Breeding Goats - 7 Facts You Ought To Know When Breeding Goat

Many people believe that breeding goat is not an
overly complicated process.  So if you
think you are willing to face the challenges of
breeding and keeping goats, here are some
truths that you really ought to know
first. You basically let them have their
way and you will see a litter in a few months
time. Although this could be an option in the
wild, domesticated goats would need a bit more
help in this department... especially if you are
breeding animals either as a way to maintain your
stock of productive goats, or for other
purposes. 

Fact #1: Among many things, the practice of
breeding goats has one very important effect.
Aside from the possibility of producing litters,
the does or the female goats give off more milk
than usual. In fact, there are some goat breeds
that do not produce milk until after they have
been mated. This is a good thing to remember
especially if you are establishing a goat farm
that leans heavily on milk production.

Fact #2: Does can usually breed at 10 to 12
months of age, depending on the breed and the
physical attributes of the animal. (Some animals
do mature faster than its other herd mates.)
However, male breeding goats or bucks reach
sexual maturation only after their 12th month.

Fact #3: Does become sexually receptive only
after a short bleeding period (release of
menstrual blood.)

Fact #4: Does show very obvious signs of sexual
receptiveness, which may include: frequent
urination, bleating often, inflammation of the
genital regions, secretions of copious mucous
like substances in the genital area, wagging
their tails energetically, and females also tend
to ride other goats as well.

Fact #5: Breeding goats should be carefully
monitored, to ensure that fertilization happens.
Many goat farmers recommend that the receptive
does should be mated at twice a day (once in the
morning and one more 12 hours later) by a
carefully chosen breeding buck. This practice
should continue for the entire length of the
female goats' receptive period which lasts 2 to
3 days.

Fact #6: Mated females must be separated from
the rest of the herd, to ensure that the
pregnancies will commence. Farmers usually check
if the does are pregnant after 3 to 4 weeks. If
the females remain relatively docile, this
usually means that mating was successful. On the
other hand, if the goats remain frisky as ever
and exhibit the sexually receptive signs (from
Fact #4) then these animals are usually
re-introduced to the breeding male.

Fact #7: Aggressive and older bucks are usually
considered as desirable by the receptive does.
However, you can also make the less aggressive
and younger male goats desirable (especially if
these carry the breeding traits you want in your
herd) by simply keeping the other males away.

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Breeding goats does not need to be tough if you
know how. If you would like to learn more tips
about breeding goats and avoid the painful
mistakes, please go to:
http://www.raising-goats.com

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