Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
after the kids are born. The presence of a buck in the herd can cause a strong “goaty” flavor in
their milk due to the extra hormones in the herd. A buck can be aggressive toward kids and
may impregnate the does again too soon after the births. The buck needs a separate pen and
enclosure, preferably at least 50 yards away from the does. Bucks are particularly strong and
aggressive, so this pen and enclosure must be exceptionally well built and reinforced to pre-
vent the buck from escaping and rejoining the ladies. Because goats prefer company, you
probably will need to keep another buck or a wether, a castrated male goat, as a friend for the
buck.
A buck kid is cute and playful, but when he matures, he becomes aggressive and dominating
and may be difficult to handle, especially for a child. During breeding season, bucks cover
themselves with scent and urine and give off a powerful aroma that seems to permeate
everything. Neighbors may find this odor offensive, and many residential areas that allow the
keeping of female goats prohibit the ownership of bucks.
After the first breeding, you would be mating your buck with his daughters. Sometimes this
kind of inbreeding strengthens desirable qualities such as milk production and udder strength
in the offspring, but it can exaggerate flaws and weaknesses. Most bucks are sold as kids be-
fore they have been bred to show the kind of offspring they produce. An older buck that has
demonstrated its superiority is expensive if it is still in its prime. A buck that is a good mate
for one of your does might produce kids with undesirable traits from another of your does.
This is not a problem if you are only using the buck to “freshen” your does and selling all the
kids soon after birth. If your goal is to increase or improve your herd, after one or two genera-
tions you will need genetic input from another buck.
Kidding
Most does experience normal pregnancies. Depending on the age, breed, and previous preg-
nancies, 145 to 155 days after the last breeding date your doe will deliver one to five kids.
Multiple births usually occur a little earlier; an older or poorly nourished doe may give birth
later.
It can be difficult to tell whether your doe is pregnant during the first three months. The first
sign of pregnancy is that the doe does not go back into heat after her last cycle. Watch the doe
closely three weeks after she has been bred. Pregnancy tests can be done by a diagnostic lab
or through a veterinarian or a mail-in service. Typically, a sample of urine or milk is tested for
