# What age do you stop breeding



## Jay27 (Jan 11, 2010)

What age do you stop breeding your does? Obviously body condition has something to do with it, but for the sake of discussion lets say a doe in excellent condition with no previous kidding complications.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I would keep breeding her until her condition told me that it was otherwise a bad idea. I suppose I'd think twice before breeding, say, a 10 or 11 year old... but it would depend on how long and how well I know the doe and if she can handle it. I've heard of does being milked for their 10th lactation before.

I currently have a doe that is 8 years old and is still going strong. She is currently preggo and due 6/2. I've been watching her for uncomfortableness.. besides being HUGE, she doesn't seem abnormally discomforted by being preggo and is carrying it well. I've owned her her entire life - bought her as a 2 month old. If kidding and her lactation all goes well this year, I will probably breed her for next summer, again.


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## shiandpete.1 (Aug 13, 2008)

At the ADGA show we were last at there was a 12 year old alpine on her 12th lactation. She was still going strong and won the show.


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## Jay27 (Jan 11, 2010)

I just looked at my doe's papers and she just turned 9. She is due in a month and looks great. I've owned her for 3 years, but know the girl who owned her before me. She takes top-notch care of her critters. I never planned to keep breeding this doe, I bought her because I wanted her doe kid. Then the doe kid turned out so nice that I wanted another one like her... which I unfortunately didn't get last year... although I suppose her last years kid still might turn out nice... just not _as_ nice. I guess we'll just have to see what she does in the next month or so.

ETA:
May be important to note that she is a Nigerian Dwarf


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

I think I would just consider her condition and how difficult births are. . .


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

shiandpete.1 said:


> At the ADGA show we were last at there was a 12 year old alpine on her 12th lactation. She was still going strong and won the show.


I love hearing this. That doe has to make her breeder proud - should be everyone's goal to breed to quality animals that can and are readily able to produce for long lifespans like this, and not 'break down' due to poor conformation.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I have a LaMancha doe who is 10. I will be breeding her in the fall. She's in excellent condition and gave me two lovely Saanen cross kids last time.


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## deineria (Aug 22, 2009)

Which do you prefer or do you even prefer one over the other?


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

hmm...my only purebred Nubian is now 6. Last fall she didnt settle with a Nub buck. She was exposed to 2 different Boer bucks after that. I figger she wants to retire. She seems content enough laying around with her daughter & grandkids.


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

6 should be the prime of life, a doe isn't even considered mature until she is 5. We have never had a doe have her 13th freshening, we always chose to put them down because something had gone wrong after the 12 year old 12th freshening, and I don't keep gereatric does around without excellent quality of life.

Deineria, you posted the below, on this thread by accident I suppose? I prefer dimthox 40% 1cc per 10 pounds for 5 days, repeat in 21 days...unless you are going to fecal and figure out the correct dosage for the 12.5% sulfas (albon and sulmet), it's also alot of drug to give orally. Vicki

Sulmet or Dimethox/Albon 

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Which do you prefer or do you even prefer one over the other?


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## rootsandwings (Apr 20, 2004)

my six y.o. nubian lost her pregnancy at 11 weeks last year (vet said not A,B,C..."just one of those things that happens - rebreed her if she goes back into heat" only it was too late in the year.), but she gave me the two most beautiful kids I've had this year. dh says "she looks like a middle-aged goat" but yesterday she milked two quarts after a nine hour separation and her babies are more than double their birth weights - of 7 and 8.5 lbs! at two and a half weeks. I have next year's breeding planned already. If all goes well she'll be bred for the last time at 10 to kid at or short of 11 (she's a summer baby).


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