Doe not getting bred.

[Farmerboy16]

I have 2 does, a 5 years old Saanen, and a 1 1/2 year old Lamancha, and a 9 months old buck, he is 75% Boer, 12.5 Alpine, 12.5 Lamancha. Got the Lamancha doe in May, the Saanen and the buck in July of last year.

I had the vet come over yesterday to preg check my cows and goats. He ultrasounded them. The Saanen is bred, for sure twins, but did not how far along she is as he knows more about cattle than goats. I had dried her off at November 1st. The Lamancha doe is not bred. I am bummed. Any ideas why she is not getting bred when the buck is with them 24/7?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Is she cycling? I had one doe who had cystic ovaries who cycled TOO much/too often and wouldn't 'catch.' On the other hand, I have a Saanen/Alpine who only cycled once (before the buck was available), and she will stay in the milk string and 'milk through.' She hasn't cycled again and isn't pregnant. Personally, that's fine with me.

[Farmerboy16]

I do not know if she ever cycled. She never been bred before. But I have seen the buck mounting her, and she never stood still for him. Is it too late in the season for her to cycle? Can I give her a shot to make her to cycle? I am thinking that he might be too short to breed her yet. The other doe is a good 2 inches shorter than her.

[Alice In TX/MO]

There is a protocol for getting does to cycle. It uses a vaginal insert called a CIDR and a hormone shot. I haven't ever used the protocol on my goats. I hope someone who has will post.

[Doug Hodges]

Insert CIDR wait 18 to 21 days. Pull the CIDR and give the shot of pg600. She will be in heat in 24 to 48 hours.

We have a links on one of the previous threads where you can buy just one CIDR. You would probably need to get one shot of pg600 from your vet. However, I'm convinced that the CIDR works without the shot. I'm not giving the shot next breeding season.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Didn't Yarrow (Susie) do it without the hormone shot successfully? (or I'm having a brain fart)

[Doug Hodges]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Didn't Yarrow (Susie) do it without the hormone shot successfully? (or I'm having a brain fart)

I believe she did. We both gave shots the first time and it didn't work like it was supposed to. I'm pretty sure she didn't give the shot the second round.

[yarrow]

I put Cidrs into 20 does.. waiting 3 to 5 days between groups of 3 (so they didn't all kid at once).. on day 19 I gave 1.5cc of PG600.. pulled the CIDR on day 21.. does SHOULD have come into heat 24 to 48 hours later.. first group.. does didn't cycle until 72 or more hours.. I decided not to bother with the PG600.. just pulled Cidrs on day 21.. ALL those does were in heat within 24 to 48 hours.. ALL bred, all but one took on the first breeding (confirmed via Bio-tracking)

HOWEVER I'm thinking with the OP doe.. I would do the CIDR (with pg600 IF possible) but ALSO have a bottle of Cystorelin, on hand too.. after pulling the CIDR.. at the first sign of heat..let the buck breed her.. give her 1cc (deep IM) of Cystorelin.. then give it again.. still 1cc (deep IM) 24 hours later.. It will give you the best chance at covering all the bases on what might be going on with her, that is keeping her from getting pregnant.. good luck

susie, mo ozarks

[Farmerboy16]

Thanks for the info! Where can I get the CIDR? From the vet? Is it too late in the year for her to be bred, or it can work anytime in the year?

[Farmerboy16]

Oh, I got text from my vet, saying that my bred doe is only 50 days along! I had the buck in with my goats since July! Could he have finally just starting to figure how he is suppose to do?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Goat females do not cycle (normally) in mid summer. Fertility starts in the fall. She may have simply waited till SHE was ready.

(I have no clue how he knows how far along she is. Our vets say that they can't tell from ultrasound, but maybe yours has a better machine.)

[Farmerboy16]

The vet had taken measurements of the goat babies while he was ultrasounding Ethel (the bred Saanen), and posted on online vet forum, and he was told that she is about 50 days along, and she have 100 more days to go. So, she is due in mid to late April.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

Ok, going to get all midwifey nerdy here. Since my goats have not decided to bless me with babies and I'm curious, when a goat is pregnant is it fairly easy to feel the babies? If it is then an experienced goat person would theoretically be able to palpate mama's abdomen and gauge the size and thus gestational age of the babies...right?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Nope. Usually you can be sure they are pregnant either with a blood test or by seeing nose and toes coming out at birth.

[Frosted Mini's]

You can't really feel the babies unless they move, and then only in the last month or maybe slightly more. That would put them at 4 months bred...by that time, you might know from other signs...vulva getting looser, doe getting big, if a ff, forming an udder, etc. Early in pregnancy, only way to know is ultrasound or blood test, both need the doe to be 30+ days bred. I think due to the huge digestive system and way the goat is put together, you just can't palpate them to see if they are bred. Cows, a very experienced person can go in rectally and palpate the uterus and/or uterine artery to see if she is bred or not...ain't gonna happen with a goat.

One thing I did do that was interested when I was working as a vet tech and had the goats, I brought a couple in to x-ray. That is late in pregnancy, I think they need to be minimum 70 days bred, probably more is better. But, got to see how many they were going to have! I can't really afford to do this and pay for it, but it was a perk of being a tech and having the digital x-ray machine that I could delete pics from later.

[Farmerboy16]

My vet thinks that I should wait on giving my unbred doe anything, and see if my buck can get her bred. I will give her stuff to make her go in heat if she is not pregnant by March.

[yarrow]

Just giving her lute (to make her come into heat doesn't mean she will ovulate .... No eggs..no babies. March is getting kind of late in the breeding season) good luck