Goat issues and questions

[freemotion]

If they freshened last summer....could it be that they are deficient in something? Copper, selenium? Send off a blood test before culling to be sure they are not preggers but acting funny. A buck will breed a pregnant doe and should not be kept with them later in pregnancy. It seems fishy to me that you have 3 that are not pregnant. Something wrong here. Also look into something like chlamydia, which could be from the buck, too.

PM Farmerchick.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

If they freshened last summer....could it be that they are deficient in something? Copper, selenium? Send off a blood test before culling to be sure they are not preggers but acting funny. A buck will breed a pregnant doe and should not be kept with them later in pregnancy. It seems fishy to me that you have 3 that are not pregnant. Something wrong here. Also look into something like chlamydia, which could be from the buck, too.

PM Farmerchick.

They are cycling on schedule, so pretty sure that they are not preggers.
They get Barley, BOSS, alfalfa pellets, free choice hay and loose minersl, plus browse.

 

[glenolam]

I'd say cull/get rid of the bucks if anything and wait 6 months from then. If the does don't kid by that period then you know for sure they're not bred and can move forward with culling.

Either that or pay for a blood test on all the does just in case.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I'd say cull/get rid of the bucks if anything and wait 6 months from then. If the does don't kid by that period then you know for sure they're not bred and can move forward with culling.

Either that or pay for a blood test on all the does just in case.

We are planning on moving the bucks along. Just wanted to be sure we were done with them first
And I do have tests for all the does.

Say, the doe that I am pretty sure is pregnant, never gets that slightly sunken "i just got up, and my rumen is empty" look in the morning.
All the others do that though, hence the reason I am certain this is a real heat for the other three.

 

[freemotion]

Three of my seven goats are black, so copper deficiency shows up. I've struggled with it in spite of loose minerals. I'm going to start bolusing as soon as I can squeeze out some bucks for Copasure....you have to buy it in cattle-sized packages. Probably enough for the rest of my life! Pregnancy and lactation really depletes them, and lets face it, they are not eating their natural diet when in captivity for the most part, unless you have brushy woodlots most of the year.

I have two middle-aged does who are a challenge. Last year I wanted one bred as she is tough as nails and quite chunky so I left her in with the buck all winter. Never got preggers. She was quite rusty on her black thighs, too. This year, she is jet black and I will send in blood, but I suspect she might be preggers. Her companion, another middle-aged pygmy-x, went through several heat cycles and a couple of accidental breedings (so much for my fortress buck pen ) and I HOPE she is not preggers still! She has not come back into heat, but it is late in the year. Bloodwork will tell.

Goats can be a challenge. Are you certain they freshened last year? They sound like they are the ideal age for good milk production. That stinks that they are not pregnant.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Like I mentioned, history is a little vague. The family moved out of state, so no finding anything out.
What I do know for sure is, that two of them still have a bit of residual milk in their udders, from drying off.
The third, is fully dry, and its very possible that she did not get bred last year.
For her age, her udder should show more sign of usage, from what I can tell.
I milked goats for years growing up, so I feel fairly confident with that assumption

ETA: I don't think there is such a thing as a buck fortress

 

[glenolam]

Free - I have tons of copasure! I bolused everyone in January and only used 2 1/2 capsules. If you need some but don't want to buy a whole jar, lemme know!

 

[Oberhaslikid]

If they freshened last summer....could it be that they are deficient in something? Copper, selenium? Send off a blood test before culling to be sure they are not preggers but acting funny. A buck will breed a pregnant doe and should not be kept with them later in pregnancy. It seems fishy to me that you have 3 that are not pregnant. Something wrong here. Also look into something like chlamydia, which could be from the buck, too.

PM Farmerchick.

This is exactly what I was thinking also.Being over weight can also keep them from releasing eggs in the ovaries.
If you dont know the history on the does I would also look to see if they may be a freemartin?

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

If they freshened last summer....could it be that they are deficient in something? Copper, selenium? Send off a blood test before culling to be sure they are not preggers but acting funny. A buck will breed a pregnant doe and should not be kept with them later in pregnancy. It seems fishy to me that you have 3 that are not pregnant. Something wrong here. Also look into something like chlamydia, which could be from the buck, too.

PM Farmerchick.

This is exactly what I was thinking also.Being over weight can also keep them from releasing eggs in the ovaries.
If you dont know the history on the does I would also look to see if they may be a freemartin?

Not overweight for sure.
Whats freemartin

 

[glenolam]

I believe along the lines of a hermaphrodite. They have both sex organs, but it results in being sterile.