When choosing a stud service, always consider the following:
Does the stud you are considering have any progeny?
If so, have a look at them and see if they are an improvement on their dams.The proof is in the progeny – if the stud is acheiving good quality offspring over a variety of dams, he is a good stud regardless of his physical characteristics! If he is a young male without cria on the ground as yet, look at other close relatives (his father, mother, sibling and half siblings). If they are of good quality, the chances are this untried stud will also sire good cria – and his fee may be cheaper because he is “unproven”.
Does your prospective sire have a good pedigree?
While the inclusion of top animals in a pedigree is not a guarantee of quality in the animal concerned, having recognised industry icon studs included in his pedigree can give an indication of his breeding performance.
What are the physical attributes of the stud?
He should have good, even if not outstanding conformation, with no genetic or conformational faults. His fleece quality should be in line with the stud fee asked. Density, crimp and micron are all factors to be considered, but be aware that many working studs lose their crimp, and their fleece is likely to coarsen as they age. His current fleece micron is not necessarily relevant at this stage, but try to find out what his micron was at ages 1, 2,and 3 and whether he held that micron or his fleece coarsened quickly. Unless you see a sample of an early fleece, it is impossible to know what crimp he might have had, but the quality of fleece displayed by his progeny will help, or show wins he was awarded before being retired to stud may give an indication of this also.
How does he compare to your female?
The male you are considering should not have the same faults as your female. eg if your female has a narrow chest, it is important that the male has a good depth of chest. You want the stud to be strong where your female is weak, but not to over-compensate -ie, if your female has a long neck, you need a stud with a good neck length, not one with a short neck. Using a fault to fix a fault does not work!
What is his stud fee?
This should match his quality and the quality of the cria he is siring. The average stud fee for a 2nd level stud start around $600, while premium studs start around $1000.
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