To quickly increase a pedigreed goat's offspring, show goat ranchers often use embryo transfer to implant artificially fertilized eggs in does with less recognized bloodlines. The recipient, or 'recip', does then carry, birth, and raise the genetically unrelated kid to weaning. While some ranchers may try to use their own 'less showy' stock to rear the kids, many Boer breeders prefer to use Spanish recip does.
Even after paying vet bills and expensive buck fees for the embryo transplants, insufficient mothering can result in poorly developed or even deceased kids. This is why Spanish does make excellent Boer recip does. Spanish does, which owe their genetics to survival of the fittest, have superb mothering abilities from kidding to weaning.
While Boers excel in body mass and aesthetic appeal, Spanish goats are built for raising hardy and healthy kids. With Spanish does, there's no need to worry about kidding. Birthing a Spanish doe is as easy as coming out the next morning to find a happy new kid playing in the barn.
Spanish udders are naturally tight and easy to nurse. Since Spanish does are not registered, commercial ranchers have much less incentive to propagate the genetics of does that do not perform. Therefore, Spanish genetics for mothering and health, on the whole, surpass those of their pedigreed counterparts. Very rarely will you find a Spanish doe that abandons her kid before weaning.
Though I could continue to praise the natural mothering abilities of Spanish goats, many Boer breeders choose Spanish goats for another reason - price. To afford the highest quality Boer bucks and does for the embryo transfer, ranchers need to limit all other expenses as much as possible. Fortunately, Spanish goats are much more economical than pedigreed Boers.
For a fraction of the price of a registered doe, Boer breeders can purchase enough Spanish does to perform their entire embryo transfer. Since the does are self sufficient, the rancher can sleep well at night - no need to worry about pulling kids at 2 o'clock in the morning. Once the kids hit the ground, the excellent instincts of their Spanish surrogate mother will ensure that the kid grows healthy and strong. For more information about Spanish or Spanish/Kiko cross recip does, check out Post Oak Ranch, LLC.
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