Buck Collection & Artificial Insemination 2 comments

On Monday, October 6th, we had our first buck collection on the farm.  Geoff & Nancy Masterman of Superior Semen Works arrived around 8:30 AM for what turned into a LONG day.  I believe they were up until 2 AM processing semen.  We started the day with five bucks to be collected, then late in the afternoon we had three more bucks arrive, bringing the total to eight.

While Geoff & Nancy were here, I had been planning on Artificially Inseminating (AI’ing) four of my best Boer does and any of our dairy goats who were in heat.  Two weeks prior to their arrival, I started programming the Boer does with Lutalyse.  The does received a 2 ml shot 14 days before the AI date, then a 2nd shot two days before the AI date.  Also, during this 2nd series of shots, the teaser does (used in the buck collection) were give a shot of Lutalyse to bring them into heat.

While the semen we collected was being processed, we checked the Boer does to see if they were ready to be AI’d.  Unfortunately they were not so we decided to wait until the next morning.   On Tuesday morning, we AI’d two of my Boer does to ANR Wide Load, the 2008 ABGA National Grand Champion Buck.  The other two does were not in heat so we decided against AI’ing them.  We also AI’d two of our Oberhasli dairy goats to Devonshire SK Voyager.  I don’t know a lot about this buck, but the Masterman’s thought he’d be a good match up with our does.  We don’t plan on showing dairy goats, but nonetheless, it doesn’t hurt to inject good genetics into the herd.

Since the buck collection, on my own, I have AI’d one additional Oberhasli doe to Voyager and this last weekend, I AI’d the EGGS doe I purchased at this years Showstopper Sale from the Ryals to RRD Gunsmoke P502 *Ennobled*. We’ll know in the next three weeks whether the AI’ing was successful or not.  If not, we’ll try again as I have extra Voyager and Gunsmoke semen.

I’m still deciding what to do with the two Boer does who weren’t in heat.  I have several choices, use one of my bucks, or use one of any number of really nice bucks in the area, or purchase semen and AI them.   Well, I decide on that another day.