Top 10 Misconceptions about American Nubians
Printed in the June 2016 Issue of United Caprine News; Written By: Jacob Masemore
I started breeding Nubians nearly 20 years ago as a young man. I was able to acquire some animals from decent pedigrees; started showing, milk testing, appraising, and loved every part of it. After being involved with Nubians for several years, I went on to find out that one of the goats I purchased was an American. Even though she was the nicest goat I had, I quickly sold her cheap, just to get her out of my herd. From then on I maintained a strictly purebred herd, purchasing exceptional stock from leading herds across the country, and selling some nice animals myself. Then as a senior in high school, due to some changes of life events beyond my control, I had to sell my herd, and went a few years goat free. After some time passed, I got married, purchased a home, and convinced my wife to get a goat or two (We all know better than that!). We got in touch with some of my old contacts and purchased two high quality does. Somehow, I missed the fact that they were Americans until after I already had them in my barn…. I was shocked, and honestly dismayed… they were beautiful, but American! After discussing the pros and cons of having an American Nubian in my barn with some well-respected breeders, to my amazement, I found the prejudice against American Nubians to be unfounded, and largely based on misinformation. As I learned more, I became proud of my Americans, and stopped treating their pedigree as a horrible secret to be kept. Instead, now they are valued for their merits in what they produce in the pail, in the ring, and in their offspring; not the “A” in front of their registration number. The misconceptions still abound about American Nubians and even though people are now educating themselves about the differences in pedigree, rumors and myths are still prevalent. Here are some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about Americans, and the truth behind the issues.
1. They are all crossbred.
When researching the history of the main dairy goat breeds we know today, many may be surprised to find that it began with the importation of just two or three animals, which then were crossed with animals of no particular origin, and eventually a consistency was formed. These animals were labeled as “pure”, with a 10 generation breeding of “pure” to natural, one could reach purebred status. In 1942, the Nubian herdbook was closed, which resulted in animals who had not yet met their 10th generation now being forever labeled as Americans. There are many American Nubians labeled as such merely because they were born at the wrong time in history, and can no longer be bred up to “Pure” status as their purebred counterparts were allowed.
2. They are a poor representation of the breed and exhibit poor breed character.
This misunderstanding is fueled by the assumption that they are all crossbred. Even those animals which have a crossbreeding in their pedigree are very capable, and often do exhibit beautiful breed character. I personally have several “E” appraising American Nubian heads in my barn, who exhibit tremendous breed character, even with their American ancestry. And I am not the only one, I have seen many Americans and purebreds alike exhibiting beautiful breed character, just as I have seen many exhibiting poor breed character. It really is not a result of their registration status but instead breeding decisions that do not emphasis breed character. Standing side by side, you will see two Nubians instead of one purebred and one American, the difference only exists in their registration status.
3. They are not registered.
This is completely unfounded. They are registered, they are able to show, appraise, milk, and compete in every area just the same as a purebred… they only have an “AN” in front of their registration number instead of an “N”. Other than that distinction, they have no limitations and the judge or appraiser does not even know, or take that into account when placing or scoring an animal.
4. You can’t give them away (They have no Value).
There has been much change in recent years in the perception of American Nubians. More and more people have understood, accepted, endorsed, and love them. This has in turn, generated a much stronger demand, and therefore positively affected the price dramatically. While still not quite as strong as their “purebred” counterparts, Americans have reached a level of quality demanding a price which is competitive. Quality animals out of consistent lines, excellent appraising and showing animals from reputable breeders have been commanding several hundred, and even into the thousand dollar price tags, and are being purchased in a timely manner. When the animal has a value due to their quality and merits, there is a market for them.
5. They have nothing to offer a purebred doesn’t have.
There are many breeders who have been very diligent in their breeding programs, and have used quality bucks, both purebred and American without reservation to improve their herds regardless of purebred status, and have achieved some very exciting results. These animals have gone on to dominate in shows (including Nationals), All American placings, DHIR records, and appraisals where there is no distinction between purebred and Americans. There are some exceptional genetics in the American Nubian community waiting to be used to further the breed as a whole. In many platforms, purebreds have a hard time competing…. They don’t even realize they are competing against Americans. There certainly are many incredible American does who have a lot to offer our breeding programs if given the chance.
6. They have a wider genepool so are more inconsistent.
While this may seem logical to some, many Americans are linebred on the same animals purebreds are, and have similar results. We all know genetics are tricky, two fantastic goats can generate a cull, but I have found the same or even greater consistency in my personal experience while working with Americans, than I had in my purebred herd. All Nubian breeders will admit that consistency is not an easy thing to achieve regardless and being an American Nubian or Purebred does not influence that factor. Additionally, as I have searched herds for dam lines which are exceptional and consistent to select my future herdsires, I search all Nubians, both purebred and American, and have found many of those lines that I am impressed by and consider to be Americans… most of their breeders demand more of them to stay in the herd… and quite often, they deliver!
