News
November 2006
Notes from Oregon by Marilyn Burbank Stoneore@budget.netNEW ZEALAND
In February, I was blessed with a once in a lifetime adventure. A friend and I were able to travel to New Zealand for a 12 day coach tour, a visit with David Hughes, a Director of the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand, and then on to the Arapawa Wildlife Sanctuary to stay with Betty Rowe on the Island.
David and Patsy’s farm was a most welcome sight after spending 12 days touring both Islands. It was wonderful to get back to the real earth, to see, hear and smell all the goats, sheep, pigs, horses and mules that their farm supports. All of the animals there are of rare breed status in New Zealand. David and Patsy are warm and welcoming people and we felt very comfortable in their home. David has the largest herd of Arapawa goats in New Zealand with a population of about 100.
During our stay, we collected DNA samples for the ALBC project and I picked out 3 bucks for a second semen collection. We also arranged a trade with Rare Breeds, NZ, to be able to include straws from the previous collection, so that we could import semen from 5 different bucks.
Our trip to the Arapawa Island was an adventure in itself. We traveled by train, north to the Straits, and then took a water taxi to the Island. It was a six-hour journey before we spotted the Sanctuary dock with Betty waiting to welcome us.
Betty Rowe awaiting us at her dockThere were Arapawa bucks and sheep on the rocky beach and as we got closer I could see does up at the house. Quite a sight to see a goat at the ocean’s edge feeding not only on the rough grasses, but the seaweed as well. Betty’s home sits in a small cove not far from the water’s edge. She has taken full advantage of the fairly level space in her little cove. Her home and deck look to the ocean, with goat sheds and pens to the side and a fully fenced (goat proofed) container vegetable garden in the rear.
Betty Rowe and one of her kidsAs I took in the steep brushy mountainsides with visible goats trails weaving among the rocks and boulders, I could more fully understand the toughness and survival skills of the Arapawa goats, sheep and pigs. Betty estimates there is a population of approximately 55 goats in the Sanctuary, with fewer numbers outside the protective fence.
ISLAND NEWS, WINTER 2006
The news this last New Zealand winter has not been good. In all of the over thirty years that Betty has lived there, she states that she has not seen such a winter with freezing cold, heavy rains, and hurricane force winds. The Arapawa goat population suffered devastating losses. Due to an erroneous setting on a drench gun, the “home” goats went into this winter with a heavy parasite load, and could not survive the weather. After two necropsies and fecal counts it was determined that parasitic pneumonia was the largest culprit. Then in late winter, some “good ol boys” in a speedboat decided to “enjoy” a drive by shooting. They further decimated the population, shooting any goat that was in sight. Unfortunately, it was late afternoon and the “home” goats were on their way back from the hills to the cove, so were easy prey. These two men and two boys have been caught and brought into the justice system.
At this time, the total loss has not been fully counted and may never be; however, at least 20 known goats have been lost. Perhaps, this spring and summer, Betty may be able to ascertain the remaining population in the Sanctuary. These events have not only taken their toll on the goats, but on Betty as well; it has been a continuous nightmare for her.
DNA PROJECT
In response to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) request to participate in a DNA study of the Arapawa Goat along with other feral breeds, and which Al Caldwell of the Arapawa Breeders Association graciously accepted, one of my “to do’s” while in New Zealand was to collect DNA samples from David Hughes’s herd and also from the Island goats themselves.
David Hughes and Marilyn Burbank, collecting samples for DNA projectI thought it particularly meaningful that we could have samples from the originating herd of our US population. I have to admit to a bit of reluctance about pulling hoof hairs with a pair of pliers. I cringed with the first couple of animals; the goats didn’t even notice. They were more put out by being held. We collected a total of 20 samples, 12 from the Hughes Farm and 8 from the Island. The goats ranged from 15 years to yearling, with a variety of colors and horn configurations. I feel that we were able to collect a good coverage of the variations in the breed.
Betty Rowe discovered, through a friend in Great Britain, the stuffed head of an old buck hanging in the British Goat Society’s office. After investigation and discussion, it was thought that perhaps this "Old Stuffed Head" might be a link to the old English Milch goat. DNA samples were taken and sent to ALBC to be included in the project. However, as they were not airmailed from Great Britain, at last check they had not arrived. Hopefully, they will appear in time to be included. Perhaps now, the mystery of the ancestry of our Arapawas will be solved as this ALBC project is completed.SEMEN COLLECTION
The Arapawa semen from the Hughes farm and the Rare Breeds, NZ is now here. For the moment, it is being stored at the University of California, Davis, with Martin Dally of the Animal Sciences Department.
Island IIWe have a total of 200 straws, not equally divided among the five bucks. From Rare Breeds, NZ, we have 25 straws each from Yellow Tag and Spencer Park, which are from the first collection. We have 74 straws from Island II, 64 straws from Droopy Ears, and only 12 straws from Willowbank Boy.
Droopy EarsThis collection has been a yearlong project with the cooperation of several people. David Hughes of New Zealand graciously provided the bucks at no cost to us, Al Caldwell donated the semen tank to be used for shipping and Lori Corriveau’s Arapawa Fund paid for the cost of the collection by XCELL Breeding Services in New Zealand.
Willowbank BoyXCELL did an outstanding job considering the terrible winter conditions this year. The bucks had to be collected more than once to get viable semen over a period of months.
Many thanks go out to all involved. This has been a tremendous accomplishment.
December 30th is the big day here at my farm in Oregon. We will be ai’ing nine does after synchronizing hormones so that all come into estrus at the same time. Martin Dally will do the procedure laparoscopically. His website is www.toprams.com for anyone wanting to check out this procedure.DATABASE
Another long project…the database is done in rough form. There is “fine tuning” which still needs to be finished, however we have information from breeders from not only New Zealand, but also Great Britain. The goal of the database is to record the worldwide population of Arapawa’s. When completed, all will be put on line so that any breeder can access several different types of information.
January 25, 2006
The association received this e-mail request (below) from ALBC. DNA testing to confirm the ancestry of our goats has been elusive; this is a rare and wonderful opportunity. The request was accepted with great enthusiasm and thanks. - A.C.Dear Mr. Caldwell,
I am contacting you regarding a proposed study on the DNA of Arapawa goats to help determine the breed’s ancestry. American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has the opportunity to have the DNA testing done and would like to take advantage of this opportunity in order to study this interesting breed of goat. The testing involves collecting hair samples from 20-30 goats from a wide a range of genetic variability as possible. I understand that the breed does not have a large foundation base of animals but if your association can identify lines from the founders, we can collect from individuals from each line.
If your association is interested in participating in this project, please contact me so we can discuss this further. I can send a package of materials and instructions to participant farmers with pre-stamped return envelopes to help facilitate the process. ALBC would of course share all data with your association once the results have returned on the DNA testing.
Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions regarding the project. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Jeannette Beranger
Research & Technical Programs Manager
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
PO Box 477
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Phone 919-542-5704
FAX 919-545-0022
jberanger@albc-usa.org
www.albc-usa.org
