Heat in February ?

Aimee · #1 01/27/13, 08:29 AM

I assumed that since I had been running a buck with my does that they were pregnant. They haven't been getting larger and today I noticed the wether mounting them both and looked. They look like they are both in heat. I have a Saanen and a LaMancha doe. I thought (and I could be wrong) that they don't come in heat this time of year?

I was so hoping for babies soon. Could it be something else besides heat? Or ?

CJBegins · #2 01/27/13, 08:58 AM

I don't know, this last year really thru heat cycles off for my girls. My dairy does were in heat in June and bred. They delivered in November and are still having raging heat cycles. I got rid of my buck.

Someone with lots more experience will come along with better information.

JustinRobinsREO · #3 01/27/13, 09:01 AM

I was told dairy have heat cycles from Sept. to the end of Feb.

Aimee · #4 01/27/13, 09:02 AM

lol just realized it is still January

Aimee · #5 01/27/13, 09:13 AM

September to February. cool.

now to find a buck since mine just died :-(

punchiepal · #6 01/27/13, 11:37 AM

IF they are bred they can put out hormones that to a male smell very similar to a heat hormone approx 3 weeks before birth. That is why we remove all males about 5 weeks before the first does are due. We don't want anyone losing kids due to male "activities."

Backfourty,MI. · #7 01/27/13, 02:13 PM

My 2 young does' that I'm holding off breeding until this fall are still coming in heat each month! They are noisy too so I'll be glad when it stops.

Hollowdweller · #8 01/28/13, 09:56 AM

I have had saanens for over 20 years and have had plenty of does bred in March and kidded in August.

francismilker · #9 01/28/13, 04:56 PM

My grandma told me an old wives tale that goats will breed in any month that has an "R" in it and I've found it to be true. Before I started managing my does' breedings by penning the buck, I had kids dropping virtually every month of the year.

This year, I had the buck in from Sept. 1st- Oct. 1st. We'll see if he got it all done. 17 does and they should start kidding Feb. 1st approximately. I did have one young doe have a still born kid last week though. She was a first timer and had been sickly a little so that could've caused an early delivery.

CaliannG · #10 01/28/13, 07:33 PM

Francismilker, that is an "Old Wives Tale", since mine generally start cycling in July and August, which do not have "R"'s.