Ok, Im a bad goat mommy

[SarahFair]

Well I want to breed my female really bad. Seeing shes a seasonal breeder and I think shes in heat now I want to go pick this one buck up.... today
Is that horrible of me?


The only thing is its a pygmy (the goat I have is already and oberX) thats 5 months old. Is that too young?

 

[()relics]

kind of young but would depend alot on body condition and maturity...Still really young. Better to wait until 8 months old just to be sure she is "ready...Breeding her now would put her at 10(?) months old and delivering and that would be really young and more prone to birthing problems...Not saying it Can't be done but I just wouldn't recommend it.

 

[SarahFair]

No no no..
The BOY is 5 months..
The GIRL is about a year old

 

[()relics]

Give it a try he may be a little small and have no "on the ground experience" but he may figure it out and get the "job" done...and he may not.

 

[cmjust0]

What's the plan for the resulting offspring?

 

[SarahFair]

Keeping it
If its a boy neutering it girl idk maybe breeding?

I want to milk the female I have now and possibly her daughter

 

[cmjust0]

Well, in that case I'd say you just want to make sure the lil guy's healthy before turning him out with your gal. Problem is, the best way to ensure he's healthy is to either quarantine him for a pretty good period of time and/or blood test for CAE/CL/Johne's/etc -- run a "biosecurity screen" at WADDL, basically -- which means he shouldn't be turned directly into your existing herd.

Do people turn them out right away without doing all that? Sure.. Does it always go horribly wrong? No. Does it sometimes go horribly wrong? Absolutely.

So, whether or not this is "OK" to do really all depends on the level of risk you're willing to take.

 

[Ariel301]

Keeping it
If its a boy neutering it girl idk maybe breeding?

I want to milk the female I have now and possibly her daughter

If you are going to be breeding the female offspring, you've got to consider the quality of goats you will be putting out. You probably will not be able to keep every goat of this line forever...and if they are really poor, they are no use to you for milking, and difficult to sell for anything other than meat, if that. Look closely at the quality of the buck, be sure he is at least as good, and preferably better than your doe. If you want the female kids for milking, ask about the buck's mother's udder and milk, as he will pass that on. Being a Pygmy, that might be hard to find out, as most people don't milk their Pygmies.

If he is too short for your doe, you can always hold her while he stands on a chair.

 

[SarahFair]

Keeping it
If its a boy neutering it girl idk maybe breeding?

I want to milk the female I have now and possibly her daughter

If you are going to be breeding the female offspring, you've got to consider the quality of goats you will be putting out. You probably will not be able to keep every goat of this line forever...and if they are really poor, they are no use to you for milking, and difficult to sell for anything other than meat, if that. Look closely at the quality of the buck, be sure he is at least as good, and preferably better than your doe. If you want the female kids for milking, ask about the buck's mother's udder and milk, as he will pass that on. Being a Pygmy, that might be hard to find out, as most people don't milk their Pygmies.

If he is too short for your doe, you can always hold her while he stands on a chair.

Just what I wanted to do!!


Oh I mean I know I wont be able to keep every goat. If it comes down to it Ill sell her/him even if its for meat/

 

[Calliopia]

Oh goats will find a way. When our Lamancha was bred to a Nigerian she would squat way down so he could reach.