Curbstone Valley D Alsephina

While looking at the kidding white board in the barn late spring 2024, I realized that every single kid produced that season was related to one special doe in the herd. It was not intentional at the time the schedule was put together, but over the years there have been some key elements that have become the focus of our breeding program.

We don’t breed specifically to be head of the line at Nationals, as that alone is not a sufficient goal for us. Instead, our focus steers more toward function. Soundness over the lifetime of the animal, longevity, minimal maintenance and the ability to thrive with our management program, ease of kidding, and the ability to milk through more than one lactation, which is especially important considering the current state of the Nigerian Dwarf market.

Alsephina’s dam checks all the boxes. After struggling with too much carpal hyperextension (CH) early in our breeding program, which took years to eliminate from the herd, first and foremost, strength in the front legs is paramount. GCH Alethia HB Stars Align (Allie) has been rock solid, year over year, as have her progeny, and the progeny of her brother, Destiny’s Starman.

With this particular freshening, Allie had easily produced TEN kids in two years. While not a particular fan of quints, Allie’s ability to sustain herself, and produce healthy litters of good sized kids, freshening easily and unassisted, with no metabolic issues, and rebound quickly, are all strengths that are important to us.

Allie proved during the fire and evacuation, as we did not breed for the 2021 season, that she could easily milk through a lactation.

When a doe proves herself over and over, it is an easy choice to retain as many progeny as is practically possible. As such, Alsephina, and her sisters, Capella, and Situla, at least for now, remain here with us. Situla was reserved, but after a lengthy transportation headache, we had zero qualms about her also being retained to the herd.

While Allie is a sound and solid milk producer, with a fabulously well attached udder, for this breeding we crossed her with Sinai Thunder O Dauntless EEE 91, a son of SG/Elite Cedar View Olivero. Looking for a little more length and refinement, but without compromising body capacity and milk production, was our principle goal. Based on the general appearance of Alsephina, she does appear to be a longer, more angular version of her dam at this age, without compromising dairy strength.

Dauntless is related to Sinai Thunder EX Hanukkah, who has been a member of our herd since he was a three month-old kid. Han has consistently improved general appearance in his progeny, especially in rump, angularity, and strength in feet and legs. We had previously bred Allie to Hanukkah to produce both Talitha, and Regulus, and both are an improvement in general appearance over their dam. So when Jill at Sinai Thunder offered us Dauntless, who was not getting the use she hoped for as he was related to a majority of her herd, we were more than willing to make room for him here, and are impressed with what we see so far. Alsephina and her sisters will be held-over as dry yearlings, and bred for Spring of 2026. Their brother, Curbstone Valley D Rigel is also retained to the herd, which will make some of interesting line-breedings down the road as this generation matures.