10/18/2025
Buck Selection:
Over the years we have bought, raised, sold and culled lots of bucks Just because their bloodlines look spectacular, does not mean the individual themselves are.
It’s easy to look at cleaned up, clipped up, posed pictures. It’s not nearly so easy to look at a young buck prospect and envision what their ultimate potential at maturity will be. Sometimes they don’t come together the way you hoped and sometimes they do and you happened to pick THE one that becomes your premier herd sire for 7 to 8 years.
We personally don’t mind buying them young. The reasons are: To train them to be mannerly on a halter and respectful of your personal space, stand quietly to be worked on, easy to be around and price can be a factor.
A buck that is destructive, mean and unmanageable is frustrating, expensive and dangerous.
The pictures in this post is a buck that was raised at our farm named 2MS Meade. As a baby we had him slated as a major show prospect. He was walked daily, put on a stand numerous times, worked on leading and manners. However, a wasp sting on the face prevented him from going. We held onto him, showed him as a young buck, put ring experience on him and started his show career. We believed he had the potential to turn into a worthy herd sire. It was not just the combination of his sire and dam’s genetics, we were judging the individual.
A small breeding operation came along and inquired about a potential new herd sire. Helen Rodenberg was starting to show at ABGA registered shows and was needing a buck that could show and move her breeding program forward. The basic work was done on him. Helen purchased him at about 8 months of age. She begin to haul and show him. Judges didn’t always say kind things. He was green, not enough breed character, too “ feminine”, etc., etc. However, there were enough good placings to overshadow the losses that judges’ eyes missed seeing about him. Every haul, every show is a training/learning opportunity. He was never pushed, over supplemented or drenched to “fill him out”. He was allowed to grow at a healthy rate for his mind and his frame. His yearling year the pieces started to fall into place. His 2 year old year, he hit his stride. Now as a 3 year old mature buck, it’s hard to say there are any “ feminine” traits in him. He is a massive boy, with lots of bone, lots of muscle, tracks well, beautiful horn set, deep jaw, nice even sc***um. Most importantly, he contributes these qualities to his offspring. All natural bred offspring, that have earned him enough progeny points to make him eligible for ennoblement. That is HIS journey.
The major points of selection are the following: study structure, train your eye to find the overall package that your herd needs. Look at the sire and dam any chance you get. How are their top lines, breast plates, neck length, shape of their heads, horn sets, depth of jaw, depth of body, length of body, angles of shoulder, pasterns, hocks, hooks to pins, tail set? Do they possess good udders and sc***ums? Teat structures? Do they track correct, straight and true?
Bloodlines and genetics are a small part of the thought process. Phenotype is a major determining factor for us. Lots of patience is sometimes needed to let them become what they should be. They all develop at a different rate.
The ultimate question is: what type of buck will bring improvement to my herd? Buck selection, particularly in small scale breeding herds makes a huge impact. You want a buck that will contribute correctness, growth rates and that contributes qualities needed for your replacement does.
