when to breed goats
If you have dairy goats, breeding is an important part of their care. In order to keep the milk flowing, you will need to breed each of your milking does. Knowing the best time for breeding can be tricky, especially if you are just starting out. This article will help you decide when to breed goats so your kids arrive at the optimal time for where you live.
Goat Breeding and Kidding have a lot to do with good timing; after today, you will have the tools so you can schedule out both your breeding and kidding times.
Breeding goats is an important part of raising dairy goats because, without breeding, you will only have milk for a limited time. By setting up a breeding plan you can ensure you have a steady supply of milk year over year.
Determining the right time to breed can be challenging, especially if you live in an area that experiences cold and wet winters. The good news is you can manipulate these times so your kids are born in a good weather window. Knowing and understanding breeding cycles will give you a better idea on the kidding dates so you can plan things out more efficiently.
READ: Goat Breeding 101 for more tips on breeding and different ways to breed so you can feel more confident. Let’s go over a few questions before we get into the timing.
Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats, 4th Edition: Breeds, Care, Dairying, Marketing
Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats, 5th Edition: Breed Selection, Feeding, Fencing, Health Care, Dairying, MarketingGoats Giving Birth: What to Expect during Kidding Season
You need to breed to get milk
In order to keep the milk flowing, you will need to breed your goats every season. Goats will only produce milk if they are bred and have kids, this is something you will want to keep in mind if you are considering raising dairy goats.
What is goat heat?
Goat heat is the time a goat is ready to be bred. Goats go into heat around the same time each year, from August to around January. Their heat cycles are every 21 days and the breeding window, called estrus, is only about 24-36 hours. Because of this, knowing the signs your goat is in heat will help you to create a breeding plan.
How to tell if a goat is ready to breed
Over the years I have learned that keeping records on my goats is the best way to know they are in heat. Each goat will have a different set of clues and knowing them will allow you to be more accurate with your breedings.
There are a few clues to help you narrow things down and if you are breeding for the first time, this is a good place to begin.
- Mucus discharge – Look at the backend of your goat for a stringy substance. This is not always seen but if you get into the habit of checking off, you may just catch it.
- Flagging tail – A flagging tail is one that waves back and forth, rubbing against the doe’s back end. This is how she releases her sent to the buck, letting him know she is ready to be bred.
- Trying to get near to a buck – A doe in heat will seek out a buck doing what she can to get close to him.
- Swollen vulva – Not all does have this sign and some may be so subtle you may not witness it.
- More vocal – We raise Nubians, who are the most vocal goats. During heat, they will call out to the buck if he is not nearby alerting him she is in heat, however, this is not a common clue in all breeds.
How old should a goat be before breeding?
It is important not to breed a doe that is too young, as this can put her life and the lives of her kids in danger. Female goats can be bred as early as a few months, so you will want to take precautions until they are older. We prefer to wait until our goats are at least one year of age before breeding. This allows them time to fully develop and be better equipped for the stress of pregnancy and kidding.
If you breed larger goats, like Nubians, you will want to be sure your doe can handle the weight of your buck. Even though breeding lasts just seconds, it can still be physically challenging for a small doe to hold a large buck’s weight. For that reason, the size of your doe plays a big role in determining when your goats are ready to be bred.
How long are goats pregnant?
A goat’s gestation is 145–155 days (average 150 days), however, this number can vary depending on the age and breed of the goat.
Use our Goat Gestation Calendar to help you choose the best day for breeding. You can use our calculator in two ways.
- Enter in the breeding date so you have the kidding date marked down on your breeding schedule.
- Enter in the target kidding date so you can determine when to begin breeding.
When to Breed Goats
There are a few factors to consider when determining the date to start breeding your goats. Before we dive into each circumstance it is important to remember that not all breedings “take” the first time you put your does and bucks together. I like to have a window for breeding so I can leave my bucks with my does for a few months ensuring everyone is bred successfully.
How this works:
- Determine the earliest you want to have kids and the latest.
- Set a time frame of at least 2 months.
- Use our goat gestation calculator to find your breeding times.
- Be sure to mark these dates down in your goat journal so you have this time for not only this year, but the following years as well.
#1. Your Weather
Depending on where you live, the weather will help you to choose the best breeding times for your herd. For example, if you have very cold winters, you may want to breed later in the fall so your kids arrive in spring. If you live in a warmer climate, then you may want to breed earlier giving you a winter kidding.
Since we live in Northwestern Pennsylvania and our winters can be pretty brutal from January to March, we have a target breeding date of late October to December. This will help us to have kids from April – May. This date gives us cool weather to keep flies away yet warm enough for kids to thrive.
#2. 4-H Kids
4-H is a youth development organization that offers programs and activities for young people in various areas, such as animal husbandry. Members raise animals for a set time and “show” them each summer, where they are judged on the condition and behavior of the animal. If you live in an area with a large 4H program, breeding good-quality goats to sell any offspring to 4H kids is a great way to generate an income with your herd.
If this sounds like something you want to do, contact your local extension office to see what age goat kids need to be in the spring to make them good candidates for 4H members. This date will determine the best breeding time in the fall.
#3. Travel
Believe it or not, travel does play a role in deciding your goat breeding dates. Always look at your spring calendar to know what you have planned. Nothing is more nerve-racking than having goats due to kid when you are out of town or away.
#4. Hands-on
Another reason to time your goats’ kidding is so you are available to help if needed. Remember, about 90% of goat kiddings are successful without outside intervention, which is good news. You will want to be prepared for the other 10%, however and for that reason, you will want to have a kidding date set where you know you will be around consistently.
Year-Round Breeds
Not all breeds of goat have seasonal heat cycles, there are a few breeds that go into heat year round. These breeds are Nubians, Nigerian Dwarfs, and Boer Goats.
These breeds go into heat every three weeks throughout the year. This means you must keep your bucks separate when you do not want to breed. This includes a shelter as well as a separate grazing area.
SLCG Pro Tip: There is a way to help prevent surprise breedings, and that is to put a buck apron on your bucks. This is a leather or suede apron tied at the waist of your goat, allowing it to hang down and act as a shield. We have not used these aprons ourselves, so I cannot give a first-hand account of their effectiveness. However, we have friends who rely on them to stop accidental breedings, allowing them to house their entire herd together year-round.
Buck Aprons:
YUYUSO Anti Breeding Buck Apron Anti Mating Skirt with Chest Strap for Goats Sheep Size L
Kajaia 2 Pieces Anti Breeding Apron, Anti Mating Skirt with Chest Strap and Collar Breeding Control Goat Skirt Adjustable Orange and Black Anti Mating for Goats Sheep M SizeBuck Apron OLOR Anti-Breeding Anti-Mating for Goats and Sheep (X-Large/Long)
Breeding goats is more than finding two compatible goats and putting them together. A lot of things come into play, like the weather, your schedule, and the purpose you have for your goat kids. Having a plan and schedule for when to breed your goats set up before you begin breeding will help you to feel more relaxed and in control of things.
Take some time to plan it all out before you begin breeding so you can go into your spring less stressed and more prepared for kids.
