Mini Nubian Senior Does Mini Nubians are a newer breed of mid-sized dairy goat. They aren't truly tiny, like Nigerian Dwarfs, which makes them easier to milk. They are a good size for a family milk supply. Miniature dairy goats are a cross between a Nigerian Dwarf and a standard size dairy goat. There are now Mini Alpines, Mini Toggenburgs, Mini La Manchas, Mini Oberhaslis, and Mini Saanens as well as the Mini Nubians. The Mini Nubians have an additional challenge of breeding good Nubian ears and noses - completely opposite in structure from the Nigerians and other standard dairy breeds. No Pygmy blood is allowed in developing any of the mini breeds, because their body conformation is more a meat type than a dairy type. For more information on the Miniature Nubians, visit our links page. My breeding program emphasizes show conformation and excellent milk production. Good conformation means the structure and support for good milk production - function enhanced by form. I am less concerned with breeding just to get higher generation numbers or purebred status for my Mini Nubians. For me, such things take a back seat to quality. I'd much rather have a quality 3rd gen with great conformation, a quality udder and real progress in breed character than a poor to average 6th gen. As I feel this breed will become more popular over time, I decided to broaden the future gene pool by starting from the beginning. This means our line of Mini Nubians will stand as a future outcross line for other breeders, if I can attain the goals I've set. This process will be difficult, because I can be impatient! It will take a few years before I see really good ears and noses, but keep in mind they'll have a fantastic background for show and milk.
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Blue Moon Ranch Gidget 1*P
Gidget is a flashy buckskin with a black cape and white spots. I fell in love with her the minute I saw her! Although a bit on the tall side, she has very nice breed characteristics - beautiful long ears and a slightly roman nose. She is sharp and very dairy, with a long neck and a long body and a nice strong, straight topline and rump. I feel lucky to have her here. Gidget's udder has improved with her second freshening, with a level udder floor, nice foreudder and easy milking teats. Her dam is one of Blue Moon's best milkers. Gidget participated in a one-day milk test at the 2005 Syringa show, and earned her production star as a first freshener. Earning her star after traveling three days in a trailer where she'd refused to eat and drink is quite amazing. I'm very proud of her. Her milk production this year has easily surpassed last year's production, and her milk actually has a thick creamline at the top. Her barn records are available. Gidget is in great shape this year, and should do well at the shows. I'd like to see a cleaner, higher rear udder attachment, more spring of rib and greater barrel depth, but depth will come with time. Gidget's 2006 bucklings by *B Echo Hill's King Rohan are really stunning little guys, with looks, conformation, and inherited milk production stars to boot. Rohan is a deep, uphill, small buck with beautiful breed characteristics and a strong milking background.
Blue Moon Ranch Meridian 2 CH legs
Meridian is a gorgeous doe with a great pedigree. Her mother's udder is very nice, and her sire's dam, Hackman Farms Easter Sunrise, has a beautiful udder and long, level body. Meridian has a nice level topline and rump, long body, a very respectable escutcheon, and good width between the hocks. Meridian is deeper in the rear barrel than her mom - something I'm happy to see. Her udder is much like her mother's - nice large orifices and SO easy to milk. As with Gidget, I'd prefer to see a higher, cleaner rear udder attachment, but her medial suspensory ligament is good, as is her foreudder, capacity and teat placement. Her udder texture is just fantastic, pliable and soft, like heavy crepe silk. Meridian is milking well this year, about 7.5 lbs.
Dream Weaver's Crash Landing
Don't be fooled by the airplane ears - Crash is an impressive little goat. She placed right behind Meridian at the shows, and this spring she freshened with a fantastic, capacious udder. Her rear udder is wide and well-attached, and her fore is smooth, full, and wide. I really like her teat shape and placement, and she is very easy to milk. This spring, Crash peaked at almost 12lbs of milk, which is remarkable for a goat of her small size. She holds her body condition and her lactation very well, too! Crash has a powerful escutcheon, good width, and very nice depth of body. Crash's ADGA ancestors include Crown Hill, Old*Glory, and Fra-Jac. Her dam, Cessna, has a nice medial and gorgeously smooth foreudder. Her granddam, CH Dream Weaver's Mosaic, also had an impressive udder with tight attachments - at six years of age! Crashy's personality is pure cuteness - she is my funniest, sweetest goat!
Blue Oak's Kennedy
I wish I had some photos that do Kennedy justice, ones that show her all shaved for show, because I'm so pleased with how this breeding turned out. Kennedy has a smooth structure with a nice front end assembly, long body and smooth topline. She doesn't have as steep a rump angle as in this photo - she really is smooth and level over the hip. I lost Kennedy's daughter in the evacuation from the Gap Fire in 2008. I'm hoping for another beautiful daughter in 2009.
Blue Oak's Madison
Madison shares Kennedy's wonderful breeding. Her rear udder is a bit lower than Kennedy's, but still really wide at the escutcheon. Madison is super sweet and a joy to have on the milkstand. Her breeding this year wasn't the one I would have chosen, but I am still looking forward to seeing the results of linebreeding on the Saada girls I had in my herd. Blue Oak's Tephra
Tephra has an impressive structure. Her udder is just fantastic, and she, like her mother Apache, just won' t quit milking. I can't wait to see her daughter Echo's udder. Tephra was bred back to her son, Limerick, for 2009 kids. Blue Oak's True North, American Mini Nubian
I just love True's udder. She has her mom's beautiful udder texture and large orifices, but her teats are a bit longer and easier to milk. Her production was a very respectable 3/4 gallon, very steady throughout the year. She has her mother's body, long, level, and well put together. Standard Nubian Bucks Standard Nubian Senior Does Standard Nubian Junior Does Mini Nubian Bucks Mini Nubian Senior Does Mini Nubian Junior Does Reference Nigerian Dwarf Bucks Reference Standard Nubians Reference Mini Nubians Babies! Goat Management Back to Dairy Goats Back to Livestock
Please visit our Kidding Schedule for 2009 planned breedings!
To see the results of our herd's CAE testing, click on the links below
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