# Goat breeding



## Green Acres Farm (Aug 8, 2017)

A breeder I know has graciously offered to let me use one of her bucks on one of my does this fall for a driveway breeding. Her farm is 3 hrs away from me, so needless to say, I want to make an effort to ensure she will get bred. Would just waiting until she is in heat be best, or should I try to synchronise her heat to a particular day that would be best for both of us? If so, what medications should be used to do this and what would the steps be to do that?


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## Southern by choice (Aug 8, 2017)

IMO  there is nothing better than ole natural mother nature.... the day she goes in you hop in the car.  Done!
For some does it is best the following day... in that sense it is best to know your goats. Has she been bred before?


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## Green Acres Farm (Aug 8, 2017)

Southern by choice said:


> IMO  there is nothing better than ole natural mother nature.... the day she goes in you hop in the car.  Done!
> For some does it is best the following day... in that sense it is best to know your goats. Has she been bred before?


No, she will be a FF.


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## babsbag (Aug 8, 2017)

But hopping in the car only works if everyone is home and available to make the three hour drive.  I have done after dark, rain storms, and Thanksgiving day...my goats give me a 12 hour window, if that. 

I used this method last year to bring two does into heat, I just couldn't catch the heat cycles. They were ready to breed about 2 days after the 2nd injection. 

http://articles.extension.org/pages/19269/estrous-synchronization-prostaglandin
_Studies have shown that during the breeding season, prostaglandin administered at a dose of five to 125 milligrams (mg), given 11 to 14 days apart has been effective in synchronizing estrus. Two injections (1.5 to 3 cc) given 11 days apart is the common protocol.  The second injection ensures an increased chance of lysing the corpus luteum to allow the doe to return to estrus. Higher doses of prostaglandin use (> 250mg) have been implicated in lowering conception rates even though estrus is displayed. The most commonly used prostaglandin is dinoprost tromethamine, commercially available as Lutalyse_


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## Alaskan (Aug 8, 2017)

Some goats are VERY easy to tell when they are in heat. ..some are not.

If you do not want to breed her until...say Nov., then it would be easy to schedule.

Get stinky buck smell on a rag and keep that in a can or ziploc,  and watch your goat.  When she looks like she is going into heat, test with the stinky buck smell, mark on the calendar. ..make notes. ...

By the third heat you will know how long she is in heat,  how long her cycles are, and all that good stuff.

Then you can schedule.

Or.... second choice is see if the person with the buck will keep your doe for a month.

Or... after you see her go into heat, take her to the friend 17 days later,  and then leave her for only 1 week.

However. ... I would highly suggest you have the buck tested for disease first. ...even if you have to drive there, draw the blood, send it off, and pay for it yourself.


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## Green Acres Farm (Aug 9, 2017)

Alaskan said:


> Or.... second choice is see if the person with the buck will keep your doe for a month.
> 
> Or... after you see her go into heat, take her to the friend 17 days later, and then leave her for only 1 week.
> 
> However. ... I would highly suggest you have the buck tested for disease first. ...even if you have to drive there, draw the blood, send it off, and pay for it yourself.


No, it is just a driveway breeding. The breeder who offered does not typically do this, and is doing me a HUGE favor and I don't want to put anything else on her. She has some amazing bucks from some of the best genetics across the nation and has tested for CAE, Johnes, CL, and TB. Of course, that does not mean it is without risks, but it covers some bases.


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## Alaskan (Aug 9, 2017)

Covers as much as I would worry about.


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## Simpleterrier (Aug 10, 2017)

How about artificial insemination


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 10, 2017)

AI is great but it still has it's risks.
In a few years I am hoping to get into AI but you need to be extremely careful. 

@Green Acres Farm I think it really depends on how flexible you and the breeder's schedule is. 
With a 6 hour round trip drive you may want to sync the doe.

When be took our Ruby to get bred (her buck was too immature and it was Ruby's last heat cycle) it was on NEW YEARS DAY and late. Thankfully the breeder was only 1.5 hours away but we still didn't get home until 11pm because she doesn't like to show she's in heat until it's getting late...


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## Green Acres Farm (Aug 10, 2017)

Simpleterrier said:


> How about artificial insemination


That is something I would like to look into in the future, but not right now. Even if I was doing it, I don't know if it would be a good idea on a Nigerian junior doe.


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