I dried my kindergoat doe off on October 3. She was bred to kid the first week of December, but it was quite hot when she was bred so I'm not so sure she took. She is not a wide-bodied goat, so she would just be starting to show now, and while she appears to have the start of a baby belly, I'm not laying any bets yet. On Sunday, she was discharging slightly and standing with flagging tail for pressure on her rump. I went and got the buck (I don't own a buck, but I have a loaner available as needed) and put him in with her. He showed absolutely no interest in her, but was quite enamored with my other doe (who I had intended to breed about now anyway). So my question is, is this a false heat brought on by drying her off? I would think that if she was truly in heat, or had just been in heat (assuming the worst...that she was out of heat by the time I put the buck in several hours after she was showing such strong signs) wouldn't the buck show the most interest in her? What's the likelihood that she's actually bred? I'm not going to worry overly much about this. I'll keep the buck around for 3 weeks and see if he does anything in that time. Hopefully she'll start expanding her horizons (read, start looking pregnant) in the next few weeks but I'm not betting the farm on it! I'm just wondering what other people's experiences have been and checking to see where the bets will fall!!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), October 10, 2001

Answers

Response to I think my doe is faking it

Some does will be bred and still show signs of a heat cycle afterwards. If the buck wasn't interested chances are that she is already bred.

-- Leslie in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), October 10, 2001.

Woman have been faking it for generations!

-- Betty NH (cdshu@hotmail.com), October 11, 2001.

Sounds to me like maybe she didn't conceive from the previous breeding. It will not hurt her to be bred if she is pregnant, and if she's not and you don't breed her, she'll get fat and more difficult to get bred. Some bucks show a preference for one doe over another, and will service their favorite doe again and again (and again),all the while completely ignoring the other does in heat, who stand around and nudge him suggestively! I have seen a lot of bucks who were interested when the does weren't, but never yet seen a doe that was interested when she was 3 months pregnant. Sometimes the pregnancy hormones do not kick in until the doe has gone through a second heat three weeks after being bred the first time, but then they settle down. So while your doe could be pregnant, I think she was really in heat, and that you should breed her when she comes into heat again. You might want to make a note on the calendar so that you can watch for signs of heat at the right time.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), October 11, 2001.

I had a yearling doe who I was sure was pregnant last year, but was not. I have to take my does 40 min away to be bred to the nearest Saanen buck. (ugh!) and after waiting for 3 "times" with the buck we were fairly certain that should do it.She didn't even show any signs of heat later, and got very fat. She sure fooled me. I did end up selling her a few months ago as a dry yearling so I don't know if she is just hard to breed or what. I hope yours really IS pregnant. You are lucky to have such easy access to a buck! I am "borrowing" one this year..rather that taking my does up there one at a time when they are in heat. Her mother was bred weeks later and did fine. Good luck!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 11, 2001.

Jenny, the first year I had goats here I tried taking the doe I was breeding that year to the buck with no luck at all. By the time I got her to the buck (who was about 45 minutes away) she was so stressed out from the travel and being in a strange place that she wouldn't breed. I hauled her up there 3 times in 3 days for one heat, then missed the next heat, and finally the buck was free to come to my place and she finally took here. As for the buck that I use now, the lady who owns him has gone out of goat raising but keeps this buck (along with a few pet goats) just so I and a few others can use him (and I think she's kind of attached!). It is easier for me than most because all I require in a buck is that he be healthy and that he doesn't accentuate any weak points in my does. I'm not raising for show, just for fun, milk and I may try meat this next breeding. Thanks for all your responses. I love hearing where the wagers fall!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), October 11, 2001.