Any danger of goat kids breeding before September?

[danielnv]

I'm a bit confused. Goat breeding season is September to January or thereabouts. Kids can breed at 2 months old. So does this mean they can only breed when the season hits, or once right as they hit puberty, or anytime the first year? I know Nigerians and pigmies can breed any time, but my Nigerian buckling shouldn't be able to get large breed doelings bred until their season, right?

 

[arabianequine]

Either I am reading what you wrote wrong or I have been informed wrong.

Kids are usually born in the spring and breed that late fall. They are not 2 months old when breed. They are like 6 months old or more, older is better. If the kid was born late fall. I would not breed her till next fall so she will be 1 1/2 when breed.

Most people breed in the late fall to have spring kids. It is hard to deal with and keep kids warm in the winter. A lot of babies dye in the winter due to being so cold.

Same with adult does.....breed in the late fall/early winter. They will have spring kids. The pregnancy term is about 5 months.

People breed a lot to get milk and I would not want to milk every day x2 in the winter either This is the perfect time to be pregnant/refresher time since it is cold anyways.

 

[arabianequine]

Typical heat time is spring and fall. The large breed goats can go into heat any time of the year. That is why I keep my buck and does separate. Till I want them to breed. So your smaller goat could get the larger doe pregnant before late fall/earlier winter.

 

[Chickencoop1996]

They are capable of breeding at 2 months if they do breed at 2 months that is bad news Someone recently had on breed at 4 months and lost the kid and mother. I breed all mine at 80 pounds or 1 year old with good luck.

 

[danielnv]

Quote:
I see you have boer goats, which also can breed anytime. I mostly have crosses of Nubian/alpine/oberhasli/saanen which in the adults only come into heat during season, similar to deer. I'm just wondering if the juveniles also come into heat like during puberty at 2 months, and then continuously for the first year, or ???

 

[glenolam]

@danielnv - all breeds *can* come into heat at any time of year provided there is a buck near by. That's not to say that it happens all the time, but it can happen. A goat kid born in the spring can come into heat during the summer and early fall once they reach puberty, which is why they say to separate bucks from the does when they are at least 8 - 12 weeks old. Does could come into heat each month during the first year, but it's not very likely unless there's a seasoned buck around who senses their heat cycles and goes into rut.

Basically, all breeds *can* breed at any time of the year and pretty much at any age (of course, other factors have an impact on that). I have 2 Saanans and 2 Nubians who's previous owners "forced" them into heat with a buck rag in the spring last year so they'd have fall babies. There's nothing wrong with doing that, mind you, it's all preference. It is more difficult to breed during off seasons, but certainly possible.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

If you have a buck in the pen with the does, they could breed anytime. Does go into heat approx. every month during the year.

 

[danielnv]

Thanks for all the answers! I saw my 5 week old Oberhasli/alpine buckling trying to have his way with a 3 month old doeling. I don't know if he could do the deed or not, even though he isn't even 2 months old. So I separated the doelings to be safe.

 

[glenolam]

I'm sure he could do the deed, but it's not likely. That said, if you are able to separate them and have the space to do so, why not?

 

[elevan]

Bucks are sexually viable at 7 weeks old. Even if they are much smaller than the doe there are ways of accomplishing the task if each is willing (and it does happen).

At 5 weeks old he is just practicing and showing dominance. You want to remove him to a separate pen before he reaches 7 weeks though.

And at 2 months old that doeling is certainly capable of being bred though not likely.

If you want to read more about the devastating effects of breeding them too young, check out this thread on the sister site BYH:
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8805
The doeling was bred way to young and in the end was lost along with the buckling that she carried