Goat questions

[goldensunriseranch]

I think I would be very careful. Your doe looks very small and if he is only 4 months old there he is probably going to be pretty big in comparison when mature. If she has a single and it turns out to be a big single buck it could be too big to get the kid out. I breed pygmies and dystocia is very common especially if it's a large single kid which is very common in first time does. Also he is also of an age where he can breed her already, bucks are fertile and capable of the deed VERY young and pygmy does are also fertile long before the 2 year mark which is the minimum age I will start to breed a doe, I don't recommend breeding before that. But it might already be too late if they've been together a while. I'd be prepared but also would separate him from her or band him if you decide to not try it and want to keep them together. I would say at best it would be risky. Sorry!

 

[redhen]

yeah...thats what i have been worried about...i hope he didnt get her already...how can i tell?...i wish my vet banded...he wont...he has to have the actual surgury:|....she was born in jan. this year...i have been hoping that shes to young yet to get pregnant...because i wasnt sure if i wanted to breed her yet(i really want the milk from her though!)...i'll get him fixed..and get a pygmy male!!..lol..*sigh*..now i need another pet...lol..hubby will love this..

..thanks so much for the advice..Wendy

 

[helmstead]

Sherry - if the buck in question is over 75 lbs...no, you shouldn't breed it to your does. If they're relatively close in size you *should* be ok.

Redhen - absolutely no, don't breed a FS alpine buck to a mini doe. And banding is so easy, you can do it yourself or find a local breeder to do it for you. Might already be too late, though.

 

[redhen]

...

..how can i tell?...

 

[Chatychick]

Well pygmy and Nigerians come into heat all year long where bigger breeds only half the year. I raise Nigerians and wouldnt ever breed a large size goat to a smaller. I have bred the nigerian buck to larger does. This works but not the other way around ...thats a recipie for a disaster. She should be flagging her tail and prancing around in front of him. Also they like to yell ...well some do. I dont breed my Nigis till they are 15 to 18 mths old. If your not sure if she has been bred you can take her to the vet and have them test her blood to see if she is. If so they can give her a shot to remove the baby.
I would get a banding gun at the feed store and do the deed myself instead of having the vet do it. Its not hard to do it. Good luck

 

[redhen]

thank you very much chattychick...i have heard a differant yell from her...ahh!!....can i tell by nipples or something?...but when do they come in heat..is it even season for it?.....thanks, Wendy

 

[redhen]

sorry..just noticed you wrote they come in all year long....ahh!!..didnt know that..wendy

 

[Chatychick]

Its usually every 21 days for the smaller types and the larger breeds start around Aug and go till Feb...but the smaller are busy little critters and I only breed mine once a year that way they get a long break in between. Some do breed them more than that. Hope this helps some.

 

[redhen]

geez...i thought they only had kids at a certain time of year..like spring time..i got cricket in january(doe)..but the lady said it was a fluke thing...

..sorry for my ignorance..and i'm thankful for your advice..truely appreciate it....calling vet tuesday to get my male fixed..its chep enough..like $50 for the whole surgery...so..no reason to risk her...i guess i was just thinking that even though the father is bigger..that the baby would be a mix of the 2....so safe?...dummy that i am...

..thanks again..wendy

 

[goldensunriseranch]

Your vet can also do a quick ultrasound to check for a fetus. But if you don't know when she's been bred depending on how far along the fetus is the more dangerous it is for the doe to abort her. If I need to do an abort for an accidental breeding like if the wrong doe gets in with the wrong buck then I give them a shot of lutalyse, but only within like 10 to 14 days of the breeding. I've also used it to induce labor after their 145th day, but never anything in between. So I would ask your vet for advice.
Yes she can easily be bred already some does can breed at only a few months old, not they are near ready to be able to handle a pregnancy.
Shame your not close my husband bands goats for people all the time. It's pretty simple and very cheap to do in a matter of a couple minutes. Surgery is horrible on goats, goats do NOT handle anesthesia well at all and all the people I've heard have had surgeries on their goats about 1/2 die just because of anesthesia. So I hope it's only some kind of local anesthetic the vet uses. There is also something called a burdizzo that crushes the blood supply to the testicles and they atrophy. Maybe you can request that method instead? Is it a large animal vet that you are using, that also does horses and cows, or a small animal vet that does dogs and cats. I've found that not many dog & cat vets know near enough about goats and their reactions to the anesthesia.
Fingers crossed for both your doe being not bred, and your little guy getting wethered.

Michelle