Seasonal Nigie?

Wonderland · #1 09/10/10, 04:10 PM

I just got back pregnancy test results for my doe Rumor, which show her as not preggers. I decided to test her because while my other does have started to develop stomachs, she is the only one who has not grown at all, besides the doe I intentionally did not breed. She was with the buck from March until June 26, so she had plenty of time. (I did try to get a certain date, but none of them would cooperate with me...including the buck. That's why I decided to just let them stay together. I'm hoping I will be able to have certain dates next time. This was my first time breeding myself, so I'm still learning.)

Last year when I bought her, she was supposed to be due in November, but instead of going into labor in November, she went into heat.

Oh, I did notice her acting like she was in heat a bit before I got the buck, but she went out before he got here. I haven't notice heat signs at all since then, but I may be overlooking them.

She did have twins at her previous owner's, so she should - in theory - be fertile. I do copper bolus, so that shouldn't be the problem, unless I am under-dosing. The only doe I have had show signs of deficiency after I bolused this Spring was my largest doe, and I think I did under-dose her.

Is it possible that she is a seasonal breeder, even though she is a Nigerian Dwarf? I am going to try to breed her back this fall...what measures should I take if she still doesn't conceive?

lasergrl · #2 09/10/10, 07:19 PM

I dont know but I am having the same problems. I have two Nigerians. First one had one kid two winters ago then nothing. The other had a stillborn in this last Feb. No kids or positive preg tests since. I gave up and have let the buck run with them all summer. Just preg tested and the alpine doeling is 1 month preggo. So weird.
I also copper bolus but they always show mild signs of deficiency

Alice In TX/MO · #3 09/10/10, 08:31 PM

I had a Nubian who never cycled normally. Frustrating.

Wonderland · #4 09/10/10, 09:09 PM

Strange...I hope I can catch her this fall and be successful.

It is frustrating when they *should* be getting pregnant, but aren't.

Backfourty,MI. · #5 09/11/10, 12:50 PM

My Nigerians always come in heat once a month. I notice it most in the fall & that's when I breed. Of course then after they've been breed, carry kids & deliver they don't come in all that time. I have also never seen them come in heat while nursing kids either. Usually as soon as I wean kids they start with in a couple weeks. My most obvious heat signs are in the fall though.

I would start keeping a real close eye on her, daily when ever your doing chores, etc. Check her rear end daily too for any mucus on the back end.
If you can let her out while doing chores & your buck pen's not too far away from the girls she will most likely head his way.

kerrinatoz · #6 09/11/10, 10:22 PM

I have a herd of Nigerians (only) for almost 5 years now and I've had them breed in January and in March but it isnt typical. They REALLY come into heat here as early as August/Sept then go start to go into less tong heats somewhere along late Dec. They certainly CAN be bred anytime but my highest success rate really is in the traditional season for goats. Ive always figured it had a lot to do with our NE seasons. Maybe if we lived in a climate like Africa....?

Aside form copper bolusing a good idea may be to ensure her weight is neither too light nor too heavy. Either way can interfere with her "settling".

nehimama · #7 09/12/10, 07:14 AM

Do you BO-SE when you copper? The way I understand it, the Selenium in the BO-SE helps with the copper availability to the goat's system. (I hope I didn't mangle that, but it's how I understood it.)

I also had my buck in with the Nigies from May thru the present. HE wasn't interested, even though the does were showing obvious signs. HE didn't get interested until August. Go figure!

mekasmom · #8 09/12/10, 09:18 AM

Why not just leave them together to mate on their schedule. The more you interfere with things, the less productive they will be.
Does are only in heat for a few hours every three weeks during their season. If you miss it, and he is in another pen, then no kids. Just leave them together.

Wonderland · #9 09/12/10, 06:33 PM

It sounds like, from reading some of your replies, that it may just be a seasonal thing with her. Well, I wanted Spring kids anyways...

(I wasn't going to have any, because I bought a buckling instead of a buck to breed to my polled doe. My other buck is polled, and is also her half brother.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nehimama

Do you BO-SE when you copper? The way I understand it, the Selenium in the BO-SE helps with the copper availability to the goat's system. (I hope I didn't mangle that, but it's how I understood it.)

I also had my buck in with the Nigies from May thru the present. HE wasn't interested, even though the does were showing obvious signs. HE didn't get interested until August. Go figure!

I don't Bo-Se, for two reasons. I haven't seen signs of selenium deficiency, so I don't feel that I need to with a good loose mineral (Sweetlix Meat Maker). My other reason is because I've read that the margin of safety for selenium is very small...and I'm afraid I'll kill them if I give it to them and they don't need it.

If any of my other does start to have fertility issues, I may have to start, though. I've been meaning to contact the UT Extension service to find out if we are deficient here....

My buck never acted interested! He's young though, and this was his first time being "used." He doesn't even pee on himself yet, even though other bucks are going into rut at this time of year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekasmom

Why not just leave them together to mate on their schedule. The more you interfere with things, the less productive they will be.
Does are only in heat for a few hours every three weeks during their season. If you miss it, and he is in another pen, then no kids. Just leave them together.

The reason I don't do that is because I want to have at least some idea of when to expect kids. I also really didn't want Winter kids, because I have no way to get heat to my barn - no electricity down there. I will probably leave her a longer time this fall, though...but I don't want really late Summer kids because of Cocci.

CaliannG · #10 09/12/10, 07:46 PM

My minis went into hard heats in June. My ND waited until August to breed.

When I say "hard heats", I mean gooey hoo-haas, flames-shooting-out-their-rear-ends kinda heats that you'd have to be awfully non-observant to miss. What I call "soft heats" are the non-seasonal heats that can be easily missed.

Nubians can be year round breeders in near tropical climates, but only seasonal breeders in places that cater to things like real autumns and winters....maybe NDs are starting to catch the hang of that?

Wonderland · #11 09/13/10, 12:10 PM

That's definitely a possibility! I kind of hope not, though, because their ability to breed year round is part of what made me choose Nigerians, haha.

Oh, I meant to say earlier that I don't think that she is overweight or underweight.