Our Dairy Goats
Terrapin Acres La Manchas
and Nubians are carefully selected from strong milk and show lines. We assess our
stock through DHIA testing, Linear Appraisal and Show performance. Our lines show
consistent improvement - especially in Linear Scores and the show ring.
The 1998 Linear Appraisal
session ended with every doe appraising greater than an overall 80. The appraisal
included quite a few yearlings - previously we were used to yearlings testing in the
mid-70's. Our 1999 schedule did not allow for LA - we hope to do it again in 2000.
DHIA has not been as easy
to track. We dropped DHIA in 1995 because of testing costs, questions about
AM/PM testing and the birth of our daughter. Spring of 1998, we returned to test
through the Langston University Testing Program. In 1999, the milking herd was
"hired" to milk at Poplar Hill Dairy and is on official Test with MN DHIA.
We hope to regain the prominence we enjoyed in 1994 when Terrapin Acres was 3rd in
the State of MN for milk production.
Our Show Seasons in 1997
& 1998 speak for themselves. 1999 we did not show as often and finished fewer
goats.
- MN State Fair Premier Nubian Sire 1997 &
1998
- MN State Fair Premier Nubian Breeder 1998
- MN State Fair RCH Herdsmanship 1998
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Our Boer Goats
In 1994, Carol attended
the first annual Boer Goat Convention in Austin TX. While in TX, visiting such farms
as Annette Maze's Hill Country Boers and the Castleberry Sale, the sight of these
impressive, regal animals set a goal for the future. We would get Boers.
We started by breeding a
few of our select Nubians AI to Boers. Our small herd of F1 does has now expended to
7/8 & 15/16 Boer does.
These are powerfully
muscled animals, with red heads and white bodies. We are breeding for two teats,
correct coat and skin coloring and greater muscle. An added bonus is the wonderful
temperaments these goats possess. Sweet and even-tempered, the Boers are truly a
special breed.
Although breed standard speaks about horns -
large meat herds need horns for running the herd in large pastures - our paddock
management has proven horns to be a problem here. We will leave horns on pre-ordered
kids - otherwise all kids are disbudded a few days after birth.
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Recorded
Grades / Experimentals
Recorded Grade or
Experimental Does happen by both accident and design. We keep the meat and dairy
lines separate - any crosses of both are raised on the Boer side of the pedigree.
We have had very good luck
with two different types of Experimental Dairy Goats.
Any dairy doe that crosses
La Mancha is kept to that side of the pedigree - mostly because the herdbook is open and
we can eventually hope to bring the line into Purebred status. Mishap and Mayhem -
our Nubian/La Mancha crosses have turned out to be strong, stylish does. While the
result of an accidental breeding, it proved fortuitous. Missy was 5th place yearling
Recorded Grade Milker at the 1998 ADGA National Show!
Our Saanen/Nubian Line
"Saabians" were crosses we first got when milking commercially. This is a
very successful dairy cross and resulted in our Top Ten Doe - Dancing Winds Sally Holley.
We have crossed these does back to the Nubian side of the pedigree in most cases.
Terrapin Acres Keebi's Beatrice - another
Saanen/Nubian cross doe finished her GCH in 1999.
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