Irregular Heat Cycles

[christelle]

Two things:
1) Chloe (Nubian/Nigerian cross, 1 1/2 years old, first time being bred) was "bred" October 15. Then again November 1, December 1, December 5, and now January 2. She keeps coming into heat. I called the vet and she suggested she might be a hermaphrodite! I poked around, and she looks normal. Is it possible she was bred and just keeps cycling for some reason?

2) My FAVORITE goat Cassi (7 month old Nubian) was in heat a week ago. Since Chloe was in heat today, Cassi seemed to go back into heat. The bucks broke through the fence (UGH) and I'm so worried that she got bred. Could she really be in heat again since she was just in heat last week? I feel sick at the thought that she could be bred

[nehimama]

She may have cystic ovaries, which, as I understand, keeps the sac around the egg from releasing the egg (thus it won't be fertilized.) Cystorelin or Fertagyl, 2cc IM, should take care of that problem.

As far as a 7-month-old getting bred; as long as she is in good health, and in good weight, that's probably not a bad thing at all.

[christelle]

Thanks nehimama, I was wondering about cystic ovaries. If she is pregnant, do you know if those treatments would cause her to abort?

And as for Cassi, she was the runt and is only 65 pounds. She's in great health, she's just smaller than I would have liked.

[mygoat]

65lbs is a little small but with good management and nutrition, I will bet she kids out fine. I always recommend attending all births, though. Is that a guess or an actual weight? They always seem smaller than they are, and they always look like babies to me. :P

Of course if you really can't stand the thought of her bred, you could use lutelyse 14 days after the breeding event (2ml given intramuscularly) and attempt to abort the pregnancy. At this time she will likely come into heat again and it may or may not be fertile depending on if she was pregnant or not. You could also wait 3 weeks and see if she comes into heat again. Lutelyse is a prescription form the vet.

Hermaphrodites usually do not appear 'right'. They often have weird middle-sexed traits that are somewhat feminine, somewhat masculine. There is a pretty darn good hermaphrodite thread on this forum somewhere. I think Ozark Jewels started it a few years ago and had several awesome pictures. That being said, it really isn't that common but it does happen.

If she comes into heat again, try Cystorellin injection. Treats cystic ovaries that cause infertility and recycling. Also a vet prescription.

[christelle]

Thanks mygoat. She is indeed 65 pounds...I weigh the kids every few weeks to make sure they're on track. If she is pregnant, what would you recommend for feeding? She now gets 1 pound of 12% protein grain with a handful of black oil sunflower seeds and a handful of alfalfa pellets. I leave first cut grass hay out free choice, and supplement with some yummier 2nd cut grass hay or alfalfa hay as a treat every other day or so. I give manna pro minerals daily. I have to measure that out, because if I leave it free choice they will eat it all. I'm not sure why they do that, I had a mineral panel done and their levels were all fine, except a bit too much selenium which I assumed was from eating too much mineral.

As for Chloe, if she is pregnant would the cystorelin cause her to abort? I' thinking the chances of her being pregnant are pretty slim, though, since Che keeps cycling like this.

[mygoat]

She is behind desired growth at 65lbs and 7mon... Do you do coccidia prevention on kids? Generally they need to be gaining at least 10lbs per month on top of birth weight - at 7 months, she should be over 70. Her feed intake sounds good.

[christelle]

We bought her from a woman who has amazing Nubians here in our town. The breeder didn't want to register Cassi, since she was a runt, so we got her for less than she was selling her other kids. The breeder did practice Cocci prevention, so I think she's just going to be on the smaller side. She doesn't have worms, because I just did a fecal sample on her. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens!!

[nehimama]

Originally Posted by christelle

Thanks nehimama, I was wondering about cystic ovaries. If she is pregnant, do you know if those treatments would cause her to abort?

I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer to that question. Perhaps your vet would be a good resource.

[Frosted Mini's]

I don't think Cystorellin will make a pregnant doe abort, but better to check with a vet first, just in case. Since it's a prescription, you will have to be dealing with a vet anyway.