My new baby

[Trithor]

Let me introduce the newest addition to my family,....
For the first few weeks the mom ('CT') separates from the rest of the herd, she hides the youngster (still unnamed) in thick bush. She feeds in the area near the youngster and goes to the calf to feed her when there is no risk of being seen. It is only at this period that a mature female moves away from the herd (adult males will often move away on their own, but not the females). As soon as we become aware of the movement, we stay away from the area and wait for the mother to emerge into the open. Young giraffe are very prone to breaking their legs if they panic.

CT and baby


Dad ('Titan') a 4th generation selected breeding male

 

[Dido]

amazing for what do you select them color, soze or ?

I have to go to zoo to see them.

 

[Erythrone]

Wonderful baby!!!

Are males dangerous for youngsters? Do you keep the whole family together?

 

[Ruth]

WOW!!!!!
So beautiful!!!!!!!!

 

[NYEric]

Thanks for sharing. My GF will be excited.
How tall is the baby?

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Thanks for the photographs. Do you have an idea as to the age of the youngster?

 

[chris20]

Beautiful animals.

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

Wow, so beautiful. Mr looks pretty powerful!

 

[SlipperFan]

So exotic!
congratulations!

 

[abax]

Congratulations papa! That is one beautiful youngun'. He looks very strong and
alert. Might mother and son be looking at you??

 

[JeanLux]

Too cool !! :clap: !! Jean

 

[John M]

Wow! What beautiful animals, especially Titan! The bush looks so lush and well watered now. It wasn't long ago that you mentioned to me that it was very dry and the rains were late. I guess everything just explodes with new growth as soon as the rains come. Those are two very beautiful photographs. Thanks!

 

[Clark]

Congrats!
It looks just like the mother(on my monitor).

Will you sell it?

 

[Trithor]

amazing for what do you select them color, soze or ?

I have to go to zoo to see them.

I breed for colour and size. I have been selecting for the melanistic trait for 20 years now. Titan is showing good dark colour and very good size. He stands about 5.6m ( we had to move him into a side camp away from the power lines which are at 6.5m, but dip between the poles down to about 5.8m. Titan is the largest of my breeding males. His father, Dusk, was larger, but not as dark.

Wonderful baby!!!
Are males dangerous for youngsters? Do you keep the whole family together

Males are very protective, but they keep to the outside of the breeding herd. They are not aggressive (unlike zebra, which will attack young males). It can be expected that the dad will move closer over the next few months. Mom will stop feeding in a couple of months and so dad will show a bit more interest towards our winter (June)

Thanks for sharing. My GF will be excited.
How tall is the baby?

Baby stands about 1.5m now. She is pictured with her sister from the last season (2years ago). Sister (Treacle stands about 2.5)

Thanks for the photographs. Do you have an idea as to the age of the youngster?

Youngster is about 3 months now. She spends about 6 weeks in deep cover, and it takes some weeks to get close to her in order t get a reasonable picture with my 'point n shoot'. I don't have a telephoto, so I was about ten meters away to take the picture.

Congratulations papa! That is one beautiful youngun'. He looks very strong and
alert. Might mother and son be looking at you??

Angela, they are very aware of me, and still not too happy with me approaching too near. The baby is a female (as near as we can tell at the moment), and she is with last seasons sister in the pic.

Congrats!
It looks just like the mother(on my monitor).
I will post a pic of mom, sorry for the confusion. But she sure looks just like her sister!

Will you sell it?

The problem is that I become too attached to all of them. Every few years I have to sell a few just to try ad keep going. The reality of the situation is that this is a labour of love, not profit. I should apply for NGO status! My wife often complains that most men should be allowed one passion, but I have a bunch of them! There is a saying over here, In order to make a small fortune in Game farming, you have to have started with a bigger fortune!

What the hell, I love my family, my dogs, my animals, my orchids, ..... And of course my wine!

 

[eteson]

This is amazing! I didn't know about your other breeding lines.
Could you please send me some seed :rollhappy:

 

[nikv]

Fantastic photos!

 

[Dido]

do you make linebreeding or what is your regime to improve, do you add special feed or only what is growing.
What should be the end result in your dream of breeding.
Is the dark linked to the Y as the daughters show not this darker color.
Or is it a passive one and you have to do a crossback.

 

[Heather]

Wow! Fascinating info. Gorgeous animals - love the color on Titan! Thanks for sharing these lovelies with us, Gary!

 

[Trithor]

do you make linebreeding or what is your regime to improve, do you add special feed or only what is growing.
What should be the end result in your dream of breeding.
Is the dark linked to the Y as the daughters show not this darker color.
Or is it a passive one and you have to do a crossback.

That is difficult t answer, I am trying to get as dark as possible. My concern is the heat factor, predation is not a problem on the ranch (apart from young animals which would be the same everywhere). The sub adult and adult are too large for leopard, so camo is not realy a problem. I am somewhat concerned about the heat stress that darker colour will impose on the animals.
I only supplement feed at the end of the dry season as I am running very close to the carrying capacity. But no special feeds are supplements are given
The females do not show as dark coloration, but are starting to show much darker colour on the upper legs and back than they ever did. I am very happy with the darkening that the baby's sister is displaying, and will definitely move her into the other enclosure later in the year. Hopefully she will breed with 'Treacle', my other dark breeding bull.
The expression is variable recessive, and definitely has a feed influence as well. Bulls are darkening much earlier and much darker than previous generations. But the expression is not linear. I have been working with two separate gene pools, and this last season I purchased a female from a herd showing good colour from a completely separate breeding stock. They are nowhere near as dark, but I want to ensure some change in bloodlines. I am always on the lookout for more animals, but finance is an ongoing problem. It is not the cost of the animal, but the cost of additional land to carry them

 

[Dido]

Thanks for the answers.

breeding is a hobby and passion for me.

Do you think you could influence the dark with carotinoides or the forms of it.