Getting the boys ready for dates- update, pics page 3

[Our7Wonders]

I poured the copper rods into a little bowl of molasses water. They lick and slurp them up - the rods like to sink to the bottom of the bowl so I have to add a little more molasses water as I go, kinda swirling the bowl a little too. They slurp and swallow - no chewing so if the rods becoming ineffective with chewing is a true issue (it seems there are varying opinions on this) you're still avoiding it.

 

[Our7Wonders]

I have a naive goat breeding question:

How do you get your goats to breed so early? I thought that most of the full size breeds were fall breeders. It'll be well over 100* in July here. I was under the impressions that only the miniature breeds were year round breeders. I'm new at this though and have never gone through a breeding season yet.

 

[Roll farms]

Only problem w/ treats is...I only have 3 goats that will eat anything 'different'....the rest WILL.NOT.TOUCH anything not grain / hay. Period. I've tried everything from animal crackers to raisins. They even turn their noses up at bread.

 

[Mossy Stone Farm]

What is that about some goats, I have one doe who will not eat anything but her hay and milking ration ..thats it no treats what so ever.....:/

 

[20kidsonhill]

We just bolused 10 adult goats today, starting to get ready for breeding season. We didn't have a single one spit it out, and got all of them the first time. NOt bragging or anything.

We don't worm on a regular basis, but 30 days before breeding season, we bo-SE, check for worm loads, trim feet, and give equimax horse wormer for tapeworms. At 3x the label dosage for horses. Pretty much a half a tube of wormer for adult boer buck.

We start all of them of corn 3 weeks before breeding for flushing.

 

[Roll farms]

I have a naive goat breeding question:

How do you get your goats to breed so early? I thought that most of the full size breeds were fall breeders. It'll be well over 100* in July here. I was under the impressions that only the miniature breeds were year round breeders. I'm new at this though and have never gone through a breeding season yet.

I've never had any luck getting the "swiss" breeds to breed early, but Nubs and Boers are derived from Middle Eastern / African goats, where it's warmer....they're pretty easy to breed in July / August *if* you have a big stinky boy willing to help bring them into heat.

I just so happen to have one (Chaos) who I make buck rags from and hang them around the other pens. When I see the girls mooning toward the buck pen or the buck rags, I *know* they're 'ready'.

And 20kids....in regards to your success w/bolusing...

 

[20kidsonhill]

We often kid out in the middle of December, which puts us breeding middle of July. Often they all kid with in 5 to 7 days of each other. I didn't know it was that hard to get them to come into heat in the middle of the summer. this year we have decided to start breeding beginning of september for a February kidding season. With two new bucks, I hope that goes as planned.

We sold our 5 year old herd sire, I am going to miss him. He is being picked up tonight. :/ I hope they take good care of him. he deserves being well cared for.

 

[jodief100]

I will be getting our boys ready here in a few weeks. The meat goat breeds seem to have a "quasi" year round cycle.

This is my first breeding year with multiple bucks so it going to be fun! I was moving one of the shelters out of the buck pen up to the breeding pen yesterday. The boys both hopped into the trailer as if to say "we are ready to go meet the ladies!" I went to go get the camera but they had hopped out before I got back.

Now I have to pick who goes with which buck.......Tough choices.

I may have to post the options and have a poll here to decide....

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Yesterday we trimmed all the bucks' feet, gave BoSe shots, checked eyelids, and just gave them an overall pat down / check for soundness.

Do any of you other breeders have any special things you do for your bucks to help make sure you have a good breeding season?

The 1st group of does started being 'flushed' 2 wks ago (extra grain - hopefully 'tricks' their body into thinking "Wow, be extra fertile b/c there's plenty of groceries").

All the boys here passed muster and look 'ready to work'...Breeding starts in July for our Dec. babies.

Obviously we need to see photos of all the boys, kind of like their Pre-Prom pictures....

 

[20kidsonhill]

My husband and I are in a heated debate right now, about who is going with which buck. I vote for drawing straws.