This one is to the goat breeders here. I just read an add in the local flyer " LaMancha does,....,purebred and purebred/experimental." My question is what is a purebred/experimental? Is this a new catagory for registering goats or just an inventive way to comand a higer price when selling your extra goats?........................JAY

-- JAY (JAY@townsqr.com), June 20, 2000

Answers

Hi, Jay. The American Dairy Goat Association allows breeders to register the offspring to two registered animals that are of two different breeds as "experimentals," as sometimes cross breeding will bring out characteristics that the breeder wants. A lot of time, though, it is mearly because the buck (or doe) got really ambitious during breeding season, and made their own arrangements! We had a Nubian buck that we were keeping for a friend get out into our pen of registered Alpines for just 20 minutes, and vola---a crop of airplane eared, "experimentals" for the ADGA files! He threw decent bodies, but lousy udder attachments...sigh. Purebreeds are just that, pure breeds, that behaved themselves during breeding season.

Am experimental can be a decent animal. The daughter of the Nubian buck I mentioned earlier had a lovely, long roomy body, but no udder attachment to speak of; bred back to a good alpine, she threw a daughter that won grand champion milking doe at the county 4-h fair for years, before she died at a happy old age. I have seen some beautiful experimentals, and a good goat is a good goat, no matter what her breeding.

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), June 20, 2000.

I've heard of purebred and I've heard of experimental, but a purebred/experimental? Sounds like they are trying to get the most out of the situation. I agree with the above poster...it was probably more like "purebred/accidental!" "Experimental" more or less = "grade." Nothing wrong with them; but there can't be a "purebred/experimental." ;-)

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), June 20, 2000.

Jay and Jim, Leann's explanation was correct, as you can see if you look up info from the ADGA. Yes, probably a lot of them are accidental crosses, but at least their ancestry is known, which is not usually the case with grades.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), June 20, 2000.

The experimental/purebreed just means that they have both sorts to choose from. It's like that in a lot of herds.

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), June 21, 2000.

Ah, there can be a purebred experimental, in the case of Sable Saanens. A Sable Saanen is born colored instead of pure white. They are purebreds, but since they do not meet the breed standards, which specify pure, they must be registered as experimentals. I have also heard that in some of the other breeds, an animal that does not meet the breed standards, even though it is purebred, can be registered as experimental, for example, purebred la Mancha with erect ears like a swiss breed.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transport.com), June 22, 2000.

I'm sorry, and I believe what you all say is true, but the term "purebred/experimental" equates to "army intelligence" to me!! :-))) Leave it to the ADGA to have such a term!

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), June 22, 2000.

Yer right, Rebekah. I had forgotten about that. Been awhile since I registered a goat!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), June 22, 2000.

Jim this is not ADGA's terminology but the terminology of someone trying to make a buck selling half breeds. The parents are pure yes, but the kids are experimental only. And in certain situations for a family milker, or a dairy this would be a great animal with lots of hybrid vigor in this first cross. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), June 22, 2000.