Breeding Goats FAQ: Keeping and Breeding

So now that you know what you need to have in place, and you know how to find goats to purchase, let's discuss how to do the whole thing! We discussed feeding and housing and fencing in the last post.

Q: What kinds of minerals do my goats need?

A: A good loose mineral is a great idea. I have a feeder that is available on-demand for my does. I am not as good at it with my bucks, mainly because they keep breaking their feeder! But you can also mix it with their daily feed, if they are getting any. Free choice is good though, because then goats will go and eat what they need. Some people offer free choice baking soda as well, because it helps with bloat. I haven't done that myself, but I don't really have issues with bloat. I use the purina goat mineral. You want to make sure it's specifically for goats. A sheep mineral does not contain copper, but goats NEED copper. Sometimes I use the mineral blocks, but I feel like there is a lot of waste with those.

Q: Any other dietary supplements I should use?

A: Selenium is very important for so many things. Just off the top of my head, it's important to fertility, health of muscles / ligaments / tendons, and ease of kidding. I use a selenium yeast top dressing during breeding season and through pregnancy. The grain and loose mineral I have also contains selenium, but I use the extra boost just to make sure we are covered. There is also a selenium / vitamin E gel. I often give a pea-sized amount of that to newborns, especially if they are looking loose-jointed. You can also give a Bo-Se injection. This is only available through the veterinarian. I shifted to the supplements this year, because one less poke is nice. It's also easier to overdose them with one shot, rather than a gradual dosing through feed. I also give BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) in their daily feed. BOSS is great for hair and skin and is a good fat source. I do a copper bolus too, but I think I'll skip it next time. I just did a mineral panel and the goat's copper levers were a little high. I keep B Complex on hand and use it pretty much any time someone isn't feeling well.

Q: How do you handle deworming?

A: I'm just sharing what I personally do. I think everyone has to evaluate what is best for their situation. I deworm all my does the day they give birth. I will also deworm bucks and dry does around this time (early spring) Although, last year I did the bucks right before winter, and they did really well all winter. So maybe that's better, to stay ahead of it. I have used Fiasco Farm's herbal dewormers as well. I am terrible at being regular with it, but I think I will try to do that again as a preventative measure. I don't run fecals every single time. If I'm seeing symptoms and I'm not sure what's going on, then I will. But does very often have a surge right after kidding, so I just take care of it then. I change dewormers every couple of years.

Q: What shots do they need?

A: The only shot I do on schedule is CD&T. I do it 3-4 weeks before kidding for the does, and once a year for the bucks. The babies receive their first dose in utero, then I do another at 3 weeks and 8 weeks.

Q: I want baby goats! When can I breed my goat?

A: Up to you! I always breed in the fall / winter for spring / summer babies. I don't want to deal with baby goats in the winter. But that's just me. As far as when to breed your goat for the first time...some people wait until they will be 2 years old at the time of kidding. Some people breed around 7 months old. I've done it both ways. If they are good-sized, I'll go ahead and breed around 7-8 months. If not, I'll wait another year.

Q: So...how do I do it?

A: You can pen the buck with the does you want bred and just leave them together for a month or so. You can try to see if there's any obvious action to get a closer duedate, but you may not see anything happen, so you'll have to watch closely as the time gets closer. I prefer to watch my does for signs of heat and then bring the buck to them for a date, That way, I have an exact duedate. But, sometimes does aren't obvious about their heat cycles, so I also do the pen up for a month method.

Q: How can I tell if my doe is in heat?

A: She will be very interested in the boys. My does have access to the boys' fenceline. So you'll see a doe hanging out near them, and usually the bucks are going crazy, making noise and blowing raspberries and peeing on themselves. The doe will often wag her tail a lot. Sometimes they are noisy. I don't have any that scream, but I've heard of it! I have a few that sort of mumble and groan when they're in heat. If she's fully in heat, she will stand still for the buck. Does go into heat every 21 days or so.

Q: How can I tell if my doe is pregnant?

A: a blood test can be done after 4 weeks or so. Unfortunately it can also come back positive if she miscarries. I have an ultrasound machine this year, and that's been great! I can usually tell for sure by 35-40 days after breeding. Experienced ultrasound techs can often tell sooner. It's worth asking around to see if there's someone in your area who does it. Barring all of that, the doe's udder will begin filling around 6 weeks from her duedate, and will get very full when she's close. A goat may not look pregnant at all, and then pop out quads. So you can't always tell just by looking at them!

Q: How can I tell when my doe is going into labor?

A: Well, you can't always. But I mark 145 days from the breeding date as the "due date" and I watch them closely from about a week before that onwards. I check their tail ligaments daily, and check their udder daily, watching for changes. When the tail ligaments are GONE and the tail is very loose, it generally means a kidding is happening that day. (Not 100%. I have both a doe that never loses her ligaments, and a doe that loses them a few days before kidding). Watch for a string of mucous. That usually means "any minute now"! The doe will get very restless, getting up and down, pawing the bedding. Some refuse food, some want more food. Sometimes skittish does will suddenly get affectionate. The best way is to spend time looking at her daily, and you'll notice when she's acting weird.

Q: AHHHHH It's happening what do I doooooo?!

A: Probably nothing! I like to be there to wipe noses and make sure everything goes well. That's one reason I put the mamas in the kidding stalls. I have lost babies when mama laid on them while pushing out #3 or #4. So it's good to be there just for those reasons. Most of the time, they won't need anything from you but moral support and maybe some towels. Even if they need assistance, it's not usually that much. There are lots and lots of articles out there about assisting in different types of troublesome presentations. But honestly, that's really not going to happen most of the time.

Q: What if I need a vet?

A: Chances are, you will need one at some point. And vets cost money. Please, for the love of Pete, don't raise goats if you can't afford the vet bills. It's part of the cost, right up there with hay and fencing. Ask around for recommendations. It's very important that your vet knows goats. I'm very lucky in mine. She's a farm vet and does house calls only. She has a great balance between caring about animals and wanting to help animals, and also practicality. She's honest with me if a procedure is worth doing or not. She knows I love my goats, but they are not "my children" or anything like that. At the end of the day, I want to do things that will improve their quality of life and the quality of their production. I feel very blessed in my vet. She takes care of unpleasant things like disbudding and putting animals down, and she has helped me with more than one rough kidding. I hope you can find one as good as mine, because it's a game-changer.

Q: How am I ever going to have all the answers?

A: You won't! You just keep learning! I am still learning too! One really great tool is social media groups. My favorite group is GOAT (Goat Owner Assistance Team). This is a great group for help with medical stuff, emergencies, or general advice. The admins have goat and veterinary experience, and they are always willing to help. The attitude in there is great and very helpful. I'm a part of many groups, and there can definitely be some "My way or the highway" attitudes out there, as with anything, but for the most part, goat people are awesome! I love getting to know them.