# Sterile?



## dhansen (Nov 9, 2010)

I've had a friend's doe at my house for a visit with my buck for about a month.  I have watched closely to see if there is any interest from the buck or any signs that she is in heat.  Nothing!  Is it possible she is sterile?  She came for a visit 6 months ago and it was the same thing.  The buck is proven and has bred my does with NO issues, just beautiful babies.  I really think she is sterile and will be sold as a grazer.


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## ksalvagno (Nov 9, 2010)

What breed of goat is she? How old is she? Has she had kids before?

For the more experienced goat breeders: Can you give a shot of lutalyse or estrumate to try and get her cycling?


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## ()relics (Nov 9, 2010)

It strikes me as odd that the buck shows no interest in her, regardless if she is cycling or not...Generally a buck will bring a doe into heat because he will not leave her alone when they are first introduced, jostling her, smelling her urine, head rubbing, all this before the doe is even in heat...After a few hours/days of this she comes into heat.  The doe may very well be a Non-breeder or she just may need an extra aggressive buck to move her along...I would pen the buck next to her for a few days, just so he is REALLY ready to give it a try, then let him at her...If he doesn't immediately "check her out" you may need to try a different buck, at least for this doe.


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## dhansen (Nov 10, 2010)

Well,
I have her in with a very experienced aggressive buck, and he was interested in her at first.  She is a 1 1/2 year old saanan and this is her second try at breeding.  I am convinced that she is not going into heat....ever.  I have two bucks, which have done all those "bucky" things at first, but nothing now.  Oh well, she will be sold as a grazer. Bummer


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## Calliopia (Nov 10, 2010)

You may want to do a blood test to make sure she's not bred. It could have been an early silent heat and now they show no interest because she's already pregnant.  Just a thought.   


 And 6 months ago would have been April and most dairy goats don't go into heat in April anyway.


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## jodief100 (Nov 10, 2010)

Calliopia said:
			
		

> And 6 months ago would have been April and most dairy goats don't go into heat in April anyway.


I didn't know that.  Maybe she is just having a silent heat now?  I would wait a few months before you give up on her.    I have one who I would bet good money she never goes into heat except for the fact that she has beautiful babies once a year.


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## PattySh (Nov 10, 2010)

My Sasha (Oberhasli/Alpine) never showed signs of heat last year while in with the buck but produced a 10#! buckling this spring. She was a bit over a year old when he bred her counting backwards. Her only sign of heat this year was a subtle pinkish tinge to her vulva, no tail wagging nothing tho she jumped the fence and jumped into the buck pen this year twice the same time of the month, 3rd time(3rd month) I saw them breed.


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## ()relics (Nov 10, 2010)

some of my does have a quiet heat period as well, but my bucks can hear far better than I can...They begin to stink and walk around with their noses up in the air making the "whup...Whup...WHUP" sound...an aggressive buck can detect a doe in heat that he cannot even see...that is why I said it seemed funny that the bucks gave up so easily...Mine begin to get destructive, I guess thinking I don't hear them, if I don't let them "check out" the doe.  But my bucks are on the Over Aggressive side...In the good way


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## Chirpy (Nov 10, 2010)

The large dairy breeds generally are only in heat from August to January.  There are occasional exceptions to that; some with shorter cycles and some with longer.

I also have an Alpine doe that has silent heats.  Two years ago she didn't get pregnant even after being with the buck for well over a month.   Last year I had the vet check her out and, since she was completely healthy, we gave her Lutalyse... she gave me twins last spring!


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## dhansen (Nov 14, 2010)

It's certainly worth trying a shot of LUTALYSE before selling her.  I'll give that a try.


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## Roll farms (Nov 14, 2010)

Any chance she's a hermaphrodite?  
It may be internal.....we had a doe like that once.  Only found out after the vet looked at her inner parts...she had small, retained testes instead of ovaries.  Her vulva didn't look quite right, either.


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## dhansen (Nov 15, 2010)

Since I am not willing to spend a bunch of extra money on a dairy goat that doesn't get preggers, I will probably never know.


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