How can female goat get pregnant by 'fixed' male?

[KCM]

I have a 5 year-old healthy female goat who appears to be pregnant. Her middle is huge and her teats are huge. But the only male goats in the pen were all 'banded' 5 years ago.

Talked with the vet via telephone, and vet suggested it might be 'false' pregnancy.

Can a male goat that was banded 5 years ago suddenly become capable of getting a female goat pregnant after 5 years? She definately looks pregnant!

[chamoisee]

Has he ever smelled bucky since being banded? Does he have a beard?

Yes, it is possible. I've had it happen. It's why I castrate with a knife, not the bands.

[KCM]

Originally Posted by chamoisee

Has he ever smelled bucky since being banded? Does he have a beard?

My vet is a woman, so no beard.

All my goats have beards, female and 'banded' males.

[KCM]

If the female goat were pregnant, how to tell when about to give birth? What precautions to take regarding keeping with the other goats?

[chamoisee]

Wethers don't usually have beards. Did he have a beard before you banded him?

And does he smell like a buck?

[KCM]

My goats are pygmys. The males were all banded when they were about 2 or 3 months old. They are now 5 years old.

Haven't noticed a 'buck' smell.

[chamoisee]

Well, Pygmies are potbellied anyway, so that makes it harder to tell.

I guess you'll just have to wait and see.

Or, you could go out and inspect all the wether's anatomy. The one I had that turned out to be intact developed a new (smaller) scrotum, so the testicle dropped down out of the body, where it had apparently been pushed while banding him.

[mygoat]

sometimes while banding a teste can be missed. I always count after banding as well.

If, however, that teste was missed, the wether in question would show buck characteristics, because it is still recieving negligable amounts of testosterone. It would grow horns/beards faster and thicker, pee on it's legs/face, and show mounting behavior and other courtship behavior. It would also be stinky. That goat is capable of reproducing but it's not usually that likely.

If you would be willing to post a picture of the does and wethers in question, we can usually tell wether or not a doe is pregnant. it could be false pregnancy, but it's not all that likely either. It may just be that the doe is a typical pot bellied pygmy.

For pics of how to tell when a doe will go into labor (aka ligament pictures) and labor pictures, please visit the 'about goats' page of my website www.freewebs.com/capriceacres/ and visit the labor/birthing section on www.fiascofarm.com.

[RosewoodfarmVA]

Its possible that one testicle was "left behind" when the banding occured, leaving a male without a scrotum but with full reproductive capabilities. It happens quite often, especially with inexperienced banders (not that I'm saying you're inexperienced! )

[trob1]

A wethered pygmy buck will look just like a doe with short hair and a thin beard or no beard. An intact pygmy buck has longer hair and a full beard and cape.

Here is a picture showing some full grown pygmy bucks.



Here is a pygmy wether.



If you could post a picture of your goats we could tell you if one of your wethers looks bucky.

[goatsareus]

ANY goat can have a beard; male, female, wether, hermaphrodite. The ability to have a beard is genetic related. It has nothing to do with the sex of the animal.

The only way to tell if the goat is pregnant is to have an ultrasound. Do you live near a vet college? Sometimes you can get an ultrasound on a goat for free at a vet school.

Within 6 weeks of kidding, I can feel the baby goats in utereo. Feel on the stomach bottom just in front of the udder. Even later in the pregnancy, you can feel them kick on the sides of the doe. If you feel kids low, they are due in about 6 weeks. If you feel them higher up on the doe, then within the month.

[trappmountain]

My pygmy wether was cut and he has a beard. Don't think that makes any difference.



This is my wether.

He also displays some buck behavior but no buck smell. He jumps on our girl when she is in season. She knocks him off before he can try anything.

[Gailann Schrader]

How old is she? Precocious udder? Hormone problems?

Or could just be the goat fairy bringing more Pygmy goodness to you...

[trob1]

trappmountain, see how your wether's beard is thin and there is no long cape hair. That is the biggest difference with a buck and a wether. It really should be very obvious to someone if they have ever seen a pygmy buck. That is why I posted a picture of some bucks so she could see the visual differences. Nice looking wether by the way love the color.

[trappmountain]

Thanks trob1. Yes they are my 1st. and I don't claim to be an expert. He and my doe were bought an auction. No breeding plans. They were just bought as pets and have definitely lived up to that role. He actually belongs to my son. Our doe is mine and we have a potbelly pig that belongs to my DH.

[Sweet Goats]

I have a friend that has Pygmy's. She has one that every year she looks pregnant, all the way to the utter, she fils up like she is going to kid any second. SHe has NEVER beed bred, and she is NO WHERE NEAR a buck.
Post a picture of her from behind if possible, that will help.
I have bought wethers that were only half fixed, and YES he could breed.

[chamoisee]

[QUOTE=trappmountain]My pygmy wether was cut and he has a beard. Don't think that makes any difference.[QUOTE]

Yeah, he has a beard, but compare it to the pictures of the Pygmy bucks. The wether's beard is wispy and thin, while a buck has a full, lush beard and a cape. The hair growth on bucks seems to be testosteropne related. I've heard that when there were more eunuchs, they didn't have beards, either. A full, lush beard on a male goat is usually a beacon of masculinity and the equipment to match!

[KCM]

Thanks everyone for your helpful feedback.

I will try to take and post a picture Sunday afternoon if I can get the camera working and then find a place to upload and save the picture.

[KCM]

Here are some photos of our goat. She has never looked like this before. She does not ever come into contact with any other males except the ones we had banded 5 years ago. Not ever!
Could she be with kid? We do not know and are very concerned.


This one from front showing bulging left side:


This one from top showing bulging sides:


This one showing her scooting on her belly in the hay. She does that alot!:


This one from behind showing enlarged mammary glands (teats):


This one from low side showing bulging side and enlarged teat:


This one from top behind showing bulging sides:

[RedneckPete]

Originally Posted by KCM

We do not know and are very concerned.

Hey! Don't be concerned. Every problem is and opportunity in disguise. Maybe a neighboring buck has his way with your doe?

Pete