[Lesley Silvester]

A few years ago I bought a Saanen x boer kid who later developed a fishtail teat. My vet said that it wasn't bad enough for her not to be milked so I duly got her in kid to a Saanen and she had triplets - the first one still born and two healthy females, one of which had a double teat. I had discovered by this time that Boers are prone to multiple teats but assumed that it could be bred out of them. The kid with the double teat ended up in the freezer and I mated the other to one of Beeducked's boys who are a mixture of breeds with Tog among other things. She had twins, one of each and the female has now developed the double teat.


My question is: do I carry on trying to dilute the gene so that I get kids with perfect teats, or give up and buy in a goat? One consideration is that I don't have much money but would want a white one who is likely to be good for milk. What are your thoughts?

[mojocafa]

Hi 

I have a couple of pygmies with double teats and I don't breed from them, but it's up to you

[mart6]

In boers double teats is quite common
Bred several and majority of kids did not inherit from mothers.

Remember seeing a dvd many years a go were it was considered a no no to bred them but it was 30.years ago
But they were after the perfect milk goat

[Anke]

Fishtail teats are a breed fault, and can pop up many generations later.... seemingly out of the blue. I personally would start a new line by going to get a kid from a reputable breeder, probably what is a (white) AOV (HB). If you have milk to bottle feed you can take them quite early, and check out the udder etc of the dam. Then stop breeding from your existing goats and eat/pts. But there are no guarantees it won't come back later,, males can carry it as well, so always worth (if sometimes impossible) to check out his teats too...!

[Lesley Silvester]

That was what I was beginning to think. Anyone know of a white AOV available?

[Anke]

John Rudkin's goats are HEAVY milkers, but probably really god pedigree.

[Lesley Silvester]

Thanks, SD but I can't find their posts. I've been on their pages and can't find anything there either. Any suggestions?

[Lesley Silvester]

Thank you.

[Backinwellies]

Did you see the Facebook item I tagged you in ?     Sorry don't know what aov stands for .... but do know someone who has to find homes for his milking goats.

[Lesley Silvester]

Did you see the Facebook item I tagged you in ?     Sorry don't know what aov stands for .... but do know someone who has to find homes for his milking goats.

No, I didn't and I've just come off Facebook. Just been back for another look and nothing. Can you try again, please.

[Penninehillbilly]

Have you tried to find a saanen male (or other purebred dairy Breed?)  Genes for a good udder may override the Fishtail?

[Lesley Silvester]

Yes but it didn't work. 

[Buttermilk]

Have you tried to find a saanen male (or other purebred dairy Breed?)  Genes for a good udder may override the Fishtail?

Not  in my experience.  It may skip a generation if you are lucky but will reappear further down the line.