Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
quality forage or increasing her ration of grain. A doe bred during the first heat of her breed-
ing cycle tends to have better milk production, and her kids will be old enough to breed by
next season. You might want to postpone breeding until the second or third heat so the kid is
not born during bitter cold winter weather or to stagger kidding so that your does are lactating
at different times.
Recognizing estrus in your does
Estrus is the state in which a goat's ovary contains a fertile egg, and her uterus is ready to es-
tablish it. A doe in estrus exhibits a number of external signs:
• Restlessness
• Constant bleating
• Attempts to mount other does
• Swelling and redness of the vulva
• Appearance of mucus on the vulva, which turns yellowish and cloudy toward the end of
estrus
Estrus is easy to detect in a goat that has already kidded once but may be difficult to confirm
in young doelings. Scratch the doe and press her at the base of the tail. If she stops and lifts
her tail, she is probably in heat. A goat that is not in heat would tuck her tail under and dodge
your hand.
If you own a buck, a doe in heat will be attracted and want to hang around the buck's pen.
Bucks follow a similar breeding cycle to does. When a buck is ready to mate, he rubs himself
with fluids from scent glands on its forehead and urinates on himself so he gives off a strong
odor. You can test whether a doe is in estrus by rubbing a cloth (known as a “buck rag”) over
the buck to absorb its scent. Put this cloth in a jar or sealed container. If the doe is in estrus,
she will respond dramatically when you open the jar and let her smell the buck's aroma.
Estrus can be induced by the presence or smell of a buck or by exposure to the presence of
other does in estrus. Warm temperatures sometimes inhibit estrus while cold temperatures
stimulate it.
Estrus lasts for about 36 hours. The ovary does not release the egg until just near the end of
the outward signs of estrus, so the best time for mating is about one day after estrus begins. It
is safe to take the doe to the buck as soon as you notice she is in heat; if possible, breed her
again 12 hours later to ensure conception.
