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For those of you who like to surf at high speed, this page outlines all of the new information and updates added to this website .
Thank you, everyone, for all of your help. This is a team effort, and everyone has contributed so much.
Our Goats are Getting More Fame!
Thank you to all the San Clemente Island goat breeders whose goat photographs are now published in the brand new Meat Goat Handbook! Copies are arriving at your local farm stores, but if you buy "straight from the farm" the author gets to keep a few bucks!
(Posted January 2012)
We need Scrapies Enrollment!
Canada's import regulations are pretty tough, so we're joping that American breeders will consider enrolling in the National Scrapies Certification Program. For a quickie overview of what this entails, please visit our new Scrapies Page.
(Posted December 2011)
October 2011 SCI Goat Party!
That was GREAT! A potluck of both food and breeders! Details and photos on our Goat Party page!
We Lost a Bloodline!
The last remaining goat of the Blake line has died. We are grateful to the Blakes for stewarding the breed for many years. The Blake genes are no longer available in the United States, but are continued in the Gil line in Canada.
Spring 2011 Goat Count Results!
Thank you, everyone, for your help in the count!
Please note that our count does not include kids. We have:
Breeding does: 291;
Breeding bucks: 118;
Non-Breeding goats: 56
Total counted: 465
Estimated Global Population: 500
Bloodlines: 9 (USA 7, Canada 2)
Active (human) Breeders listed on web: 47 (39 USA in 22 states, 6 Canada in 2 provinces. A few breeders are unlisted but counted.)
We're increasing at an increasing rate! What a great team we have!
(Posted April 2011)
Call for Input and Photos
In late 2011 and early 2012, once all of our breeders can begin to answer demand for goats, we will be publicizing the hardiness and capabilities of our goats on a large scale. San Clemente Island goats will be "going public." We need high-resolution (over 1 mg) photos, breeders' findings and stories, etc. It's also time to send in milk samples, cashmere, and taste-testing reports. Mothering or forage findings, ability to sell offspring, health, you name it, we need a clear picture for upcoming readers in all types of publications. If you can write articles or interesting letters, we need those, too. It's time that San Clemente Island goats come into their own. Stage lights are about to turn on, let's do it!
National Animal Germplasm Program
The National Animal Germplasm Program has been contacting breeders about a genetic testing project headed up by Carrie Welsh. They recently changed their minds about including San Clemente Island goats, and no longer seek samples. We're hoping they'll initialize their work with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy next time to save a step.
Goats on the Move
Springtime kids bring new breeders. Welcome to Vicky in NY and Tess in VA and the Blackwells in TX! Vicky (NY) found a neat video on neutering. . . very educational, but the music and the hairy buck add quite an interesting slant to the whole thing. Worth a watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzY-xZDt9P0
As we cheer for the breeding hubs that are growing so quickly, we also need to keep our eyes on the 'stranded' goats. Texas is holding the last of the Ahrensberg bloodline by a thread, but still holding, thanks to our new and 'old' breeders there. Big thanks to NB and MN for watching bloodlines and bringing goats home from impossibly long distances to keep 'em all going!
2010 Goat Trade Party in VA
Goat trading, group hoof trimming, curries, wine, fireside chat, dog tricks, goat tricks—we had fun, but didn't last nearly long enough. The party will repeat in The Plains, VA, around October 2010, all SCI breeders welcome. Our guest room is booked, but there's room for tents/small campers or there's local B&B. We'll volunteer KY for his BBQ skills, VA for tent-pitching/camper grounds (very scenic spot), and local goat cheese. The SCI population is so small, it wouldn't take too much to get close to the other SCI breeders. And they're a great group. Goats welcome, biosecurity essential.
Winter 2009/2010 Goat Count Results!
Thank you SO much to breeders who helped us tally SCI goats this winter. We heard from almost everyone, and it was an amazing show of support from our breeders. Our count does not include kids. We have:
Breeding does: 274 (227 USA, 47 Canada);
Breeding bucks: 84 (76 USA, 8 Canada);
Non-Breeding goats: 57 (50 USA, 7 Canada)
Total counted: 415
Estimated Global Population: 450
Bloodlines: 10 (USA 8, Canada 2)
Active (human) Breeders listed: 32 (26 USA in 17 states, 6 Canada in 2 provinces. A few breeders are unlisted but counted.)
So our increase over the past year was only 8%? There are a couple of factors: we have many breeding animals who do not have partners. We also have a couple of larger herds that are showing possibly outdated numbers until we hear otherwise. And we will always have a few retirees on board. Thank you, John, for helping fix the bachelorette (does without partners) issue in a major way. And where would we be without the miles travelled in 2009 by Jerry and Lynn and Elizabeth and new breeders? Thank you, too, for those of you who stayed at home and bred what you have. We need that, too!
(Posted March 2010)
Almost Lost a Bloodline Due to Mineral Salts
Let's compare labels. Send 'em in! We also need to have more communication between breeders. If you're up for helping a novice, even if you are a novice yourself, we need to know. Either way, check out the new Salts page.
Cold Snap in Canada
On December 14 2009, Temperatures in Alberta, Canada dropped to to 43 degrees below zero. We have SCI goats there!
Sandra Kenyon (SCI goats Alberta) writes: "The barn will go down as low as -25C during the night as we've had -39C as the ambient temperature. The goats are doing amazingly well! There are a total of 25 goats in the barn and one mammoth donkey so lots of body heat to keep things warm!"
For those of you who think in fahrenheit, once you get to about 45 degrees below, centigrade, it equals about 45 degrees below, fahrenheit. San Clemente Island goats can survive, as long as we keep breeding!
More Publicity!