7. They aren’t real Nubians and are shown separate.
I get told this all the time, and at the end of the day, this is simply a misunderstanding made often by new breeders, based on several of our previous misconceptions combined. Most of the time, the exhibitors standing in the show ring with me have no idea that they are even competing with an American…. Americans have gone on to dominate in shows (including Nationals), All American placings, DHIR records, and appraisals where there is no distinction placed between purebred and Americans. They are fully allowed to participate in every competition without prejudice that a purebred can…. And they do.
8. They are less pure than a purebred Lamancha
The Lamancha breed is an American bred breed of goats, and as such they have left the herdbooks open. This means when you purchase your purebred Lamancha, it could have an alpine, Nubian, or any other breed in its pedigree, and is not nearly as pure as you imagined it to be. In the same way, you could purchase an American Nubian, and she could have all purebreds in half of her pedigree, all the way back to 1942 when they closed the herdbooks, and her ancestor was one generation from being considered pure. She is in turn looked down on by some breeders for her lack of pure genes, while the “purebred” Lamancha is a crossbred just a few generations back…. But most people don’t realize this….
9. They have boer genetics in them.
Researching your animal’s lineage can often answer the question, at least to a degree, as to what transpired making your Americans be registered as such. The first Boer goats were imported to the United States in 1993. Many Americans were American before that time for some other reason. Additionally, to be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, an animal is supposed to only have dairy goats in their pedigree. This means that for an American to have Boer behind them, they would have to have an ancestor registered NOA incorrectly and unethically. There is no reason to suspect an American Nubian to have any boer genetics in them. While it is possible for some, I have found it highly improbable.
10. Nobody wants them.
I find experience to be the best gauge, rather than empty statements and arguments. My entire herd is American, and I have been sold out almost nonstop from the time I got them. I have a waiting list, and people are happy to pay fair prices for animals they see exceling in the milk pail, show ring, and appraisal score. Additionally, I have been blessed to receive feedback about how impressed they have been, how well they have placed, and how excited they are to be a repeat customer in the future. To think that no one wants American Nubians is an outdated assumption. The majority of breeders out there have no problem with, and actually own some Americans without prejudice. Often times, the Americans have to work harder and look better to earn their spot in such herds, and so they have developed into a competitive community of Nubians, generating a growing customer base.
I hope that this article has served to enlighten you to some of the many misconceptions about American Nubians. Things have been changing; many people have realized the prejudice is fueled by misinformation and lack of experience. Americans are becoming as accepted as they have been for years in most other dairy goat breeds. It is exciting to see the potential progress in the Nubian breed resulting from incorporating these fine animals into our breeding programs! I encourage you to spread the word and take the opportunity to share with fellow breeders your animals who are Proud to be Americans!
Printed in the June 2016 Issue of United Caprine News; Written By: Jacob Masemore
I started breeding Nubians nearly 20 years ago as a young man. I was able to acquire some animals from decent pedigrees; started showing, milk testing, appraising, and loved every part of it. After being involved with Nubians for several years, I went on to find out that one of the goats I purchased was an American. Even though she was the nicest goat I had, I quickly sold her cheap, just to get her out of my herd. From then on I maintained a strictly purebred herd, purchasing exceptional stock from leading herds across the country, and selling some nice animals myself. Then as a senior in high school, due to some changes of life events beyond my control, I had to sell my herd, and went a few years goat free. After some time passed, I got married, purchased a home, and convinced my wife to get a goat or two (We all know better than that!). We got in touch with some of my old contacts and purchased two high quality does. Somehow, I missed the fact that they were Americans until after I already had them in my barn…. I was shocked, and honestly dismayed… they were beautiful, but American! After discussing the pros and cons of having an American Nubian in my barn with some well-respected breeders, to my amazement, I found the prejudice against American Nubians to be unfounded, and largely based on misinformation. As I learned more, I became proud of my Americans, and stopped treating their pedigree as a horrible secret to be kept. Instead, now they are valued for their merits in what they produce in the pail, in the ring, and in their offspring; not the “A” in front of their registration number. The misconceptions still abound about American Nubians and even though people are now educating themselves about the differences in pedigree, rumors and myths are still prevalent. Here are some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about Americans, and the truth behind the issues.
1. They are all crossbred.
When researching the history of the main dairy goat breeds we know today, many may be surprised to find that it began with the importation of just two or three animals, which then were crossed with animals of no particular origin, and eventually a consistency was formed. These animals were labeled as “pure”, with a 10 generation breeding of “pure” to natural, one could reach purebred status. In 1942, the Nubian herdbook was closed, which resulted in animals who had not yet met their 10th generation now being forever labeled as Americans. There are many American Nubians labeled as such merely because they were born at the wrong time in history, and can no longer be bred up to “Pure” status as their purebred counterparts were allowed.
2. They are a poor representation of the breed and exhibit poor breed character.
This misunderstanding is fueled by the assumption that they are all crossbred. Even those animals which have a crossbreeding in their pedigree are very capable, and often do exhibit beautiful breed character. I personally have several “E” appraising American Nubian heads in my barn, who exhibit tremendous breed character, even with their American ancestry. And I am not the only one, I have seen many Americans and purebreds alike exhibiting beautiful breed character, just as I have seen many exhibiting poor breed character. It really is not a result of their registration status but instead breeding decisions that do not emphasis breed character. Standing side by side, you will see two Nubians instead of one purebred and one American, the difference only exists in their registration status.
