Goat breeding questions?

[bheila]

My doe has been in heat about a week so I've decided that I would like to breed her. I went onto Fias Co Farm and it says that Estrus/Heat Cycle is 17-23 days. Then it says that a heat is 6 hours to 3 days. Can someone please explain this to me? I'm confused! I already have a buck lined up and I don't want to loose the opportunity to breed her. Also, how long does she need to be with him to be successfully bred?

 

[Western Chick]

They are only in heat (breedable if you want to have babies) for a day or so...that would be the 6 hours to 3 days part, this is when they ovulate. Generally they will come back into heat (ovulate, accept the buck, etc.) after 21 days- an average heat cycle if they were not bred the first time around.

How do you know she was in heat? Tail flagging? Vocalizing? If you don't have a buck it's really hard to tell if she's in heat. If you have a buck they will try to get close to him...and of course he'll oblige. If you are sure she's been in heat for the last 6 days, she has a problem...probably cystic.

The best way to get her bred is to put a buck with her for 45 days or so that covers two heat cycles (avg- 21 days). Most likely he'll breed her the first time. When you see this mark the calendar 21 days later and make sure he's not trying to breed her again at that time. If she's bred she won't come into heat and the buck will not be tempted to "do his thing"

 

[helmstead]

I've never had a heat last more than 2 days. So...sounds like you've already missed this month's boat.

We breed several ways, depending on the doe. Some of my does have silent heats - they get the 30-46 day treatment described already. Other does throw themselves into heat as SOON as they're introduced to their boyfriend...so they only have to be in with him about 24 hrs. Other does are SO very obvious when they're ready that it's as simple as Fiasco's site describes - take the doe in the pen...watch them breed several times. Ta da...done.

My advice? Get a buck rag...this will help you know for SURE if your doe is in heat - but know that once she's reactive to the rag you DON'T have much time to get her to the buck! Or, just board your doe with the buck owner (if he's reputable and has healthy looking goats) until she's been seen getting covered.

 

[bheila]

Okay let me clarify what I mean by her being in heat. This last week she has been very playful. Jumping and spinning around like crazy, which she never does. Now for the last 2 days she's been mounting our wether. So a week with the buck won't be long enough? If I only have a week for my doe to be with the buck, then there is no way to tell when the best time is to put her with him then. Right? I can always get a "buck rag" and bring her back into heat too, can't I. Oh, the other reason I know she went into heat is because the other doe I brought home this last weekend was in with a buck and is covered in urine from him constantly breeding her. Yuk!

 

[bheila]

Quote:
So do I have to wait another 3 weeks then? Or can I wait a week and try the rag. This is so frustrating. I'm just in a hurry because the lady is selling the buck and I want his service before he's gone. He's so darn handsome! Ahhh, who knew this was all so complicated.

 

[Western Chick]

I wouldn't rely on the buck rag to bring her into heat. They're used to detect heat- the doe will follow the smell of the rag if she's in heat.

It sounds like you've detected the heat cycle though. If your time to use the buck in limited to a week I would bring her to the buck (or vice versa) about 18 days from the first day she was trying to breed the wether, leave her with the buck for a week and by then he should have done his job. Often does will show a little semen on the vulva after they've been bred- this is the for sure sign he did the deed but a urine-stained back end is a pretty good sign too.

ETA- I just saw that the buck is going away soon...you could try getting them together, sometimes the presence of the buck will bring them into heat. It would be much better to wait for another heat cycle though.

 

[bheila]

Okay, that pretty much sums it all up for me. Thanks!

 

[Chirpy]

I just wanted to add that I used a buck rag and it didn't help me at all! My doe never showed any interest in it and I had it 'renewed' by the buck owner more than once to keep it 'fresh and smelly'.

I ended up bringing the buck to my house (which I didn't want to do) because, after four months I still had no idea when she ever came into heat. I left him with her for four weeks and then sent him home.

I was able to actually tell when my other doe came into heat and took her to the buck for a two day stint.

Good luck. I had no idea goats could be so difficult to breed either.