Goats getting pregnant later than when initially bred?!

[LovelyChicks130]

I sent my two goats away for a week to be bred. They turned two in February and this is their first time. They were gone Oct. 31 to Nov 6. They were due anywhere from April 1 (or before) to April 10th (absolute latest day at 155 days if bred on Nov 6.) One is a boer and the other is a nubian. The boer looks pregnant, the nubian does not. The boer has more signs of pregnancy, big right side, ligaments going away (kind of...she has been playing games with us for awhile) and a few weeks back she had a touch of discharge. The nubian still has rock hard ligs but has hangy skin near her udder (not a bag) and had a string of discharge a few weeks ago but has almost no "baby" look to her. We are not sure with her at all. Okay! So here's what I just was told by someone who raises sheep, and I can't find anywhere else online to verify this as true or not- she told me the goats can hold sperm in their tract until they come to their heat! We sent our goats to the breeder when they were not in heat, hoping the buck would bring them into heat, and there were confirmed matings. We have not had any returns to heat. The goats were very calm after being brought home and since. My friend who raises sheep said that since goats follow a lunar cycle, the pregnancy could establish AFTER leaving the breeders. I don't think this is possible, and I'd like some input. I'd more likely believe that pregnancy did not take place in one of my does and the other is just holding out on me!

 

[AlleysChicks]

I’ve heard human OTC pregnancy tests work if you’d like to give it a go.

 

[LovelyChicks130]

I should try those cheap Dollar Tree ones and see what we get.

 

[LovelyChicks130]

My friend was saying that sperm could live in the reproductive tract until heat came. I honestly don't think sperm lives that long. But I can't find anywhere online that says exactly how long goat sperm lives.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I should try those cheap Dollar Tree ones and see what we get.

But 6 and test 3 each. Test the boar first.

My friend was saying that sperm could live in the reproductive tract until heat came. I honestly don't think sperm lives that long. But I can't find anywhere online that says exactly how long goat sperm lives.

Not sure about that. Mine would not let the buck mate them if they weren’t in.

 

[cassie]

I raised goats for over forty years and I have never heard of such a thing. I once had a goat conceive from two different breedings (she had one full term kid and an obvious preemie) but I have never had one hold semen. The semen lives just a few days. Goats kid about 150 days after being bred. I suspect maybe your goats aren't pregnant. Stand behind the goats. In a pregnant goat the vulva is puffy. The udder develops from the top down. The first changes in the udder you will see is where the rear udder joins the body. It starts filling and growing at that point.

 

[cassie]

My friend was saying that sperm could live in the reproductive tract until heat came. I honestly don't think sperm lives that long. But I can't find anywhere online that says exactly how long goat sperm lives.

Five days, tops. In fact I don't think it lives that long. Look up artificial insemination of goats and you might find the answer there if you really want to know.

 

[Bunnylady]

I’ve heard human OTC pregnancy tests work if you’d like to give it a go.

People sometimes say the same thing regarding using the human test for horses, and I have also heard that it is not true. The hormones are chemically just different enough, the tests have to be species-specific.

 

[WestoftheRest]

If you are positive on the dates it sounds like the didn’t breed. There may be hope for the boer. A good rule of thumb is to keep the nannies with the billy for at least 25 days. This will make sure you don’t miss the heat cycle (21 days)

 

[cassie]

People sometimes say the same thing regarding using the human test for horses, and I have also heard that it is not true. The hormones are chemically just different enough, the tests have to be species-specific.

I have heard the same thing from people who should know. There are pregnancy tests available for goats but in this case I think it would be a waste of time and money. Either the goats are pregnant or they are not. You will find out soon enough. In either case there isn't much you can do about it until the next breeding season.