# how to tell if goat is bred



## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

I have two goats. last year I bred them both but only one worked. I never could feel the kid, but she stopped going into heat and got fat. But not hugely fat because she had a small single. Her udder starting enlarging too, but I forget when.

the other one had three tries and nothing.

So yesterday the non-kidder went into heat for the first time all season. I took her to the breeder, who said conditions were perfect and if she doesn't settle this time I can assume she's sterile. We used the buck who bred my other doe last year. Her heats are light and short and she sometimes skips. if you increase her feed she will happily get fat.

So I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to know if she's even bred. wait until April and if she doesn't kid the answer is no? I might lose my mind!

She's a big nubian 2 y.o. if it matters.


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## MoBarger (Mar 5, 2003)

See is she goes into heat about 21 days after being with the buck? One way to try to get her to go into heat is to get a stinky rag from a stinky buck, and have it around her after those 21 days or so. If she is still open it may incite her to go into heat again.


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

Did you just do a driveway breeding? Oftentimes goats with weak heats will come back in on a secondary heat 4-7 days later. You could try a blood test to see if she took.


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## Sweet Goats (Nov 30, 2005)

How far along do you think she is IF she took? I was told to do the pooch test. Have you heard of that? 
I do believe it is form this site that I found out about it. If someone know what I am talking about I am sure they will chime in, in the mean time I will look for it. How long did you leave her with the buck? I try to leave mine at least a month. I did just have someone bring her doe over to be bred, she was flagging and we thought OK, she is ready. I hde her in with the buck for 5 days. Then we were hit with a huge snow storm, and I had to DIG the goats out, so I mover her becasue I thought for sure she was bred. Well 6 days later she was up against the fence and teasing another buck, so I grabbed her again and put the tow in a stall, and we watched him get her three times. So watch that flagging, I thought she was ready, but I guess she was getting ready to be ready.


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## Terre d'Esprit (Aug 31, 2004)

I just went to the biotracking site, and they are having a sale on goat pregnancy testing! Yay! Here is the verbiage:




> We are pleased to announce special pricing for goat and sheep producers. From November 1st, 2006 until February 1st, 2007 all goat and sheep samples will be half price $7.50.


Just thought I'd pass it on. I've never used them, have no idea about them, but I know folks on here do. 

I'm going to send mine in for that price!

T


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

That just struck me as funny - a sale on goat pregnancy testing!


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

I have no idea what a pooch test is.

my problem is that she could very well not go into heat even if she isn't pregnant. or at least not enough to notice. yes it was a driveway (back yard actually) breeding. this is a grade goat - I don't want to put a huge amount of expense into breeding her, and the only way to let her run with a buck around here would be to lease or buy one. I have two goats and a small barn.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

I may have been the one who mentioned it; a woman who brought a goat to be bred says that it is "surefire". I just don't know. She said the tip of the vulva flattens out after a successful take. She got the info from somewhere in Florida. Maybe google "goat pooch test"?


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## Terre d'Esprit (Aug 31, 2004)

I just took blood and sent it off to Biotracking today. I hope she's settled!!! We will have cute little Boer/Saanen crosses in a few months if it is...

It was quite funny when I took the package to the PO today to mail it-- the clerk asked what was inside, and I said very evilly, "GOATS BLOOD!!" Muahaha! But I explained it was for a test... : )

I checked the box for the results to be emailed. Cross your fingers!

T


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

MoBarger said:


> One way to try to get her to go into heat is to get a stinky rag from a stinky buck,


But don't do what I did and leave it in your pick up, in the heat, with the windows rolled up. You'll be smelling "stinky buck" for months.....


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Here's a link to info on the pooch test, it's actually really reliable when you know what you're looking for : 

http://www.happytailzfarm.com/pooch_test_2.htm

Also, if you go to www.jefferslivestock.com, you can get a cheapo 5.00 stethescope that works well, and listen on the right side of the stomach (but you really have to search for it, lol) for a kid's heartbeat. But that's later on in gestation.


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## ~PrairieGirl~ (Jun 20, 2006)

My doe has about 2 months to go and I would like to see if I can hear anything. Will the babies heatrate be faster than the mothers like in humans? Is it to early?


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

mygoat said:


> Here's a link to info on the pooch test, it's actually really reliable when you know what you're looking for :
> 
> http://www.happytailzfarm.com/pooch_test_2.htm


I have some two and three year olds, some bred (been ultrasounded already) and some open - I'm going to try this today and take some pics. I'm very interested - having a bunch of does tested every year gets to be a pain.


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## moosemaniac (Mar 7, 2003)

moonspinner said:


> That just struck me as funny - a sale on goat pregnancy testing!


Woo hoo! Gotta love a good sale!

Ruth


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

I had a two year old nubian do something similiar - except I drove two hours to get her bred - she was in a raging, standing heat. Didn't take. Gave her a shot to bring her back in a few months later, and left her a month with the buck. Just got fat and 'looked' pregnant. The following year she LIVED with the buck. We did get babies that year! 

I wouldn't assume your doe is sterile, yet - especially if she kidded her first year. There are several things you could try if it is worthwhile to you. Try and keep the extra weight off of her - it can cause difficulties getting pregnant. If she proves this difficult every year - you may want to find a different doe. My difficult doe didn't take again this year - after a second month with the buck she is back in heat....I put her in with my boer buck. I don't want to keep anything out of her, even though she is very nice, as I don't want to perpetuate this problem genetically.

