Nervous About beginning Goat Breeding

[drdoolittle]

I have 4 pygmy does right now, and am picking up my first pygmy buckling in a little less than 2 weeks. I've been wanting to bred pygmies for about 2 years, but am nervous about things that could go wrong during delivery. I purchased 2 of my does about a year and a half ago, never intending to breed them (they each had single births that resulted in C-sections and stillborn kids). I have one beautiful year-old doe and one 4 month-old (both which I am planning on breeding next fall). The buckling is so beautiful----dark brown and white with blue eyes---I just couldn't pass up the chance to own him (I would also like to earn stud money from him).

I'm just a little nervous, and need some encouragement from those with experience. Do problems arrive during birth/delivery often, or is it minimal? I love my does so much, and would not forgive myself if something happened to them----but I also think I should give it a go.

 

[Haviris2]

I think you tend to have more trouble w/ pygmies then other breeds, although don't quote me on that, I've only had a few pygmies kid, and they all managed w/out trouble. What were the older two does bred to? That could make a difference. And I'd be sure the buckling is out of small parents, it's clear he's not pure pygmy and if nigi is what he's mixed with you should be ok. I'd make sure you know exact due dates, and if possible get an experienced goat breeder that you can call when your does go into labor.

 

[drdoolittle]

Well, the 2 older does were bred to a pygmy-----they were from a breeder who sold to 4-H members. As for the buckling I'm getting, he is a purebred----he has papers. His father is not huge, but not what I would consider really small, but his momma is smaller than my does----she's got a very petite build, where mine are more blocky. If my buckling were mixed with ND, that would be fine----I don't consider there to be a difference in the 2 breeds, they are both African pygmy goats--although some would strongly disagree. The woman I'm getting my buckling from is from England, and I've known her for some years------she and her husband have been breeding pygmies, Nubians, and other goats for a long time. They also have chickens, sheep, horses, ducks and 5 Border Colies to keep everyone on their toes. I'm sure if I need help with birthing, she'll be happy to help. I'm just a little nervous, and was wondering if other pygmy breeders have any experiences to share.

 

[shadowpaints]

research and a LOT of it! read everything possible, watch goat kidding videos on youtube. read read read. they dont always follow the book,. find a vet that will treat goats and give c-sections BEFORE you breed!!! that is VERY important.

any thing you breed can have problems birthing,any animals.... thats why research is good ! make sure you are prepared for any losses! they can and will happen eventually... last year we had a does uterus prolaps, she started to bled out, we did a emergency csection, and lost both her and the kids, it was TERRIBLE!

make sure the does are offered minerals with selinium in it before you breed them, also calcium.

i know how it is, i still get nervous after breeding goats for years, about a month before kidding i start stressing! lol
good luck!

 

[hennyannie]

I raised pygmy goats for a long time and only had one delivery where I got to assist, and lost very few kids. I know it was not luck because I have never had good luck. I just think the little pygmy goats are alot tougher and easier to raise than some others.
A few years ago I got my heart set on raising some boer goats. This turned it to what felt like a full time job. I admire folks who successfully raise them but it was just more time and expense than I could handle. Seemed like they always needed a mid wife handy during birth.

 

[Haviris2]

I would be questioning the breeder and papers, as far as I know pymies do not come w/ blue eyes. And having had pygmies and nigis I strongly disagree that they are the same.

Was the c-section because the kid was to big? Was it their first kidding? I would be leary about breeding those does again, but I agree w/ shadowpaints have a vet ready BEFORE you breed. I only had one c-section (lost the doe and one kid), and that was due to the kids position (trying to come out back first), if the doe had lived she probably could have gone on to have other, successful kiddings. If they were nigis I'd expect bigger litters in future kiddings, but in my experience pygmies tend to have smaller litters.

My advice, first make sure you can live w/ losing them, AND you are prepared to spend the money on a c-section if needed. Then, as said, make sure you have a vet lined up in case. Good luck! I'll be eager to see kid pics!

 

[drdoolittle]

I haven't seen anything in the standards for pygmies that says they can't have blue eyes----her buck and some of his offspring also have the blue eyes. As far as Nigis and Pygmies being distinct breeds, I get that they are different in their body-type (pygmies are very blocky and Nigis basically are proportionally built. But I do believe they came from the same origins. That's not really a big deal. I do not question the breeder-----she has been breeding for years and many of her customers are 4-H members wanting to win. Anyway, I do appreciate all the advice---yes, I am prepared for losses----as much as I can be (it's always hard to lose a baby). The 2 does I have had to have C-sections because they had single-births and the babies were too big.

 

[BorderKelpie]

I know this will sound stupid, but leaner animals (humans included) seem to generally birth easier. Make sure your goats don't get too fat and that they get plenty of exercise. Of course, good quaility browse and grains, etc. Also, the previous suggestions about having a vet lined up - that's all important. Goat-y mentors, too.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Haviris2]

http://www.npga-pygmy.com/resources/conformation/NPGABreedStandard.pdf

HEAD – Short to medium long; profile somewhat dished. Muzzle rounded, not snipey; nose short, wide, flat. Chin and underjaw full; bite even, neither overshot nor undershot; jaws broad, strong, well muscled. Forehead broad, flat or concave. Eyes set well apart, bright, brown in color, prominent but not protruding. Ears medium sized, firm, erect, alertly mobile. Genetically horned; disbudding and dehorning permissible. (99-11)

Don't know how big a fault blue eyes would be (I will try to find out). Also wondered because you described him as brown and white, but I'm guessing you may have been refering to a shade of caramel. I'd love to see pics! Do you know what registry he's registered w/? Just currious (I had nigis and never delt w/ the pygmy registries).

As for them being the same, they may have started similarly, but if you go off that then I could also say they are the same as boer goats! (also came from Africa), in reality other then being similar sized and both being goats they couldn't be more different (from boers either, but pygmies and boers are both meat goats, nigis are not).

Sounds like you have thought about it, and I think you've gotten the best advice you can, one more thing you could do is get an ultrasound to see if you can tell how many kids each doe will have, two or more and you 'should' be ok, just one and you know to keep an extra eye on that doe!

 

[drdoolittle]

Well, he's very dark brown and white---don't think it's black. His momma is black, and dad is dark-brown and white with blue eyes. I will definately post pics. this weekend. I didn't mean to start anything about NDs and pygmies-----just an opinion (kind of like the banter about EEs and Ameraucanas). I consider my friend to be the leading authority on pygmies in my area, and I also have a good friend who bred Boers for years----and I will ask them for advice/help when the time for birthing draws near-----of course, this is going to be a year and a half from now. I'm not sure how young a buck can breed---with pot belly pigs it's 8 weeks old! I suppose my year and a half old doe could get pregnant this October if I really wanted her to----the other doe is way, way too young. I am looking to breed one or both does each once a year---preferably in October each time.