Every breeding season goat producers renew the discussion of whether putting vinegar in the drinking water of breeding does will increase the likelihood that more females than males will be born.
Some people swear by it, while others think it is nonsense.
To better understand the potential for success or failure of this management practice, let' s examine the biological foundations of sex determination. Sex determination is entirely dependent upon the combination of X and Y chromosomes that join at each breeding. The male possesses one X and one Y chromosome, while the female has two X chromosomes. The Y chromosome determines males, while two X chromsomes equals a female. Therefore, it is clear that the male of the species determines the sex of the offspring.