# breeding age



## Suburbanfarmer (Dec 17, 2012)

How long can a doe be bred? I'm looking at a 4 year old doe (3rd freshener) or an 18 month old doe (1st or 2nd freshener - I will need to find that out). The 4 year old is a proven good milker, but I want to know how many more years she has in her. ?? Any ideas? They are both registered ND.
Thanks!
K


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## SheepGirl (Dec 17, 2012)

She's probably good for at least another 6-8 yrs. But you can always replace her with one of her daughters when the time comes for her to be moved.


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## lilhill (Dec 18, 2012)

It really depends on the doe, her health and how well she has been maintained.  A nice, healthy doe that has no kidding problems can breed until she is probably 10 years old.  I have seen some still going strong and having babies at 12 years.  For me, I usually will retire them at 10 and let them live the rest of their lives in pampered leisure.  There are exceptions, but the doe will pretty much tell you if she can handle another pregnancy.


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## Teeah3612 (Dec 18, 2012)

At what age can you begin breeding does? I have a fainter that was born April 28, 2012. When can I put her in with my buck? He was 1 on August 2nd of this year. My thought was to wait till she is 1 in April.


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## Pearce Pastures (Dec 18, 2012)

That sounds like a good plan.  Most recommend 8 months as a minimum for safely breeding a doe, and I generally try to make that close to a year before their first breeding.  You just want to make sure that the doe is in good shape and has had time to grow herself first before she diverts energy into growing kids.  The buck should be fine at one.


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## lilhill (Dec 18, 2012)

There again, it depends on the doe.  If she is physically and mentally mature enough at 8 months of age, then I will breed her.  I have a doe that will wait longer as she is still a bit small and too immature right now for breeding.  She will probably be bred when she is 10 or 11 months old.  Just needs a bit more time.  I want all my junior does to be over a year old when they freshen for the first time.  I am not familiar with fainters and how big they are, but a year old would seem to be a good age to breed.


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## Teeah3612 (Dec 19, 2012)

She is about knee high and won't get much bigger. Peanut is about the same size, so these are going to be small goats anyway. My cats were bigger than Peanut when I brought him home I will wait till April as planned. I can hardly wait to have little babies running around. Hopefully I will be able to find them homes when the time comes.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 29, 2012)

First question, "how long can they be bred"?  4 year old is in her prime.  Like everyone says, 10 years on average, and most people retire them at that age.

I know one very reputable breeder who doesn't stop breeding them until they quit "settling".  He makes a living breeding ND's and fully considers them to be livestock and not pets.  He also firmly believes in breeding them twice per year every year.  He has a 10 year old that has freshened 20 times.  Like I said, he makes a living breeding ND and she was an AGS National Champion so her kids were very valuable

 I do not subscribe to that theory myself because mine are also pets and I love them all.  One of our better does we have bred 3 times in 2 years.

Second question, "how young can you breed" It's not as much a question of age at least for ND as much as it is size.  Like I said, our animals are pets also.  We just wait until they are a year old.  And, we've never had a kidding problem with a first freshner


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Dec 29, 2012)

They are fine until 10 which is when most retire their does. Breeding them over 10 shortens their life. You can breed past but make sure they still have all their teeth and are not gummers.

I think that that guy that breeds every 5 months is ridiculous. I'll leave that at that.

With most larger goats (both dairy and meat) it is 70-80% of their weight or 8 months. I do agree with that but most of the time I think that one year is best. For Nigerians (which I do have) I say wait a year. Some wait two but I think there is no reason and you've wasted a year.


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## Lamancha Acres Dairy Goat (Dec 30, 2012)

That guy breeding them like mules is just crazy, there already put into stress kidding and then have to wobble around again for another 5 months


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## lilhill (Dec 30, 2012)

My farm is run as a business, but why would I want to shorten my does' lives by keeping them pregnant all the time!  Crazy!


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 30, 2012)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

> They are fine until 10 which is when most retire their does. Breeding them over 10 shortens their life. You can breed past but make sure they still have all their teeth and are not gummers.
> 
> I think that that guy that breeds every 5 months is ridiculous. I'll leave that at that.
> 
> With most larger goats (both dairy and meat) it is 70-80% of their weight or 8 months. I do agree with that but most of the time I think that one year is best. For Nigerians (which I do have) I say wait a year. Some wait two but I think there is no reason and you've wasted a year.


Please remember I said that I did not subscribe to that theory.  Please don't shoot the messenger


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Dec 30, 2012)

Oh yeah, I know. 

I just think that that person is off their rocker. lol


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 30, 2012)

lilhill said:
			
		

> My farm is run as a business, but why would I want to shorten my does' lives by keeping them pregnant all the time!  Crazy!


I should probably just let this go.  I don't subscribe to the theory because my animals are pets as well as livestock, but I don't think he's crazy.

It is probably the only "commercial" scale ND breeder in SE.   Makes a living selling kids from $450-$1000.  Quality animals.  78 breeding does and he got 30 new milk stars this year

So, he definitely knows what he's doing.


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## Pearce Pastures (Dec 30, 2012)

One can win awards and breed good animals and still have practices that are not the healthiest for the animals themselves.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 30, 2012)

Pearce Pastures said:
			
		

> One can win awards and breed good animals and still have practices that are not the healthiest for the animals themselves.


Agreed.


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## Lamancha Acres Dairy Goat (Dec 30, 2012)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

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x2


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Dec 30, 2012)

I can think of several people like that. Shame really.


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## lilhill (Dec 31, 2012)

Lamancha Acres Dairy Goat said:
			
		

> OneFineAcre said:
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x3


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