Quick weening questions

[Slugmar]

How do you all ween ?

I got babies on momma at three months old in the past I usually just pull all babies at three months of age and just let the momma dry up.

Remember I'm running a commercial meat herd (grass fed)

[Bearfootfarm]

pull all babies at three months of age and just let the momma dry up.

That's how I do it too

[April]

I've got dairy girls now, but back when I raised meat goats I didn't pull them at all. I just left them on mom until she decided it was time.

[ozark_jewels]

My Boer herd raised their kids for 5 months, I pulled the kids off, does dried off and bred back and it started all over again.

[dosthouhavemilk]

We allow the dams to wean when they decide to (usually 6-10 months). The exception being if we are selling doelings off the dam, selling wethers off the dam, or the doe is going in for pen breeding and has a young doeling on her. Or if she is two months from kidding.
The last has only occurred a few times so far.

[Creamers]

In a meat herd, I mght do that, too - I'd probably wait until 4 months, but with dairy doelings - I bottlefeed until 5 months, usually

[Slugmar]

the reason I pull at 3 months is then I relax the mom for two months and re-breed at 5 months that will allow me ever 3rd year to get two kidding if I did the math correctly

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by Slugmar

the reason I pull at 3 months is then I relax the mom for two months and re-breed at 5 months that will allow me ever 3rd year to get two kidding if I did the math correctly

My thinking is that with proper nutrition, there is no need to wean kids and rest does before re-breeding. There is a five month gestation period, that is plenty of time to rest up. I always weaned at five-six months, and re-bred right away. By that time the kids should not be taking a huge toll on the does body and she should already be putting back reserves for herself. In fact, the only reason I wean before putting does back with the buck is that I don't want my young does getting bred along with their dams.
I don't dry off my milking does and give them a rest before re-breeding and they are milking *much* heavier than a meat doe. I rebreed and two months before she is due, I dry her off for her deserved rest.
I followed these ideas with my Boer herd and they did great. High multiples. So I think with proper management, that would be more productive as you'll get better growth from your kids.
Anyway....just the way I did it...