BREEDING PREPARATION AND BEHAVIOR

The most important goat in your herd is your buck. Genetically, he is one half of your herd. If you keep any replacement does out of him, he is genetically three-quarters of your herd. Invest in the best buck that you can afford. Your buck is the foundation of your breeding program.

Breed only well-conditioned -- not over-fed, i.e. fat animals. De-worm and vaccinate all animals prior to breeding. Pastures and pens must be kept clean and uncrowded so that the does and their offspring are healthy. Combining sound management techniques with common sense and quality breeding stock will bring profits to your bottom line.

Breed does only once a year, even if the herd is strictly commercial. It is unreasonable to expect a nursing doe to feed herself, as many as four nursing kids, and growing fetuses inside her. Her productive life will be shortened, her udder will be worn out prematurely, and she will produce inferior kids.

Keep all does over three months of age away from bucks --. even young bucks of the same age. When the tissue that holds the buckling's penis in the sheath detaches and he can extend his penis out, he is fertile. This can happen as early as two or three months of age. Does can breed as young as three or four months of age (sometimes younger, particularly in the smaller breeds like Pygmies), but kidding problems (dystocia) can occur. Think of this in human terms: A 12-year-old female may be able to conceive a child, but it can be a recipe for birthing problems. Similar problems can occur with very young does. They are too young and too small to be bred without likely complications.

Don't assume that younger, smaller bucks are unlikely to breed sexually-mature does. A doe in heat will accommodate any buck that is near her. The instinct to reproduce her species is overwhelming. She will do whatever it takes to mate with him. Pygmy bucks have been known to breed Boer does.

Let virgin does have time to grow before breeding them. Don't breed them until ten to twelve months of age. A first-time breeding should be with a buck of her breed or smaller-sized breed. Cattle producers mate heifers (virgin females) to smaller-breed bulls to avoid birthing complications. Give your does the same consideration. It is in your long-term best interest to preserve their reproductive abilities.

Separate breeding pastures or pens by six- to eight-foot-wide alleyways to keep bucks from fighting through the fencing. Don't be surprised if damaged fencing occurs if you don't use this layout.

Placing does and bucks directly across a common fence can result in unwanted breedings. I call them "party girls," because we all know it is the girls' fault that they got bred. They started it all by flagging their tails at the boys!

Breeding bucks need to be in sound physical condition; during mating season, they may lose interest in eating and can drop as much as 50 pounds in bodyweight. Provide bucks with quality rations during breeding season to keep them in good shape. Females do not usually go 'off feed' during breeding, but it is important that their nutritional needs are evaluated prior to breeding. The condition of the doe at breeding time has a big impact on her offspring. Do not get them fat; fat does may not breed at all. If does are receiving a good level of nutrition, there is no need to "flush" them with extra grain prior to breeding. A doe can short-cycle or have false heats, particularly if breeding is attempted while she is still nursing kids. The doe's age and general health can also affect her breeding ability. Read the relevant articles on my website : www:tennnesseemeatgoats.com.

Since I raise breeding stock, I choose a buck to breed selected does and run only that buck with the females. A healthy mature buck can easily breed 40-50 does in two breeding cycles. A yearling buck can usually successfully breed 15-25 does. Does cycle into heat approximately every 21 days. Some breeds are aseasonal (breed year-round), while others only breed when the daylight begins to shorten. Tennessee Meat Goats, for example, are almost always year-round breeders. Breeds containing dairy influence (including Boers and Kikos) tend to be seasonal breeders, beginning to show interest in mating as daylight shortens (late June to late December in the northern hemisphere). Climatic conditions (extreme hot or cold, long periods of daylight or darkness) may produce exceptions to these statements. If breeding isn't happening, don't automatically blame the buck. A buck will not be able to breed does if they haven't come into heat. My goats breed at night, saving their energy to survive the high heat of West Texas.

A good breeding schedule involves placing a single mature buck with up to 50 does and leaving them together through two heat cycles. Forty-five (45) days in the breeding pen will cover two heat cycles of approximately 21 days each, hopefully assuring that any doe who missed the first cycle will get bred on the second round. Then take the buck back to the buck pen. Don't be alarmed if a handful of does don't breed. This is not uncommon. Not every doe gets bred every year. Some commercial breeders run multiple bucks with does to make sure all are covered and settled. I don't do this, because I raise breeding stock and want to know who bred whom.

Leaving the buck with does for over 60 days can result in a loss of interest in breeding. If this occurs, stimulate the buck's interest by placing a teaser buck with him. A teaser buck is a male who has been vasectomized; he thinks he can breed, his hormones still rage, but he fires 'blanks.' If a teaser buck is not available, put another breeding buck across the fence from your chosen sire to introduce competition and heighten interest.

Sexually-mature bucks establish a pecking order, with the most dominant and usually (but not always) the oldest buck assuming leadership of the herd. Within a group of sexually-mature does, the same procedure takes place, especially if no buck is present. Herds comprised of both females and males will usually have a dominant male as the leader. Occasionally, a buck and a doe will develop a dislike for each other. It is not unusual for the dominant buck to prevent other bucks from mating with her while he also declines to breed her.

Mating rituals begin early in life. Kids as young as seven (7) days old instinctively mount other kids. Young males will approach doelings, put their noses in the doelings' urine streams, and curl their lips to determine if the females are in heat. Doelings will follow the same pattern of behavior as they get old enough to breed. Put a newly-weaned buck into an all-boys' pen and watch what happens. The new kid will be harassed and mounted for hours until he fights for and wins his place in the pecking order of the herd. (Putting a single goat back into the herd is never a good idea; read my article on how to limit stress when moving goats from herd to herd.) When around other does that are in heat and no buck is present, mature does will play the buck's role, perform courting rituals, and mount any doe that is ready to breed.

Competition is the name of the game in the goat world. Beginning at birth, kids fight their siblings for colostrum and then for their mother's milk. When kids begin to eat solid food, they challenge other kids. Moms shove other moms for the best location at the feed trough or for the most desirable forage/browse. Adult males fight for everything important in their lives -- food, shelter, and breeding rights. In the world of goats, if something isn't worth fighting for, it isn't worth having. The strong survive and flourish; the weak die. This process insures that the best and strongest genetics survive and reproduce the next generation.

Suzanne W. Gasparotto, Onion Creek Ranch, Texas 9/2/15