Mixing goats?

[Forest Breath]

I think I know the answer to this question, but really want to hear a final answer from you very goat knowing people!

Can an alpine kid (male), be in the same pen with a 1yo pygmy cross goat (female)?

We have the Alpine and someone wants to give us the other. I am doing NOTHING with this goat until I ask advice and opinions because I am just now new into dealing with goats. The female has been wormed and well taken care of.

Thanks in advance!

[xoxoGOATSxoxo]

He can if he's wethered. Otherwise, yes but he'll probably breed her eventually and she may not survive the pregnancy.

[jil101ca]

Is your male fixed? If so then yes, goats need a friend. If he is not then no, I'm not familar with the alpine breed but beleivd they are big. An accidental breeding could turn very bad for the doe perhaps even deadly.

[shiandpete.1]

I agree that he needs to be a wether or he will breed the pygmy. Alpines are a fairly large breed of goat and the pygmy could have complications trying to deliver babies from him.

[KSALguy]

has she had kids before? its a flip of the coin weather or not she will deliver safely, some do some dont when bred large, its possible she would be fine and its possible she will have complications, if your new to goats then DONT DO IT unless the alpine is cut first

[mygoat]

If he is a wether, then yes. I have a big goofy alpine wether in with my miniature does... But he is fixed, and has been ever since he was a week or two old. Alpines can get BIG - I know some that are 200+ lbs. On the other end of the spectrum, I have a miniature doe that was the runt of her littermates (quads) that weighs about 45-50 lbs as a full grown 4 year old. Bred to a miniature buck, the 45-50 lb doe does great, has given me twins the past 2 years. However, bred to an alpine buck, it would be almost certain death. Some larger pygmies/miniatures MIGHT be OK if bred to full size- but chances aren't great, IMO. I've heard WAY too many horror stories of pygmies/miniatures bred to full size, and I've heard way less success stories of the same type.

Bucklings can breed their sisters and mothers at a VERY young age - a month or less. So, before you put him in with your pygmy doe, make sure he has been castrated for a couple days FIRST.

[Forest Breath]

Yeah I want to use him actually to breed a goat for milking purposes in the future so thanks....I will just turn them down and wait until I can find a good woman of his own kind to have a family. I am anxious to get another goat for him, but not at the risk of danger to either one. I will more actively look for a partner this weekend when I have more time, surely I can find a female alpine somewhere.

At what age should I be looking at? He is 3 months old and I do want her to get pregnant and milk her as well.

[mygoat]

With dairy goats, you keep bucks separate from the does until the breeding season - usually fall/early winter so kids arrive somewhere between feb-may or so, depending on your climate and when you want your kids to arrive. You do NOT want a buck running with a dairy doe 24/7. Dairy does are bred to milk for 10 months straight; They kid in spring, are rebred in fall, then dried up 2 months before freshening again the following spring. If you keep an alpine doe in with an alpine buck, you'll get kids - but too often to get a steady milk supply. Even worse, You'll also wear out the doe, who are normally rebred and dried up so that they have 2 months to build up body condition which will slowly deteriorate during a normal lactation cycle. A good dairy doe will put all she has into the milk she produces, and will NEED a break from milking to replenish herself before kidding and starting the cycle again. While in labor, the buck will pester does trying to give birth, mistaking the birthing hormones for breeding hormones. This can injure does and babies. And one of the best reasons for myself - you won't know duedates if you run them together. Not knowing duedates leads to most losses in birthing; An owner misses a kidding that, had they attended, would've saved the doe's or kids lives, due to complications. Knowing that duedate would have allowed them to have a definite time frame - for example, I check my does starting a week before they're due, at least 2x per day - usually 4+.

Your buck and your doe that you will get will both need a companion of some sort, and separate pens. You'll want to make the buck pen VERY strong, as adult full size bucks will rip through/jump over most fences. Cattle panels work great.

You could build a separate pen for the buck and move him. Then get the pygmy doe as a companion for the alpine doe that you'll eventually get. At the same time, keep an eye out for a wether for the buck's buddy.

[shiandpete.1]

Alpine goats are seasonal breeders, or in other words they come into heat in the fall, very similar to deer.

[Forest Breath]

You all have no clue how much I appreciate your responses and also all of the information on the Goat forums. I have been reading them before and after work every day now, so I can learn as much as I can.

I got an email this morning from someone in a nearby county who wants to give me a LaMancha doe. After reading this, I think I will go ahead and take her and start preparing a separate pen this week, we have plenty of room for that. I will look for a wether for Mr. Goatsie Tumnus and then another one for the LaMancha. Then let the Alpine breed with the LaMancha when the time is right for that.

SO I was thinking we would get a goat to help keep a bit of land cleared and something sweet to love on every day. My goat plans have now turned into 4 goats. My pig plans turned into 2 instead of one. Now I wonder what will happen with the rabbits and turkeys when we get them. that will be awhile though, as we want to familiarize ourselves with the pig and goat needs before adding anything else.

Again thank you all so much, your responses help more than you could imagine. I have printed them out to put in a little folder for needed info, and printed more threads out as well for that use.

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by shiandpete.1

Alpine goats are seasonal breeders, or in other words they come into heat in the fall, very similar to deer.

Most, not all.

[KSALguy]

a word of caution, do not run your goats and pigs togather, some few people have gotten away with it but quite a few others have found out the hard way, pigs are omnivores and goat tastes good, new borns and females in heat or in labor are prime candidates for a pig to snack on,

[Forest Breath]

Yeah I have the pigs and goat in separate pens in the barn and separate run areas that are fenced in outside of the barn. We have other areas we move the goats to during most days....

yeah....

I said GOATS

I got a LaMancha Doe yesterday and she is the most adorable thing ever! I love the ears, and studied up on how to clean them and all that. We plan to keep them apart for now, but let them spend some supervised time together when we brought her home. She is about 3 months old as well. So two down, two more to go!

Thanks everyone! This thread, and the Goat forum has been so helpful!

[Sweet Goats]

I have a 4Her that called and needed help, her doe was delivering a baby, and it was not good. Doe was a Pygmy buck was a Boer and Nigi Mix.

Long story short, could not get baby out for anything, we had to shoot the mom after hours and hours of trying. It was horrible. I told them to get rid of the buck or get him fixed. WRONG sizes to be breeding. You would be having the same problem.

[Forest Breath]

I am still learning all of the goat terminology, so if I mess up and call something does or wethers or something out of context, fear not, I lay awake at night reviewing my posts in my head and realizing my mistakes so I can check the next morning to see if anyone pointed out my ignorance. LOL

I am still on the lookout for a wethered goat to hang out with Mr. Goatsie A. Tumnus and something to hang out with the yet to be named LaMancha.

I am continuing to study up on goat information and hope to do the best I can for and with these additions to our farm.

Here is a picture of the one we just got.

[Cheribelle]

She's adorable!

[petaddict]

She's beautiful. I have 4 mini lamanchas and LOVE them.