Question about how young to breed.

[misfitmorgan]

yes I have read that for meat goats they need to be about 7-12 months and/or at least 80-85lbs. This girl is 8 months and is 105lbs.....i am hoping that is good weight?!? She is on Orchard grass hay and grain. Her mama is 160-165lbs and her sire is 200lbs of pure muscle and meat(obviously)....so I am planning to breed her next year in May and show her in June for fair is this ok? @misfitmorgan is this ok to show her while she is pregnant or should I wait to breed her after the show?

You should be fine to show her bred but make sure you plan it out so she is showing at 4 month prego at best so you dont stress her to close to labor. There is not written guideline for showing or not showing bred does as far as I know and no guideline for how prego they should be so this is just my common sense recommendation.

See if you can ask some other people that plan to show the same class if they would show bred or not. It is a breeders class so sort of expected I would think. As I have said more then once now, I do not and have not ever show goats personally these are simply my best guesses. I also have no idea how your local fair or 4-h chapter works.

 

[Wild Bug Ranch]

You should be fine to show her bred but make sure you plan it out so she is showing at 4 month prego at best so you dont stress her to close to labor. There is not written guideline for showing or not showing bred does as far as I know and no guideline for how prego they should be so this is just my common sense recommendation.

See if you can ask some other people that plan to show the same class if they would show bred or not. It is a breeders class so sort of expected I would think. As I have said more then once now, I do not and have not ever show goats personally these are simply my best guesses. I also have no idea how your local fair or 4-h chapter works.

ok thank you! I am sorry for asking soooo many questions I am just new at the 4H stuff

 

[misfitmorgan]

ok thank you! I am sorry for asking soooo many questions I am just new at the 4H stuff

No worries we dont mind at all, just want to be really clear.......we dunno for sure

 

[Ridgetop]

At 105 lbs. I would wait to breed her until she is larger. Remember she will have to continue growing while she s also trying to grow healthy kids. You can show her while she is pregnant. Just make sure the judge knows she is pregnant (he ought to be able to tell) and make sure if she is far along that she is not getting butted while traveling.

 

[Wild Bug Ranch]

At 105 lbs. I would wait to breed her until she is larger. Remember she will have to continue growing while she s also trying to grow healthy kids. You can show her while she is pregnant. Just make sure the judge knows she is pregnant (he ought to be able to tell) and make sure if she is far along that she is not getting butted while traveling.

if i breed her next year I am likely gonna wait until after the fair/show(that is June 18-21). That'll be either end of June or sometime in May which she will be about a month pregnant(hopefully she will be pregnant)

 

[Ridgetop]

If y breed in May she will kid in October which should be right on target for your Fair 2022.