Owlhaven's Breeding Practices

Two common breeding practices are inbreeding and outcrossing. Inbreeding is practiced industry-wide with Nigerian goats. For example, historical Nigerians were inbred in order to develop the distinctive dairy style that they have today. Excessive inbreeding has been shown to lead to milk depression in dairy cattle and genetic defects in dogs. Outcrossing is often used to remedy the effects of inbreeding, to produce "hybrid vigor."

About Outcrossing

Outcrossing is often used to bring new, desirable traits into a herd or to increase vigor. It increases genetic diversity and thus reduces the likelihood of the resulting individual being subject to disease or genetic abnormalities. Defects may still occur if animals are not carefully screened in advance (it won't necessarily correct existing genetic flaws). A disadvantage is that the outcomes are less predictable. Moreover, it may increase the time required to achieve your goals as a breeder. An example of an exceptional outcross is SGCH Dill's XM Keena 4*M EX92 (EEEE), an ADGA Reserve National Champion Doe. 

About Inbreeding

Inbreeding is practiced in order to improve predictability of certain traits. For example, to try to ensure that all offspring have strong medial suspensory ligaments. Care must be taken in selection because both good and bad traits are transmitted when genetics become concentrated through inbreeding. Research on dairy cattle has found that milk depression begins at 12.5%. It is not unusual to find Nigerians that are inbred by as much as 30%-60%. With care linebreeding (a term used for lower levels of inbreeding) can produce exceptional animals such as Dill's GA Whiskey Lullaby 4*M EX91 (EEEE) at 14% and SGCH Castle Rock Owl's Clover EX90 (VEEE) at 12%. However, in most cases, care must be taken when making breeding decisions with does that are inbred at these levels to bring the inbreeding coefficient down in the next generation. For more information about inbreeding coefficients: www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/coi-faqs-understanding-the-coefficient-of-inbreeding
We utilize both inbreeding and outcrossing. Owlhaven focuses on a limited number of exceptional goats, as measured by ADGA performance program data, to improve consistency in the herd. For example, goats listed in the tables below are represented in Owlhaven genetics. 
ABBREVIATIONS DECODED:
Elite: For bucks this means that their daughters are producing milk in the 95th Percentile, or the top 5% in the nation.
Avg Dtr Final Score: This is the average of the final scores awarded to the buck's daughters during linear appraisal. It includes all the scores, including the lower scores given with the does are immature. 
#Dtrs FS EX: This is the number of daughters that received a final score of "Excellent" in linear appraisal.
#SG: The number of progeny awarded the Superior Genetics designation.
#CH: The number of progeny who are finished champions.
Buck Name
Production Evaluation
ELITE
Avg Dtr Final Score
#Dtrs
​FS EX
#SG
#CH
SG NC Promisedland RC Bonafide ++*B
95th Percentile
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
86.9
5
5
3
Twin Creeks BW Montego Bay ++B
​(Sire of Manuka Honey and Alum Root)
61st Percentile
​
87.0
4
5
7
SG Castle Rock Cleveland Sage +*B​
92nd Percentile
2015, 2016
87.0
9
5
8
Doe Name
Production Evaluation
LA Final Score
#SG
#CH
# Progeny
SGCH CRF Castle Rock Alum Root 3*D
​(dam of Cleveland Sage)
78th Percentile
6-00 91 VEEE
2
1
5
​SGCH Rosasharn's UMT Tupelo Honey 4*D (dam of Manuka Honey)
80th Percentile
8-02 91 EEEE
3
6
18

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