Need Your Expert Opinions & Advice, Please!

[nehimama]

Back in June 2014, a very nice doe here gave birth to a single doeling. The dam developed a fabulous udder at this, her first freshening - great attachments, well-balanced, and capacious. Having already had so many kids born that season, I sold the doeling. Unfortunately, I was unaware at the time of the overcrowded conditions at the doeling's new home. Competition for feed was extremely severe, and this doeling could not meet the demand. New owner was going to take her to the sale barn because she "didn't grow."



I Realize that, at this point, this doeling will never reach her potential height, but seems sturdy enough otherwise. She is only as large as a couple of my now 2-month-old kids! She is 7 months old now.

I did NOT want her genetics to wind up on someone's dinner table, so I bought her back. Here is a pic of her dam's first freshening udder:



Is it possible that this little red doeling could eventually mature enough to be bred? I'd deeply appreciate your considered opinions and input! Thank You!

[billinwv]

Give it a shot. I have seen held back calves grow to their normal size(compensatory gain). She may surprise you.

[nehimama]

Bump!

[marusempai]

I find it likely enough - no experience here, but from what I gather, as long as you get them before they would normally stop growing (when they're what, three?), they have a good chance of catching up. Feed her up and I bet she's ready to breed by fall!

[mygoat]

The interesting thing to me is that she looks to be a good weight. Admit some of it is winter fluff but she otherwise looks good. Did the owner do coccidia prevention?

How much does she weigh?

If I really wanted to breed a doe, I probably would next year and just make sure she kids when I'm home to assist if needed. I'd especially breed her if she comes from a line of easy kidders. You could even breed her Nigie her first year if you think there may be issues. Just up to you as to whether or not holding onto a questionable doe like that is worth it... Do you still have the dam?

I would say it is possible she would grow to eventually be normal size. Some grow slower or faster than others. Genetics is fun, interesting and tricky as well.

I would not immediately say her lack of growth is directly related to the place she went to. Many factors come into play.

What age did she leave your place?
Was show growing comparable with your other kids at that point?
Was this a repeat breeding to show full siblings potential?
Checked for parasites/coccidian and at what stages in growth?
Feed and mineral provided? (protein/quality of feed and minerals)
Tested for G6S? I mention this as it exactly matches the description.

Could just be she is showing a recessive trait. If she is otherwise healthy she could always be a pet.

[FarmFamily]

I would recommend purchasing some nice quality alfalfa hay (not pellets. bales) and letting her have it free choice for a while. You'd be amazed at what it will do for her growth. And as for breeding her in the future... I would. Just let her grow out. Breed her as a yearling if she looks good and is in good health by then. Consider how folks breed Nigerian does to standard bucks. She should be fine.

[GoatGirl123]

Similar story . . . we bought Clover from a farm that, we later found out, didn't pay much attention to sick goats. Clover was 2-3 months old but half as big as Luna, a goat the same age we got at the same time. Her old owners knew she wasn't growing, but they didn't do anything about it, just thought she was a runt and kept putting her with the newborn kids. A while later, fecals told us she had a bad load of Coccidiosis. Very soon after we de-cocci'd her she started growing . . . and growing. She's now even bigger than Luna! I think it's quite possible this kid had/has Coccidiosis, which often stops goats from growing. Another possibility I can think of is that she's been pushed away from the food?

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by FarmFamily

Consider how folks breed Nigerian does to standard bucks. She should be fine.

This is not a common or suggested practice... Usually done on accident or because people don't know better. I'd never suggest doing that on purpose. Though I agree, many do seem to come out of it decently.

I have seen some very runty stunty does bred and kid and do fine. I can think of a purebred nubian that never had coccidia prevention as a growing kid and was bred at around 50lbs because she was 8 mon old - new goat keepers didn't know better. She ended up kidding out fine, thankfully. They really are quite hardy critters but if you do breed an animal like that, be prepared to be present to assist and if the kidding is not going absolutely perfect. And if something bad happens, be prepared to put the doe down instead of forcing her through a horrible traumatic life risking birth just because you want her to - at that point I'd put the doe down and save the kids if at all possible.

[nehimama]

Thank you for all the input & insights! She left here as a days-old bottle baby, and I believe she was fed a milk replacer!I did a coccidia treatment on her the moment I got her back and checked for worms. She sure looks to be in good weight, and quite hardy, despite everything. At night I pen her with the growing kids, to ensure she gets to eat all she wants. I will continue to keep an eye on her, and will wait 'til next year to breed her, if I decide to breed her at all. Just love her genetics!

Again, I thank all of You!

[Clovers_Clan]

I think she has a shot if you wait to breed her as a 2 year-old. She can overcome if there is no permanent damage, she just needs time to catch up. Being a mini-mancha(correct?) you have a very good chance she will reach a size she could at the least be bred to a full ND. And as another poster mentioned, if she is F1 or F2 its possible her size is partly attributed to random genetics.

These babies survived to be bred at age two, kid with ease and produce a gallon plus for 7 to 9 months. One will always be a bit smaller, but the other will reach her potential. And both are healthy. Its amazing what they can do!

[nehimama]

Originally Posted by Clovers_Clan

I think she has a shot if you wait to breed her as a 2 year-old. She can overcome if there is no permanent damage, she just needs time to catch up. Being a mini-mancha(correct?) you have a very good chance she will reach a size she could at the least be bred to a full ND. And as another poster mentioned, if she is F1 or F2 its possible her size is partly attributed to random genetics.

These babies survived to be bred at age two, kid with ease and produce a gallon plus for 7 to 9 months. One will always be a bit smaller, but the other will reach her potential. And both are healthy. Its amazing what they can do!

This is very encouraging, Clovers Clan! Thank You so much for your input and the pics. And, yes, she is a Mini Mancha

[Backfourty,MI.]

I bet with your TLC & the extra groceries she's going to grow up nicely. Like someone else already said, she may just be a slower grower.
I bet she'll be fine to breed early this next fall.

You breed mini's too so depending on what generation they are I think the higher the generation the smaller they are sometimes too.

[Frosted Mini's]

I can't see the pictures (my internet is acting up), but I would be very concerned about disease if I were you. Was she stunted from coccidiosis as a youngin'? That can cause them to be a little smaller than they would have and can cause other, lifelong issues. But she will probably grow to an acceptable breeding size by next year.

[MDKatie]

Originally Posted by nehimama

Thank you for all the input & insights! She left here as a days-old bottle baby, and I believe she was fed a milk replacer!

Milk replacer is not the culprit here. Improper care was.

[ozark_jewels]

There are so many possible reasons for a young animal not to grow properly. Those possibilities escalate as soon as the kid goes to a new situation with all new bugs and animals to handle. Sometimes the management is obviously at fault, sometimes its impossible to track down the reason they don't thrive.
Usually, as long as it is management, if the situation is rectified before they are too old it is not hard to turn them around and get the growth you need. It is a slow process most of the time, but all it takes is good food and not pushing them with too much or too rich. At only 7 months old, she should easily be able to eventually be bred. Even if she is on the smaller side for her breed, it will not effect her kids.
Sometimes, it is not management, those mystery situations are harder to figure out and fix.