Don't laugh please - Question about how to tell when a doe is in heat.

[PattiXmas]

We have 2 Nubian does, they are about 7 1/2 months old. When my daughter was at our State Fair, she was approached from a very well-known Michigan breeder to talk about breeding the girls. We are going based upon her knowledge and are planning on taking the girls to her in October for breeding. How can you tell that a doe is in heat or will being with a buck bring on a heat cycle? I could ask her, but I'm afraid she'll laugh at my stupidity. I am just not sure how this works in goats, if it works like dogs, etc or if being with a buck brings it on.

Thanks

 

[kimmyh]

Ask the breeder for a buck rag, then open the sealed container and show it to your girls once each day. When they show an interest, and flag their tail (generally) in an upright position, they are in heat. Some dairy girls will show you when they are coming in, with a white creamish discharge, followed by a clear discharge. They breed on the clear discharge. Unfortunately, they don't all give you that obvious clue.

 

[Marta]

I dont think that is a stupid question at all, and I think the answer was something Ive been looking for for 3 months now.
Marta comes into heat regularly for the last 3 months with all the signs but no discharge has been seen, OK she is 8 months old but showed all the signs for 3 but those signs have lasted for about 4 days at a time, its just been an observation for 3 of the months but now I want to make sure as I want to breed her in November, she is the correct weight and size, and I think that I for 1 will try the buck rag if I knew what it was lol


oh ok just found this link lol
http://www.goatview.com/september5dweezilbuckrag.htm

 

[kimmyh]

A buck rag is an old cloth that is rubbed all over the stinky legs and beard of a buck. It is then placed in a ziplock plastic bag or a mason jar to keep the stink. And the rag is presented too the doe.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

I dont think its a stupid question either!

i have one mini-mancha that i honestly cant really tell and i think she's in heat for about 45 seconds
:-(

but my full sized la mancha gets all stompy, and really bouncy, and loud. then there is the tail wagging (flagging), some discharge, and er..um.. that is... her....ah... her 'altogether' can be swollen and pinkish. if there is a buck around (our far away neighbor) she will stand there and look longingly in his direction.

have not tried a 'buck rag' but that sounds like a good idea for the little one.. thanks for the suggestion

 

[kimmyh]

 

[Marta]

sorry found another way of seeing if she is in heat....lol
to put you in the picture.......over here in Crimea ppls keep goats for personal use...ie:milk or meat for home, for that reason there are no herds just single mom with baby's.
Thats all gonna change with the "Seldom Seen Goat Coral" thats what Im gonna call my place.
I help the lady down the road and take her goats out along with Marta as I believe if Marta is happy seeing her mates and eating with them, then so am I, I can stay with them and let them run free.
Anyway today my mobile reminded me she was due for heat so I was keeping extra attention to how she acted. yep she was showing all her normal....Im pretending or practicing to be in heat palaver, wanting to be with me instead of the other goats, only eating what she wanted as her favorite food..that includes not eating the grains she is on.
Anyway Ive chosen her big love bud down the road, he is the same markings as she is so must be good I recon, and its the only one for miles thats the same breed as she is.
I kept her in longer than normal, as Im trying to get her used to eating hay....(nowp) she aint touched hay she refuses it...har har I got her to eat it this morning, ^^^edited by Bob^^^but then I didnt see till later what was on the floor^^^^^^^
anyway I decided to take her to her mates by the long way and wow the buck was tied up outside and he was raring to go....pee was flying everywhere so I thought ha ha stood there about 2 foot away and dare I say she Cre@@@ed her self....yep she was on heat alright.
So if you can not get a buck rack show them the real macoy lol