Cabochon Farm

Reflections and 2025 Kidding Season Schedule

Posted on January 28, 2025January 29, 2025 by admin

It’s almost time for our kidding season to start so this is a good time for a quick update on our herd and to reflect on the last year.

We only made it to two shows last year, but we had a lot of fun and Angel finished her permanent championship. Destiny earned two Grand Champion wins and two Best Udder awards, Shiraz earned a Grand Champion, and Seafoam picked up two Reserve Champions. We had several first-place wins and are very proud of how the girls did overall.

In the milk parlor, High Tide and Sea Ice once again made the ADGA Elite list. High Tide ranks in the top 1% of Nigerian Dwarf does nationwide and Sea Ice is right behind her ranking in the top 2%. I’m extremely proud that our rolling yearly herd average in December was over 1,100 pounds when the breed average is just under 800 pounds per lactation. It is very important to me that our goats not only look pretty but also milk like true dairy goats.

We parted with several beautiful does this year to reduce my workload and while it is always hard to let them go, it is rewarding to contribute to other herds and to help people get started with quality goats. Thank you to everyone who has added a Cabochon goat to their herd. They all have a piece of my heart, and I always love to get photos and updates on how they are doing.

Looking forward into 2025, we have so many wonderful breedings that it will be a herculean task to choose only a handful to retain in our breeding program. If space and time were no object, I’d keep then all! But alas, I will have to part with the vast majority of the kids born this year. If you are looking for a special kid to add to your herd, check out our 2025 Kidding Schedule to find your next top performer!

Ilene’s Rascals Stephanie Dear – Dam to my newest buckling, Ilene’s Rascals Winning Ticket. Photo courtesy of Illene’s Rascals

Champagne’s Twins

Posted on January 9, 2025 by admin

Champange had autumn kids this year with a beautiful buck and doe born on September first. I am thrilled to have another Champagne daughter to retain in our herd because I see consistently strong performance from them both in the show ring and on the milkstand.

The sires is Better Wayz Bodacious *B who is backed by an exceptionally strong pedigree of does with Excellent udders and general appearance and who have some of the best production in the breed.

Both his dam and sire’s dam are EEEE 92 does who have milked more than 1300 lbs in a lactation. His dam, SG Better Wayz Harmony Carabear 3*M EEEE 92, is the new all time breed leader in butterfat and has been an ADGA Elite doe for the last six years. His sire’s dam, SG Better Wayz Isabelle 3*M EEEE 92, has made the top 10 list for butterfat multiple times and has been an ADGA Elite doe for the last four years.

Sire – Better Wayz Bodacious *B
Dam – SGCH Carl B’s OH Sweet Champagne *M VEEE 91

Sea Ice’s Triplets

Posted on January 6, 2025 by admin

Cabochon DP Sea Ice 4*M Elite easily delivered 2 does and a buck on April 20th. These kids have the pedigree to perfom in both the show ring and the milk parlour. Sea Ice (aka Squeeze) is an amazing milker earning Elite status in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and producing over 1,300 lbs as a second freshener. She has an excellent mammary with a beautiful Rear Udder Arch (37) and Rear Udder Height (36).

Bodacious’ pedigree is packed with does with Excellent udders and general appearance who have some of the best production in the breed. Both his dam and sire’s dam are EEEE 92 does who have milked more than 1300 lbs in a lactation. His dam, SG Better Wayz Harmony Carabear 3*M EEEE 92, is the new all time breed leader in butterfat and has been an ADGA Elite doe for the last six years. His sire’s dam, SG Better Wayz Isabelle 3*M EEEE 92, has made the top 10 list for butterfat multiple times and has been an ADGA Elite doe for the last four years.

Sire – Better Wayz Bodacious *B
Dam – Cabochon DP Sea Ice 4*M Elite

Angel’s AI Doelings

Posted on January 6, 2025 by admin

This Artificial Insemination (AI) breeding to a son of the stunning Reserve National Champion doe, SGCH Old Mountain Farm Shy Elk, was one the most anticipated of the year and Angel blessed us with three doelings! I just love Shy Elk’s strength and width while still being a very dairy doe. I believe those traits will really build on Angel’s strengths. I’m excited to add these new genetics to our breeding program and am eager to see how these girls grow.

GCH Cabochon PAN Believe In Angels 5*M finished her permanent championship this year at the Mid-MN Classic in Brainerd. Some of Angel’s best features include her long, level topline, her straight legs, her wide rump, her Rear Udder Height (37), and her Rear Udder Arch (37).

The doelings’ sire, CUatLilRedBarn Fuddy Duddy *B is the son of SGCH Old Mountain Farm Shy Elk 2*M EEEE 92, the 2018 Reserve National Champion doe. Shy Elk is a beautiful doe with great longevity. As an eight year old, she scored EEEE 92 with excellent mammery scores of Rear Udder Arch 38, Rear Udder Height 36, and Fore Udder 38. She is also one of the few Nigerian who scores Excellent in rump with a level Rump Angle (39) and impressive Rump Width (38).

Fuddy Duddy’s sire’s dam, GCH CU at Lil’Red Barn Abby EEEE91, scores Excellent in General Appearance, Mammary, Dairy Strength, Back, Rear Legs, and Rump. Abby’s superior conformation led her to success in the show ring where she became a finished Champion at four years of age. That same year she appraised with FS90 and the next year with FS91.

