Enhancing Our Goat Dairy Herd through a Strategic Breeding Program
Our breeding program started with purchasing both Alpine and Saanen dairy goats from “Flying Bird Farm”, a well known farm in Chilliwack BC.
Introduction
Welcome to Crimson Maple Farm! In this blog post, we will dive into the intricacies of our breeding program, which forms the foundation of our thriving dairy goats. Our journey began by sourcing top-quality Alpine and Saanen dairy goats from reputable farms such as "Flying Bird Farm" in Chilliwack, BC, known for their exceptional registered purebred show stock and high milk production. By incorporating these remarkable animals into our herd, we acquired not only a renowned herd name but also exceptional genetic strength. Many of the goats we purchased boasted impressive classification scores, with numerous young stock maturing into valuable members of our herd even after seven years. Among them, "Flying Bird Beijing Caroline" VG89 stands out as our highest milk production doe.
Expansion and Genetic Diversity
To further enhance our breeding program, we procured a small herd of Alpines from "Shallow Creek" in Saskatchewan. These animals not only exhibit high productivity but also possess robust hardiness, contributing significantly to the overall strength of our herd. Alongside the Alpines, we welcomed "Trilyte Zemo" EX90, a buck with a proven pedigree from Suzan Frazer's esteemed herd in Manitoba. Additionally, two Saanen bucks, "Grasshill Tekno Blue" VG86 and "Grasshill Whiplash Rocky" GP84, joined us from "Grasshill Farms" in Ontario, making a lasting impact on our Saanen breeding program. The infusion of genetics continued with the addition of two Alpine bucks from the renowned "Wey South" herd managed by Lindy Schira in Saskatchewan. Another noteworthy acquisition was "Givernay Vlaminck Original," a Saanen buck from Adam Scanlon in Alberta, whose twin sister achieved West National champion status in 2019. Lastly, in 2017, we introduced an Alpine buck and doe from the "Trilyte" herd and a Saanen buck from the prestigious "Pepperpot" herd of Patrick McLean in Ontario.
Focused Breeding Goals
Since 2017, our breeding program has exclusively relied on artificial insemination to introduce new genetics. Although we have encountered challenges in this aspect, we remain committed to our goal of continuously improving our animals while upholding a clean and CAE- and CL-free health status on the farm, a practice we have followed since the establishment of our herd in 2014.
In shaping our breeding program, we meticulously consider which animals to incorporate and maintain specific breed goals for our Alpines and Saanens. While we prioritize conformation traits, our primary focus is on longevity and hardiness, along with milk production and fertility. Our aim is to have the majority of our milking animals in their 4th lactations and beyond, as longevity reduces the need for frequent replacements while ensuring optimal production levels, robust dairy characteristics, and financial sustainability.
Delivering Dairy Quality
At Crimson Maple Farm, we take immense pride in providing our customers with dairy quality animals capable of producing milk and leading long, productive lives. Whether our buyers are small-scale hobby farmers, show herd enthusiasts, micro-dairy operators, or large-scale commercial dairies, our commitment remains unwavering—to offer animals that exhibit exceptional milk production, longevity, and profitability.
Conclusion
Our breeding program stands at the core of Crimson Maple Farm's success. Through strategic selection and genetic diversity, we continuously strive to enhance the quality, productivity, and resilience of our Alpine and Saanen herds. Join us in our next blog post as we delve deeper into how to improve dairy goat farming in Canada and globally.