful Nigerians.
So forget chasing the unicorn and join us in the mortal world instead; experience the enjoyment and long-term challenge of breeding your own mythical stock.
As a whole, goat breeders are a friendly lot, engaged in friendly competition and sharing in the excitement that outstanding animals bring, even if they are not our own - we can always order our next herdsire from that goat...
We hope to see you within our friendly camaraderie soon!
Don't even get me started on winged unicorns...
About Our Herd
At Gryphon Tor, we endeavor to breed quality Nigerian Dwarf goats for strength of type and production. We have selected our bloodlines with great care and strive to improve with every generation.
Along the way, we've met with some failures, who are no longer in the herd, and some real gems that will continue as part of our genetic pool.
Our zoning bylaws dictate that we will have to sell some very nice animals each year that I'd prefer to keep. Typically we have a lot of kids and yearlings, and then very few in the older age groups. This year, we kept fourteen kids, freshened six yearlings, three two-year-olds, two three-year olds, and so on.
We will offer you honest and detailed evaluations of the stock you buy, which means that we will not guarantee unicorns. ;-)#