Nigerian Dwarf Heat cycles

[taylorm17]

Tis is my first time breeding goats. I believe one of my does was in heat last week, but had some questions. I only noticed her mounting another doe which she has never done before. They normally will leave each therefor a while and don't get bothered if one walks away, but they both seem to be glued together. Do you think they are both in heat. The one is smelling the others butt and she is the one who is mounting. The one who isn't mounting doesn't seem to be getting annoyed too much over it though. Are these signs? Also this is their first cycle as far as I know. I did write the date down to keep records. Do Nigerian Dwarfs only cycle every 21 days or what? I have heard a few different things. I know they don't all year. Also when shouls I breed them? I definitely don't want to just have them run with a buck for a month. I want toe sure. We don't own a buck right now so we would pay a stud fee for another buck. Any suggestions or things I should know to plan to breed them? The one who is mounting is 9 months old the other is 10 1/2 months old. Thanks!

 

[elevan]

They will cycle approximately every 21 days - year round. They may both be in heat but I would say that your "mounter" is most likely so.

A good practice by stud owners is to offer a repeat breeding if the first didn't take, so be sure to ask for that.

Plan your breeding for when you want them to kid...right now you're looking at prime parasite weather at kidding here is Ohio if you were to breed this month or next. So be prepared for that. This is one benefit for breeding to kid in winter months (low parasite issues)...though the cold temps are the biggest con to that. Bucks can have problems with sterility in hot summer months so keep that in mind as well. There's a lot of variables to weigh but figure out what is the "less evil" choice for you.

I personally go by the recommendation of waiting until 15 months to breed a dwarf breed because of their size. That's my personal stance on it.

 

[taylorm17]

Thanks! That helped a lot. When do you prefer to breed yours? I don't want December babies due to the cold, but what time is better with a smaller chance of parasites?

 

[elevan]

I prefer mid February to mid March kidding because it's usually cold enough to keep the parasites at bay while usually the weather isn't arctic at that time...though this year who could guess what our weather will be from day to day

 

[chicken pickin]

This is interesting info and Im glad you started this thread. I am also looking to breed my ND doe soon she is almost a year old and I have finally noticed her heat cycle pattern. Though she seems to be on an 18day schedule is that normal? I was thinking of breeding her next month but I never thought of parasites as an issue for kidding. I wondering I should hold off a little. I was just nervous to do it later and then have kids being born going into the colder months. Im not positive what to do this is my first time.

 

[taylorm17]

I am thinking of waiting to breed them until September so it would be cold enough to have less parasites, but not cold enough to have trouble with cold babies.

 

[elevan]

If you breed where they kid in a season that is prime for parasites then make sure that you know a due date. That way you can deworm the dam a couple of days before her due date. The dam is the one who is most likely to be affected by a parasite load post kidding. Keep your kidding area clean and keep down fresh bedding. A goat (even a kid) can go from 0 parasites to an explosion of them in just 4 days. You'd want to be prepared for coccidia starting at 21 days old.

 

[chicken pickin]

Great info elevan thanks! Is this one of the main reasons people prefer kidding in the spring? I assume it also has to do with not having to milk over winter also?

Im torn when to breed my doe. I found a stud service today for my doe and I know her heat cycle and I am so anxious for kids and milk. But I don't want my excitedness or anxiousness cause an issue to the doe ad/or the kid/s. I cant decide whether to breed her this spring or wait patiently till fall.

 

[elevan]

It's definitely a deciding factor for a lot of folks. That along with not wanting to milk in frigid winter months.

If you decide to breed in Spring just be prepared to pro actively treat for worms and preventively treat for coccidia.