Niki


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

She is a gallon milker, and very people oriented - our first nubian milker. There's no way we could be rid of her......Diva that she is!

Niki


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

I have a doe I have to hold to be bred... standing heat or not, she will not let a buck near her. There's always lute too, you can give her a shot and force her heat.


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

Ok for those of you who want to see the difference in the vulva of a bred doe and one that is not here you go.

Here is the bred doe!


















Now here is a pic of a doe that hasnt been preg scence 2003 she has a fertility issue.









Here is a young 4 month old doe who was just in heat a few days ago but not bred.









See a difference!


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## TC (Jun 22, 2005)

I usually know for sure my does are bred, when they deliver a kid!  

Sorry I couldn't resist :dance:


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## Kathy'sKID (Nov 3, 2004)

~PrairieGirl~ said:


> My doe has about 2 months to go and I would like to see if I can hear anything. Will the babies heatrate be faster than the mothers like in humans? Is it to early?



Adult does have a heart rate of 70-80 bpm, where as kids in the oven have a higher rate of *I Think* 120-140 bpm (please correct me if I'm wrong). Last year I check quite a few of our goats regularly, as we were unsure of due dates. I'd check the motherâs heart rate first and this made it easier to detect what was the kid's heart rate. Kid's heart rates will slows slightly toward the end of gestation. I think it was right about 4 months along I was able to hear it. It was very low at first, almost directly in front of the udder and to the right, and then the second kid would be about 5-7? inches up, to the doeâs right. It takes a bit of poking around to find it the first few times. Then at about a week or two before kidding they where much higher on the right side of the doe.


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

Trob, how far along is the bred goat? (for reference)


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

DocM said:


> Trob, how far along is the bred goat? (for reference)


3 months!


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

TC said:


> I usually know for sure my does are bred, when they deliver a kid!
> 
> Sorry I couldn't resist :dance:



LOL! Well I can tell mine are bred as soon as the space between the goat berry hole and the pee hole suddenly looks longer. I also can usually tell when a doe is within a month of kidding when the vulva become very puffy and open. But I spend alot of time with my goats.


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

trob1 said:


> 3 months!


Perfect, thanks. I have a couple that are also 3 months. I'll post some pictures in a bit, since mine are standard goats.


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

well, she did go back into heat, so that answers that.

good thing, because I can't tell a thing from those pictures.

I took the good goat today (one "date" last year followed by an easy birth and a peak over a gallon of sweet milk a day) and the breeder says if I give the "bad" goat a shot she'll try her once more.

the "bad" one has never been pregnant and is almost 2 1/2 years old. She also knocks over small children, but she doesn't mean to, she rubs on them.

can't wait to try my stethescope!


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## TC (Jun 22, 2005)

Honestly, I can usually tell when they start bagging up a bit. Usually by the time I start seeing a bag, I can then feel softening of the ligaments and sometimes you can even feel them moving by this time. Usually it's a month prior to kidding. My buck runs with the does, so I don't document all breedings, unless I see evidence of it. (dirty tail, actual breeding) But the "udder development test" usually clues me in, I haven't missed hardly any kiddings, so I guess it's realiable, if you check them daily.

Of course, I raise meat goats mainly, so this wouldn't work as well on dairy.


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

Here is a doe in August she was bred a week or two prior.










Now here she is in Dec.










She is due end of Dec. to first of Jan.
See a difference in the space beween holes and notice the puffy open vulva. The puffy open vulva started about 2 weeks ago. Now she still has no udder and has always had a large rumen.


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

She probably wonders why you keep taking pictures of her rear end. 

"Silly humans.. why aren't they feeding me?"


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

DocM said:


> She probably wonders why you keep taking pictures of her rear end.
> 
> "Silly humans.. why aren't they feeding me?"



LOL nope they are used to it. I like to keep a record of how their bellies are growing while pregnant and no better way to get that pic than from behind. And no better time to get it than at feeding time. Faces down, bellies out and butts up.


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

Pygmies always look pregnant to me. Even the wethers.


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

DocM said:


> Pygmies always look pregnant to me. Even the wethers.



Not if you know what your looking for. It would be like saying overweight people look pregnant. Pregnancy in goats is the same as humans in that the look is different. There are obvious signs to look for. That is why I take pictures so I can become even more educated in the changes that happen in those 5 months.

Look at this website it is very interesting.

http://kinne.net/pregdiag.htm


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

trob1 said:


> Look at this website it is very interesting.


You're not fooling me, I know how you pygmy people are. You ply us standard goat people with pictures of cute little playful goats! NO! ha ha. Okay, I see the difference, more round = pregnant. Just sticking out on sides - pygmy style.


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## trob1 (Jun 18, 2006)

Oh they are cute arent they! Thats why I have them. It is easy to tell isnt it when you know what you are looking for. Good student now your lessons are over and you are an expert pygmy pregnancy detector. LOL But really isnt that a neat webpage?


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

Whenever I start thinking pygmies are cute, I just remind myself that they're also the same shape as a BBQ.


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