Sire – CUatLilRedBarn Fuddy Duddy *B
Dam – GCH Cabochon PAN Believe In Angels 5*M

Kira’s Boy

Posted on June 24, 2024 by admin

Cabochon PR Kira Salek had a a beautiful red buckskin single buckling. Because Kira is a first freshener, her boy will be going to a pet home as a wether. Kira is milking really well as a yearling producing 4.5 lbs on her first test at 68 days in milk.

The kid’s sire, Cabochon DJ Casanova +*B, is the son of GCH Liberty Star Acres Annabelle 2*M EEEV 90 who has exceptional longevity, winning her latest Grand Championship at 11 years old at the highly competitive Bluff Country show. Casanova’s daughters have multiple show wins and production awards including a Superior Genetics daughter, SG Cabochon CN Whatchamacallit 2*M VEEV 90.

Sire – Cabochon DJ Casanova +*B
Dam – Cabochon PR Kira Salek

Scarlet’s Twins

Posted on June 4, 2024 by admin

Cabochon CN Scarlet delivered twin doelings by Better Wayz Bodacious *B on April 13th. This is Scarlet’s first freshening and she is already off to a great start as a yearling milker making 5 lbs on her first milk test at 37 days in milk and winning Best Udder in her age class at her very first show.

Scarlet is a nice combination of her sire and dam’s best traits. Scarlet’s sire, Cabochon DJ Casanova +*B, produces stylish daughters with level toplines and correct feet and legs. Scarlet’s dam, Cabochon DP Amber 3*M is a wide doe who scored an E in rump as a 3-year-old second freshener.

Sire – Better Wayz Bodacious *B
Dam – Cabochon CN Scarlet

Amber’s Twins

Posted on May 23, 2024 by admin

Cabochon DP Amber 3*M had an easy delivery of buck/doe twins on March 27th and is milking well on her third lactation. The kids are both super friendly and the doeling is polled.

Amber milked 868 lbs last year as a second freshener and her first milk test this year was 3.7 lbs at 19 days in milk. Some of Amber’s strongest traits are her wide (31), level (30) rump and her rear udder height (34). Amber has ideal teat placement (27).

The kids’ sire, Cabochon SIG Marco Polo AI *B, excels in general appearance and dairy character. Marco’s dam, GCH (pending) Cabochon Amelia 3*M VEEE 91, is a gorgeous doe with beautiful conformation and excellent production milking more than 1,100 pounds in her third lactation.

Marco is sired by the 2015 ADGA Spotlight Sale Nigerian Dwarf Buck, Heaven’s Hollow Sig Sauer. Sig Sauer’s dam, SGCH Wyojem Wendy Kiki (EEEE 91), is a Superior Genetics Grand Champion who has many outstanding accomplishments including:
-2012 National Reserve Best Udder
-2013 National Champion Nigerian Dwarf
-2014 Top Ten Milk Production
-LA of EEEE 91 at 8 years old

Sire – Cabochon SIG Marco Polo AI *B
Dam – Cabochon DP Amber 3*M

Nellie’s Twins

Posted on May 4, 2024December 1, 2024 by admin

It’s always fun to have AI babies and Nellie gave us a pair of buck/doe twins on March 24th. Nellie is a very pretty doe with a lovely topline and rump. She has a snug udder with great rear attachments and is a very productive little doe producing over 1,000 lbs as a second freshener.

One of the reasons I chose to AI Nellie to Dynamo Falcon Ziggzag ++*B, is because she has small teats and Ziggzag does a great job increasing teat size in his kids. He also passes heavy milk production and has several Superior Genetics designated daughters.

Nellie’s dam is GCH Cabochon Amelia 3*M VEEE 91 and her sire’s dam is GCH Cabochon PR Diamond Dust 3*M VVEE 88, whose dam and sire’s dam are both SGCH VEEE 91 does.

Sire – Dynamo Falcon Ziggzag ++*B
Dam – Cabochon DI Nellie Bly 2*M

Polka Dot’s Triplets

Posted on May 2, 2024December 1, 2024 by admin

Cabochon PR Polka Dot 4*M easily delivered triplets on March 25th. These kids have the pedigree to perfom in both the show ring and the milk parlour. Polka Dot’s first freshening udder was high and wide with a nice foreudder and it looks like it’s going to be even better this year. Polka Dot has amazing production with 973 lbs in 290 days as a yearling. She also shines in the show ring earning a Grand Champion as a junior at the Quad State show in Iowa and first place yearling milker at the Best of the Midwest show in Minnesota.

Sire – Better Wayz Bodacious *B
Dam – Cabochon PR Polka Dot 4*M

Destiny’s Buck

Posted on April 27, 2024May 4, 2024 by admin

Cabochon MP Destiny 4*M has a single buck this year. Destiny is a beautiful and productive young doe. She has a high, wide rear udder, a strong medial suspensory ligament and well placed, easy to milk teats. As a yearling first freshener, she milked over 1,000 lbs.

Destiny’s dam is one of our best does, Cabochon PR Indian Summer 3*M VEEE 90. Her sire’s dam is GCH Cabochon Amelia 3*M VEEE 91.

The buckling’s sire, Cabochon DJ Casanova +*B, is the son of GCH Liberty Star Acres Annabelle 2*M EEEV 90 who has exceptional longevity, winning her latest Grand Championship at 11 years old at the highly competitive Bluff Country show. Casanova’s daughters have multiple show wins and production awards including a Superior Genetics daughter, SG Cabochon CN Whatchamacallit 2*M VEEV 90.

Sire – Cabochon DJ Casanova +*B
Dam – Cabochon MP Destiny 4*M