A newbie with a question

Bernice · #1 04/17/09, 01:26 PM

I have a goat that kidded about 5-6 weeks ago and of course is still nursing her kids. I was wondering if I put her with a buck, would she re breed soon? Not that I want her to re breed but the buck is all by himself and is getting somewhat aggressive with his pen. I just needed someone to put with him for a while but wasn't sure if it was a good idea. Thanks for any advice.

I also wanted to say I was glad to see the post about disbudding a few posts down. We did ours and I am thinking we didn't do too good. This was our first time to do this and don't really know what we are doing.

I may have to post some pictures soon.

TennesseeMama23 · #2 04/17/09, 01:32 PM

What's the breed? Some are seasonal.

Bernice · #3 04/17/09, 01:41 PM

Ah, yes, that would help. She is La Mancha but not sure if she is 100%.

TennesseeMama23 · #4 04/17/09, 01:50 PM

Lamanchas are seasonal breeders, so you would be fine putting him with her for a while. If you are milking, he might make the milk taste bucky.

ETa-If she is crossed with something that isn't seasonal, you may have an uh-oh. You would be taking a chance depending on what other breed is in there. If she is mixed with another dairy breed most likely you would still be ok

chamoisee · #5 04/17/09, 02:09 PM

Milking or nursing the kids has almost nothing to do with whether she will come into heat. Many breeders don't dry their does off until they are 3 months pregnant, so as you can see, lactation, heat, and pregnancy overlap. Some does are almost impossible to dry off between kiddings!

It has more to do with when the doe would normally come into heat. For many breeds, this is in the fall, but some types come into heat earlier (extended breeding season) or even all year round. Swiss breed types typically come into heat from August through early spring.

hoofinitnorth · #6 04/17/09, 04:30 PM

I agree with Helianthus and wanted to add that no matter what is *supposed to happen*, any time you put two sexually mature goats of opposite sex together, be prepared for kids to arrive in about five months.

Backfourty,MI. · #7 04/17/09, 10:03 PM

You said you just needed to put her in with the buck for awile, do you have another buddy coming to put in with him? Is he also Lamancha? then I would try to find him a wether buddy that is also a full size goat that he can't beat up too bad at first.
He's lonely & bored & those aren't good combinations for a goat.
I would be afraid my doe would get pregnant & also that her baby is too small & young to go in a pen with a full size buck.
I have Nigerians & wouldn't put small kids in with my buck or wethered goats even at there sizes.
I am also a worry wart most of the time & overly protective of all my goats. They are all pretty spoiled.
I wish you luck with what ever you decide to do.

Bernice · #8 04/17/09, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

You said you just needed to put her in with the buck for awile, do you have another buddy coming to put in with him? Is he also Lamancha? then I would try to find him a wether buddy that is also a full size goat that he can't beat up too bad at first.
He's lonely & bored & those aren't good combinations for a goat.
I would be afraid my doe would get pregnant & also that her baby is too small & young to go in a pen with a full size buck.
I have Nigerians & wouldn't put small kids in with my buck or wethered goats even at there sizes.
I am also a worry wart most of the time & overly protective of all my goats. They are all pretty spoiled.
I wish you luck with what ever you decide to do.

Thank you all for your input. I just wasn't sure how soon a goat would re-breed, and I am worried about the babies. I thought of a wetherr but the only draw back there is that we are Tested TB free and so would have to test before I could bring one in. It is a pain but it is the way we have chosen to do it. I know a lot of people probably think it is unnessesary but...

We had two bucks together in the same pen but separated with panels but they tore up a panel and so one had to move and the other got left alone. I guess we just have too many bucks. LOL.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 04/17/09, 10:59 PM

Nothing wrong with wanting healthy goats and it is your place so you should do what is best. I think alot of folks feel the same & want to be safer than sorry. Where are you at? I din't realize TB was a problem in goats & have never heard of it before unless in cattle or whitetail deer here.

I feel sorry for the guy cause he's lonely & he's letting you know it.
It like having a puppy, well people forget they chew things & can tear things up, the bigger the puppy the more they can destroy & if you left them alone in the house without a crate, OH BOY what they can do!
Best of luck to you & the goats!
Do you have a large pasture area where maybe you could let all your goats out together & you could kinda keep an eye on them but the baby would also be able to have more room to get out of the way if need be?

hoofinitnorth · #10 04/17/09, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernice

We had two bucks together in the same pen but separated with panels but they tore up a panel and so one had to move and the other got left alone. I guess we just have too many bucks. LOL.

Why did you have the two bucks separated from one another? Or am I misunderstanding and you had them together but separated *from others* by panels? Can you put the two bucks back together?

Bernice · #11 04/19/09, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoofinitnorth

Why did you have the two bucks separated from one another? Or am I misunderstanding and you had them together but separated *from others* by panels? Can you put the two bucks back together?

We had the bucks in the same pen but separated with panels. We had them together at first and they wore themselves out hitting each other. That is when we tried the panel separation. One has really big horns and the other don't have horns and it isn't a fair fight. They both come out bloody.

We don't have our whole place fenced off yet since it is so costly and we have 5 acres to fence. We will eventually and it won't be so hard.
I feel sorry for the lonely buck too. He has calmed down some since he broke the separating panel and we took it out. He has a little more room. The milk nannies also go visit some after they are milked, before they are put back in their pen.

Someone asked where we were, we are in TX and there isn't really a TB problem but my husband wanted to be safe. It was our first experience with raw milk and I think he was a little nervous. It gives us peace of mind.

Thank you all for your concern and your helpful information.

hoofinitnorth · #12 04/21/09, 03:48 PM

How long were the two bucks together before you separated them? Were the does nearby? Were the boys in rut/girls in season?

You may find they calm down if you move them away from the does.

Could you consider removing the horns off the one buck?

What do you mean the milk nannies go visit with the bucks after milking? Are you putting them in the same pen (breeding them) or are they just nearby?

All of these things could affect how bucks handle their management.

madness · #13 04/21/09, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernice

Someone asked where we were, we are in TX and there isn't really a TB problem but my husband wanted to be safe.

What part of Texas? I can have a wether to you in a few weeks if you'd like! French Alpine with horns to boot so he could stand up to your buck. We are in Central Texas, east of Austin.

waterpossum · #14 04/21/09, 09:08 PM

i have a kinder set of does and a buck. i have them seperated now because of the kids and i tell you what my does do not care for him being around them right now..he got loose in the pasture with them while i was feeding them the other day and the one doe he seemed interested in bawled and cried and ran from him the whole time til i could get him back out...the only good thing about a goat with horns...gave me something to pull his butt out by

Bernice · #15 04/22/09, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoofinitnorth

How long were the two bucks together before you separated them? Were the does nearby? Were the boys in rut/girls in season?

You may find they calm down if you move them away from the does.

Could you consider removing the horns off the one buck?

What do you mean the milk nannies go visit with the bucks after milking? Are you putting them in the same pen (breeding them) or are they just nearby?

All of these things could affect how bucks handle their management.

Sorry I am slow answering all the time, just don't get here often....

They were together for several days, a week maybe. They were away from the does but probably within smelling distance.

The milk nannies go visit just nearby, no breeding yet.

I guess everything will be ok. I should just get rid of him but I sure like him for breeding my LaMancha. They made some pretty babies. The other does will be bred with the Nubian buck. They are all registered.

Anywho, thanks for your input everybody.

Minelson · #16 04/22/09, 08:14 PM

Where are the pictures ?

Bernice · #17 04/22/09, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

Where are the pictures ?

I took my camera out this evening to get pictures just for posting here and I didn't get any taken. Hopefully tomorrow evening or Friday.