Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Mating
Once your doe is in estrus, she must be brought together with the buck within 24 hours. Many
goat owners do not keep a buck but instead pay a fee for stud service. You also can lease a
buck from a local breeder and keep him with your does for several days. If you do not observe
the breeding, the buck should remain with the does for at least three weeks, a complete breed-
ing cycle. Occasionally, a breeder will accommodate your does to stay with the buck for the
breeding period.
Stud service is carried out in several ways. You can transport your doe to the buck and drive
her home again after a brief encounter, arrange to board her at the farm with the buck for a
few days, or have the buck brought to your farm (this is called driveway service). Make ar-
rangements with the buck's owner well in advance to be sure the buck is available when you
need him during the busy breeding season. If you plan to register the offspring, be sure to ask
for a service memo, a document signed by the buck owner verifying the buck bred the doe
and the date. Most breeders will give a second breeding free if the doe does not get pregnant
the first time.
When a doe in heat is brought to a buck, he greets her and begins smelling her from all sides.
If she urinates, he smells or tastes it and makes a grimace, called a flehmen, holding his head
high and drawing up his upper lip. Then he strikes his forefeet on the ground, lays them on
top of the doe, and attempts to mount her. If she is at the peak of estrus, she tolerates the
mounting and cooperates by lifting her tail. The copulation is complete when the buck raises
himself high with a powerful thrust and throws his head back. If the doe is still in heat 24
hours after the first mating, a second mating should take place. A healthy mature buck can
mate about ten to 20 times a day.
Choosing a buck
Some goat keepers breed their does solely to stimulate lactation (freshening) of does in their
dairy herd and quickly sell the kids. Others breed their does with an eye to improving their
herd with offspring that produce more milk, are stronger and healthier, and are productive
longer. They select the best kids from each generation and sell their inferior goats. Whether
you are breeding to freshen your does or to increase your herd, always seek out the best pos-
sible buck to impregnate your does. You may be tempted to use a buck from a neighboring
farm just because it is convenient, but remember that the buck's genes influence not only the
quality of its offspring, but the health of the mother and kid during pregnancy. A buck could
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