Goat Breeding Information |
Written by Administrator-GL | |||||
Saturday, 30 June 2007 | |||||
Page 2 of 3
Buck Preparation:If you have your own bucks, now is the time of year they wait all spring and summer for. The arrival of breeding season! Keep in mind, the old saying.."Your buck is half of your herd." Make sure he is happy and healthy. He will be half of every kid on your farm. Breeding Season or "Rut" can be a very stressful time for your buck. He will be so busy swooning over the ladies he will not eat as he should and will lose weight, called "going off his feed". Start him out in more than optimum health. This does not mean to all of a sudden load him up with grain. This would be a sure-fire way to make him sick. Slowly increase his intake of grain and always make sure he has top quality hay. He needs minerals and salt to himself and plenty of fresh water. If you have been running the buck/bucks in with the does all summer now is the time to separate them - if you have not already. Go over your fencing and make sure they are stout. Your bucks will certainly test them out these next 6 months. Make sure all his shelters are water proof and wind proof. Deworm him 30 days before breeding and make sure his feet are trimmed and healthy. As rut begins he will run the risk of urine scald on the backs of his front legs - so remember to check them daily in heavy rut and weekly in less aggressive rut. Apply diaper-rash cream such as Desitin Ointment. This will sooth and keep the skin from becoming more irritated. Make sure his feet are in good shape as he will be a busy goat for the next 6 months and needs to be stable on his feet. As you can well imagine, this time of year is stressful for both bucks and does. Even though the bucks may be a little more "fragrant" during this time, they still need attention and love. Many goat breeders do not like the smell of a buck in rut, Personally I don't mind it a bit. Decide your Breeding Style:You need to decide how you plan to breed. Are you going to breed standing (also referred to as hand breeding)? Do you have specific bucks you will place with the does for a period of 2 cycles? (also referred to as field breeding) or Do you plan on bringing an outside buck in to service you does? (This is typically done as a standing breeding, although you could retain the buck for a period of time to place in with your does.) Should you decide to bring in a buck, keep in mind that you will be waiving the typical quarantine time you would usually perform when introducing a strange goat to your herd, unless you plan to hire him for a month before you place him with your does. Depending on the set up at your own farm, you will notice that the buck will bring the does into heat cycle, this happens usually about 10 days after the introduction of the buck. This can also be forced by the use of a buck rag- ( a cloth that has been rubbed on the scent glands behind the front legs and head scent glands of a buck in rut to bring the odor to your own farm and hung on a fence to stimulate the does into a heat cycle.) This is particularly useful when you are bringing an outside buck in for breeding. If you keep more than one buck in your pens, you will notice as the night temperatures drop, the bucks will engage in head butting and vocalization. If you use a young buck he may be a little unsure at first of what to do, you may need to bring in a "teaser buck". Once a second buck is there as a challenge, it's amazing how quick the youngster catches onto what he needs to do. You can figure one seasoned buck can service about 20-30 does in a season. You can also figure depending on the breed of goat, a buckling at 3 months old "could" impregnate your does. If you think size is a factor, think again. An insistent buck with an interested doe will "find a way" to reach her for proper mounting. As well, if you think your 3 month old does cannot get pregnant, think twice. Assisting an 8 month old doeling giving birth is not fun, nor is it good for the doeling. The Early Goat CourtShip:As breeding season arrives, you will notice your does calling out to the buck/bucks and flagging (wagging) their tails. If there is a common fence, the does will stand next to the fence and "talk" to the boys. She will squat and urinate for the buck when she has decided this would be the time she would accept him. If they are together with no barriers, she would stand for breeding at this time for him. Some does prefer to stand still and allow the buck to mount her, some prefer to walk and have the buck mount her while she is moving. Upon the arrival of rut, the buck will begin to holler out and paw at the fencing and ground. He may ram his horns or head against the fence in attempt to break down the barrier. If he is penned with other bucks they will challenge one another with head butting and possible arguments. They may mount each other as they get more frustrated. They will also turn their faces around to their own under belly and urinate on their faces and mouth their penis. This is all natural and every buck in rut does it. It is not disgusting or weird, it is extremely natural and the bucks are very proud of their accomplishments! The stickier the legs and faces get , the more proud they seem to be. Here is a Prime example of one of my boys in and out of rut- the black on his face is from consistant peeing on his face and will be white and clean again in spring when he stops his boyish behavior. :) The buck will also stick his nose under a urinating doe to smell the hormone level. How to Tell When your Doe is Ready:There are signs to look for to know when your does are ready to stand for a buck. The usual heat cycle for a dairy doe is 21 days. She remains in heat for typically 3 days, day #2 being the most active and many breeders wait for day #2 to breed. The most likely time she will conceive is generally an 18 to 24 hour period somewhere in the middle of this 3 day cycle. Many times the doe will have a second cycle 3 weeks after her breeding. This should be of no concern. If she comes back into heat 6 weeks after her initial breeding, you may want to consider re breeding her. Often times, the first heat cycle of the season is a practice cycle. The doe may come in once again in about 7-10 days. This should not be a concern for the first cycle of the year, but if it continues throughout the season, you may want to have her tested for cystic ovaries. She will begin to vocalize (some of the does are relatively quiet some holler like they have been hit by a car), she will get as near to the buck area as she can, and flag her tail. Her vulva will get puffy and she may or may not have a slight white discharge. If you do not see the discharge, you may still see where it transferred to her under tail where the skin may have some dried matter on it. Typical signs of a Doe in Estrus:Much of this happens at night when the temperature cools down.
The Actual Breeding Goat |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 18 January 2009 ) |
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