Thank you to our breeders who are getting the local press to educate the public about San Clemente Island goats. Here's one from Carole Coates. . .
Read article now.
Gift Suggestion. . . Beautifully-written book! "Dogtown Chronicles" includes SCI goats
Not only does Doris Ober write about SCI Goats as a breeder, but her talent as a writer is breathtaking.
So many 'animal' books show a story-book glamorization of farm-life or 'amazing animal personalities,' but not this one.
"Dogtown Chronicles" is a perfectly-paced realistic view of what most of us do as small breeders, including the joys, deaths, and not-sure-what-happened effects and feelings of a woman who finds that sometimes animals aren't perfect as the hay gets heavier and the predators hover. . . the strong love stays, but the love you feel isn't always as deep for every member of the herd.
Doris puts those in-between emotions that we all experience into words, which is a hard thing to do. She brings out your laughter or tears within a page.
In "Dogtown Chronicles," Doris manages to weave our lives into a book that's hard to put down. The book has enough stories that we can sink into for the few minutes we have before we go out to put up the goats, and is one that we'll eagerly continue reading later, as time allows, without losing the thread of the tale. It was wriiten by one of us, and you get the feeling it was written FOR us.
Doris Ober's goat, Isabella, is the Cover Girl for the San Clemente Island brochure, and photographer/husband/conservationist Richard Kirschman has peppered this book with award-winning photography.
To order a copy please visit www.dogtownchronicles.com
DNA Results Are In!
The first phase of San Clemente DNA is in. Thank you to everyone who contributed! Very interesting stuff, call Leslie to find out more. 540-687-8871. It's also time for the Fall Goat Count so we need to touch bases anyway. . .
Another Island Photo
We just got in more island photos. Here's one that was taken during Tom Beene's early 1970's round-up.
Go to White Goats page now.
1956 San Clementes!
Here's a neat photo that y'all haven't seen yet, taken by Mr. Bensenhaver in about 1956. He used to help out the orphan kids when he was stationed on the island. Hopefully we'll get to share more of his memories and photos this summer. Wait. . . is that a FROSTED nose? Yikes. That would throw an interesting genetic twist into the works, huh?
Got Photos?
SCI Breeder and historian Carole Coates is looking for high-resolution jpeg photos for her website. It would be a great opportunity for all of us to take a peek at the similarities and differences among our herds. She will also be showcasing other exterminated island breeds. Please contact Carole at potteryh@earthlink.net
New Bloodline!
Welcome, Nellie Gail goats! This composite bloodline has been in southern California for years, and has now surfaced for the rest of us to enjoy. Bloodlines are listed on the Breeding page. (Updated January 2009)
Go to Breeding page now.
Paternity Testing
Links to paternity testing labs for both U.S.A. and Canada are now available on our health page. (Updated January 2009)
Go to Health page now.
Wait a Minute. . . Are They Spanish or Not?
Find out more about San Clemente Island goat origins as DNA investigations continue. (Updated December 2008)
Go to DNA page now.
2008 Fall Goat Count Is In—Looks Like We Broke the 400 Mark!
Thank you all for your response to the Fall 2008 SCI goat count. A few people did not respond, so we just used their figures from last year. We have 375 goats: 254 does, 77 bucks, and 44 non-breeding. New estimated total global population is now 425. Now that our buck shortage is coming to an end, we should have well over 500 goats by Fall 2009. Nice job! Please keep us posted on your herd numbers, and keep breeding!
Culling
We have a buck shortage and many does are waiting in heat with no suitors: is it fair to cull any of them?
Go to Breeding page now
New Breeders!
Everyone has been working hard together to help new breeders get started. Thank you! Keep an eye on our Breeder Map to see where the new breeders are located, or revisit the Breeder List page as we add more monthly. Our team of breeders is still growing steadily, and is a very effective and fun consortium.
San Clemente Island goat breeders are a very eclectic group, who are all dedicated to the breed with a wide variety of breeding goals and management strategies—this is essential to keep the genetic diversity going strong!
Every breeder brings something new to the table: we have those interested in dairy, meat, conformation, worm resistance, resilience, mixed-bloodlines, single bloodlines, mothering abilities. . . and our breeders are a mix of vegetarians, meat-eaters, intense management, low management, organic, big ranch, small yard, with different levels of experience and knowledge. That's exactly what we need to meet our conservation objectives. We're right on track.
Go to Breeder List page now
Goat Chow?
Do all those chemical names on your goat chow labels make your head spin? How do you compare Feed 'A' with Feed 'B' without becoming a nutrition/biochemistry expert? Beginners, give us 5 minutes. This will be fast, easy, painless, and fun, and then you can compare feed labels and feel like a pro.
Go to Goat Chow page now.
Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests for goats are easy and cheap these days. 97% accuracy for $7.50. (Same place does CAE tests for $4).
Go to Breeding page now.
Transportation
Here are a few ideas on how to get your goats home! Ruminant trailer transport, airlines that will take goats, and whether or not Amtrack is an option.
Go to Transport page now.
Bloodlines
We have identified 7 strains of San Clemente Island goats. Some are composite strains, some have been closed herds since adoption off the island. You can either stick to a strain (good) or kick in some new bloodlines (also good).
Go to Breeding page now.
Milk Test Results
The first milk test results are in. San Clemente Island goats have super-creamy milk, and we're hoping you'll get out your milk bucket to help with the survey.
Go to Dairy page now
Zoos
Zoos are getting interested in San Clemente Island goats. How do we handle that one?
Go to Zoos page now
White Goats
Find out everything there is to know (so far) about white coloring on San Clemente Island goats.
Go to White Goats page now
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Contact Us
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San Clemente Island Goat Association
3037 Halfway Road
The Plains, VA 20198
540–687–8871
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