3. They are not registered.
This is completely unfounded. They are registered, they are able to show, appraise, milk, and compete in every area just the same as a purebred… they only have an “AN” in front of their registration number instead of an “N”. Other than that distinction, they have no limitations and the judge or appraiser does not even know, or take that into account when placing or scoring an animal.
4. You can’t give them away (They have no Value).
There has been much change in recent years in the perception of American Nubians. More and more people have understood, accepted, endorsed, and love them. This has in turn, generated a much stronger demand, and therefore positively affected the price dramatically. While still not quite as strong as their “purebred” counterparts, Americans have reached a level of quality demanding a price which is competitive. Quality animals out of consistent lines, excellent appraising and showing animals from reputable breeders have been commanding several hundred, and even into the thousand dollar price tags, and are being purchased in a timely manner. When the animal has a value due to their quality and merits, there is a market for them.
5. They have nothing to offer a purebred doesn’t have.
There are many breeders who have been very diligent in their breeding programs, and have used quality bucks, both purebred and American without reservation to improve their herds regardless of purebred status, and have achieved some very exciting results. These animals have gone on to dominate in shows (including Nationals), All American placings, DHIR records, and appraisals where there is no distinction between purebred and Americans. There are some exceptional genetics in the American Nubian community waiting to be used to further the breed as a whole. In many platforms, purebreds have a hard time competing…. They don’t even realize they are competing against Americans. There certainly are many incredible American does who have a lot to offer our breeding programs if given the chance.
6. They have a wider genepool so are more inconsistent.
While this may seem logical to some, many Americans are linebred on the same animals purebreds are, and have similar results. We all know genetics are tricky, two fantastic goats can generate a cull, but I have found the same or even greater consistency in my personal experience while working with Americans, than I had in my purebred herd. All Nubian breeders will admit that consistency is not an easy thing to achieve regardless and being an American Nubian or Purebred does not influence that factor. Additionally, as I have searched herds for dam lines which are exceptional and consistent to select my future herdsires, I search all Nubians, both purebred and American, and have found many of those lines that I am impressed by and consider to be Americans… most of their breeders demand more of them to stay in the herd… and quite often, they deliver!
7. They aren’t real Nubians and are shown separate.
I get told this all the time, and at the end of the day, this is simply a misunderstanding made often by new breeders, based on several of our previous misconceptions combined. Most of the time, the exhibitors standing in the show ring with me have no idea that they are even competing with an American…. Americans have gone on to dominate in shows (including Nationals), All American placings, DHIR records, and appraisals where there is no distinction placed between purebred and Americans. They are fully allowed to participate in every competition without prejudice that a purebred can…. And they do.
8. They are less pure than a purebred Lamancha
The Lamancha breed is an American bred breed of goats, and as such they have left the herdbooks open. This means when you purchase your purebred Lamancha, it could have an alpine, Nubian, or any other breed in its pedigree, and is not nearly as pure as you imagined it to be. In the same way, you could purchase an American Nubian, and she could have all purebreds in half of her pedigree, all the way back to 1942 when they closed the herdbooks, and her ancestor was one generation from being considered pure. She is in turn looked down on by some breeders for her lack of pure genes, while the “purebred” Lamancha is a crossbred just a few generations back…. But most people don’t realize this….
9. They have boer genetics in them.
Researching your animal’s lineage can often answer the question, at least to a degree, as to what transpired making your Americans be registered as such. The first Boer goats were imported to the United States in 1993. Many Americans were American before that time for some other reason. Additionally, to be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, an animal is supposed to only have dairy goats in their pedigree. This means that for an American to have Boer behind them, they would have to have an ancestor registered NOA incorrectly and unethically. There is no reason to suspect an American Nubian to have any boer genetics in them. While it is possible for some, I have found it highly improbable.
10. Nobody wants them.
I find experience to be the best gauge, rather than empty statements and arguments. My entire herd is American, and I have been sold out almost nonstop from the time I got them. I have a waiting list, and people are happy to pay fair prices for animals they see exceling in the milk pail, show ring, and appraisal score. Additionally, I have been blessed to receive feedback about how impressed they have been, how well they have placed, and how excited they are to be a repeat customer in the future. To think that no one wants American Nubians is an outdated assumption. The majority of breeders out there have no problem with, and actually own some Americans without prejudice. Often times, the Americans have to work harder and look better to earn their spot in such herds, and so they have developed into a competitive community of Nubians, generating a growing customer base.
I hope that this article has served to enlighten you to some of the many misconceptions about American Nubians. Things have been changing; many people have realized the prejudice is fueled by misinformation and lack of experience. Americans are becoming as accepted as they have been for years in most other dairy goat breeds. It is exciting to see the potential progress in the Nubian breed resulting from incorporating these fine animals into our breeding programs! I encourage you to spread the word and take the opportunity to share with fellow breeders your animals who are Proud to be Americans!