How to know your goats are mating

It is early autumn here in New Zealand, and our dominant doe is showing signs of being on heat. Tail wagging, spending its whole time at the back fence coodling up to the neighbours' large buck goat, and not even interested in coming for its favourite treat of branches. The problem is, it seems to not be showing any interest in the 7 month old kid buck in its own paddock, that is part of a herd of two does, and their 4 kids (three does and a buck). Hr got them as two pregnant does, and they have raised their children together (as well as a buck we bought at 4 days to be our breeder - but who recently died). He seems more interested in still trying to steal a feed of milk from mum (the other doe) than he is in romancing this doe, and when he does sniff round her she moves away.

I know that bucks can mate from 7 weeks, but can you be pretty sure that they will "do their thing" by the time they reach 7 months? Do I need to move the doe and young buck to another paddock away from the neigbour's buck so that she puts her interest elsewhere? Apart from being certified organic, the doe and kid are Saanens, and the buck across the fence some wild-looking meat goat, so sending her cross the fence to mate him is not a preferred option.

Annie

they CAN but not usually. actually i've got MANY types of animals and i find that half the time females will be ready to and want to mate on the younger end of the scale and the other half want to mate on the older end of the scale. and males even if they act like they are tryin to breed then they will sit there like a bump on a log if ya give em a girl.

another thing is that he is still about early-middle of the scale and he has no experince. the does arent likely to stand for him even if he did attempt it. and he is basically "acclimitized" to the does. he sees them as someone to snag milk from rather then someone to mate. and they see him as such as well. you will probably want to get him a pen of his own and then put him with the girls when its the time for them to breed and seperate him after.

if he does show interest in mating them you may want to get a rag and rub it on the neighbors stinky older buck and then go back and rub it on your younger buck. the does find the smell irresistable. and since he is inexperienced you very well may have to wait until he is a year or older and gets frisky enough that he chases the girls OR try him now and hold the doe still and help him mount her. i've not done this myself but know people who have and my parents did once with a young new buck.

good luck!

Hi,

that raises another question. I have heard that goats are herd animals, and that it is not good to have one alone. On the other hand, I also hear that advice to separate the buck because the smell gets in the milk. As one buck is all the most people usually ever own, how do you correlate these two?

Annie

Annie Hope wrote:Hi,

that raises another question. I have heard that goats are herd animals, and that it is not good to have one alone. On the other hand, I also hear that advice to separate the buck because the smell gets in the milk. As one buck is all the most people usually ever own, how do you correlate these two?

Annie

Annie,
Yes, goats definitely prefer to be in a herd. Our answer to having company for a buck is a "buck buddy", as a wether or two to stay in his separate pasture and pen area. Bucks can be destructive anyway, but a bored and lonely buck can be even worse. We have found that leaving a buddy with him pretty well solves the problem, though they can be hard on the wether when its getting close to rut time....chasing the poor guy around trying to "practice" for the ladies! LOL.

Annie Hope wrote:Hi,

that raises another question. I have heard that goats are herd animals, and that it is not good to have one alone. On the other hand, I also hear that advice to separate the buck because the smell gets in the milk. As one buck is all the most people usually ever own, how do you correlate these two?

Annie

a wether buddy (no nuts ) or a young buckling who is growin up to be next herdsire.

and i HIGHLY suggest seperating. makes it easier to know when they will kid because you choose the date to put him in with them. and milk that tastes like goat.... well go lick the goat and take a drink of milk and thats exactly what it is, only at the same time. *gag*