In the Northern Hemisphere, this means that August to December is “prime time” for goat mating. Goat breeding can happen year-round with the help of hormone treatments and artificial insemination, but usually only larger goat-raising operations resort to these methods.

A buck that’s 6 months to 1 year old can mate with about 10 does per season. A healthy 2 year old buck may be able to mate with 25 does per season. By 3 years of age, a buck in good health can mate with up to 40 does per season. However, just because a buck can mate often doesn’t mean it should. Be judicious when deciding how often to breed your goat to ensure the health of the goats and the kids.

A larger doe will be better able to carry twins or triplets, so keep this in mind especially if multiple births are common in your goats’ pedigrees.

To humans, the smell of a buck “in rut” is hard to handle, but it is very appealing to does in heat.

Be careful when placing animals in heat near each other but in separate pens. The goats may injure themselves trying to get to each other. You should supervise them closely and check to make sure the fences are safe and free of defects. Alternatively, you can use a “billy rag. ” Rub a cloth over a “rutting” buck, then wave it around the doe and keep the rag in her proximity. The pungent scent is often enough to do the trick.

Look for bucks with detailed and high-quality pedigrees, and utilize different bucks to increase the genetic diversity of your herd. Some breeders advise strongly against mating bucks and does with substantial size differences, while others have not experienced problems with pregnancy or birthing in these cases. Consult your vet and experienced breeders about specific cases.

Keep bucks separate from does except during mating times, but don’t raise them alone. Goats are social creatures, so it’s best to provide one or more wethers as friends if you have just one buck. Caring for a buck can cost $150 USD per year, or roughly the cost of 5 mating rentals (which often run around $30 USD). Use the costs in your area to determine the economic comparison between owning and renting.

Good records can help limit excessive in-breeding. For instance, siblings should not mate, and parent-child mating should be permitted rarely if at all. [10] X Research source In-breeding of less direct relatives can actually be a good thing, so long as you pair up goats with good pedigrees and characteristics, and don’t breed ones with undesirable histories or traits.

A disinterested doe will run away and fend off the buck. This means the time isn’t right and you should try again another time. An “old farmer’s tale” says that you can bet on a successful copulation if the female’s back arches during the mounting. But use this pearl of wisdom at your own risk!

This method makes predicting a successful impregnation or timing out a due date more challenging, however.

For even greater certainty, you can have a vet do an ultrasound. But this can be costly and is unnecessary in most cases.

Keeping detailed records and supervising the mating process makes predicting due dates accurately much easier.

You can hire someone to complete the AI process for you, or buy the necessary equipment to do it yourself. The necessary AI equipment can cost $500 USD, so factor this in when comparing the cost of hiring someone to do the job for you. [16] X Research source

If you’re not using the semen right away, transfer it immediately to your own liquid nitrogen storage tank, according to the tank’s instructions. It’s very important that you properly store and handle the semen. It should not be thawed until you are ready to use it. Otherwise, the pregnancy may not take or thrive. If you want to administer semen from one of your bucks using AI, you can buy an artificial vagina that collects the sample. However, it will only be viable for 2-3 hours.

speculum (25 x 175 mm for doelings or 25 x 200 mm for does); AI light or headlight; sterile lubricant (non-spermicidal) insemination gun (for “straws” containing frozen semen); straw tweezers; reeding stand or similar means to restrain the doe thaw box; paper towels; straw cutter; thermometer

24 hours or less, do AI as soon as your recognize estrus. 36 hours, complete AI within 12 hours of estrus signs appearing. 48 hours, do AI within 24 hours. 72 hours, do AI within 48 hours.

If not, be present to keep the doe calm while a vet or more experienced goat breeder does the procedure.

After this quick thaw, you’ll dry the straw off with paper towels and immediately load the insemination gun. Insemination guns also vary, but usually you’ll pull the plunger back several inches/centimeters, add a cotton plug against the plunger, and then load the straw.

Identify the cervix by looking for its purple-red color, and the white mucus that will coat and surround it if the doe is in heat. If the doe refuses to stand up, have an assistant lift her hindquarters for you before trying to insert the speculum.

For visual reference, draw a ring (with a red marker, for instance) around the AI gun’s cover sheath, 1. 5 inches (3. 8 cm) from the gun’s tip. Carefully record the time and other info into your breeding journal or database.

Consult your vet for guidance on what and how much to feed your goats in general, and how to transition the diet of your pregnant goat. Your vet may also recommend that you give the pregnant doe mineral supplements.

During these last two weeks, you’ll notice that the doe’s udder and vulva will begin to swell. The swelling will become even more substantial just before the goat is ready to give birth. The doe will become restless and agitated, and her back legs will likely start to quiver as the birthing process is about to begin.

If the goat is carrying twins or triplets, there will likely be a 15-20 minute pause between births. In addition to warm water and clean rags, you can find lists of recommended birthing supplies at https://www. britishgoatsociety. com/about-us/breeding/ and https://www. farmingmagazine. com/livestock/goats/breeding-goats/.

There is significant discharge from the doe’s vulva, but birthing doesn’t follow soon after. There has been active labor (with obvious straining) for 30 minutes with no results. Only the kid’s head, front legs, or tail appears. The kid has a fever over 104 °F (40 °C) and is lethargic or refuses to feed. The doe’s udder is hot and swollen, and the milk is clotted and won’t flow easily.

Bottle feed kids who aren’t effectively feeding with – or are being neglected by – their mother. Consult your vet if you need guidance. For the safety of your herd and yourself, remove a kid’s horn buds at about a week of age. Have an expert do this if you are untrained. Start giving vaccinations at about one month of age, and check kids regularly for fevers (101. 5 °F (38. 6 °C) is normal) and other health issues.