Breeding Goats

Let’s take a look at the basics of breeding goats. As you may already know, a male goat is called a buck or billy, the female is a doe or nanny and the offspring are usually referred to as kids.

In general, you want to have 3 females for each male. This ratio tends to work out the best for smaller goat herds. Typically a female goat will only have two kids a year. Having more male goats tends to cause more breeding and rivalry between the bucks.

When a female goat goes into heat, she will wag her tail and stay close to the male goat if there is one nearby.  She will also make more noise, a distinctive bleating. She will also eat less and produce less milk.

Under normal conditions, female goats will come into heat between September and March.  The will usually be fertile about three days.  If mating has not occurred during this time period, the female goat  will remain fertile  for about three weeks and go in and out of heat.

Female goats have a gestation period of about five months or 150 days. Usually goats only have one kid at a time but twins or even triplets appear occasionally. The birthing process known as “kidding”.  Birthing for goats is usually an easy process. Complications are rare but should there be any, contact your local large/farm animal veterinarian for assistance.

Once the kid is born, they will stay in a safe, warm, place if it is available. You should have provided your pregnant goats with a sufficient shelter to fill this need. The new mother goat will go off for a while to feed.  She will nurse the new kid when she returns. The female goat produces six pounds of milk daily while nursing.  The kid will drink her milk until they can eat fully on their own. This takes up to three months.

Related posts:

1. Introduction to Raising Goats If you are thinking about getting into the hobby or business of raising goats there are several things that you will need to take into account. First of all, you can’t just have a single goat. Goats are herd animals and…...