How soon would I know?

tioga12 · #1 07/26/06, 03:01 PM

We are in the heat of summer, and I understand that my does may not cycle during this time. They have been with a buck born around Jan. up until now. How soon would I know if they are pregnant and what signs would I have to indicate pregnancy before it is actually close to the time for them to give birth? The buck is a notable amt shorter than the does. Would that limit his effectiveness?

waygr00vy · #2 07/26/06, 03:17 PM

Usually you can't really see any obvious signs (asside from not going into heat) until the last couple of months, and it becomes most obvious the last month. All does are different, some will start to bag up over a month before kidding...others might not much at all until right before, or even right after kidding. They usually put on the most weight the last couple of months as well. Your buck is a little on the young side, so unless you have witnessed "the act" I wouldn't count on them being bred. I have one that was born last November that is just now getting interested in the ladies. Some are later bloomers than others...

Loda Farm · #3 07/26/06, 03:47 PM

On the flip side, my fainter buck impregnated his mother at 4 months old. The lady i bought him from did not think he could do anything that young.

Laura

goat^farmer · #4 07/27/06, 03:54 PM

HAHA small bucks can get to a big doe if he can to breed her. You can get a pg test to test goat to see if pg or you can wait for a while until you think it bout time for her to give birth and right before she gets ready to have kid she will start to bag up an later drop the kid.

What bred of goat doe do you have and what bred of buck?

tioga12 · #5 07/27/06, 06:33 PM

The does look to be alpine and the buck is saanen

TexCountryWoman · #6 07/27/06, 06:51 PM

The heat of summer has nothing to do with it here. I am in Texas and we have been in triple digits for weeks (until we had a "cold front" that brought us into the 90s this week). My LaMancha does have been cycling like crazy for months now already, some have been wanting the bucks' attention since May. Some are cycling right now. A buck born in January is certainly old enough to breed a doe. It is simply a matter of reaching the doe and most does are quite willing to make it easy for him if they are in standing heat, particularly older does. Treat your does as if they are bred as far as any wormers or meds you may give them that are not safe during pregnancy. Watch for signs of cycling and write things down on a calender that may indicate heat cycles. Watch for patterns of behavior. My does bag up well in advance of pregnancy, weeks in advance. But that may just be mine. I never keep bucks with does, ever. I wether all buck kids or separate buck kids from their moms by two months of age if they are dam raised ( such as my Boers).

tioga12 · #7 07/28/06, 05:53 AM

Thanks for your responses! I am going to assume they could be pregnant. (They have goat pregnancy tests?!) The man I bought them from said the buck was too young, but then again he ends up having his born Nov.-Jan. in a COLD climate because he doesn't keep the buck seperate. He doesn't seem to have a handle on the breeding part of things. So last winter one of the does' kids froze out in the weather b/c he didn't know she was going to kid.

My husband wanted to take them up there in the fall to breed, but it would be more convenient if they already were bred...just so they have a warm place to kid, whenever that may be. I think Saanen would be a great cross with my does! Here they are if you haven't seen my other post. I just bought them last weekend. The general opinion is that they are Alpines. They are very nice goats!

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...2/000_1570.jpg