Lutalyse

How do you feel about Lutalyse or other heat-inducing medications? We don't have any bucks yet and our breeder instructed us to have our doe injected with this so she would be ready for breeding this weekend. I guess I'm OK with it as I can never tell when my doe is in heat...but are there many people out there who use this method? How have the results been? I think I'm a little worried that we won't get the timing right and she either will go into heat too early or too late for the breeding to take. Thanks for you input!

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  • haha! that was exactly what everyone was saying to me at the breeders! No :) I'm quite certain I gave May the shot. But it was such a coincedence!! Her noises were so cute- it definitely made the drive alot more entertaining!


    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    How funny that Chutney happened to be in heat. You didn't give her the lutalyse, right? That's an amazing coincidence! I just love the noises they make when they're in heat.
  • How funny that Chutney happened to be in heat. You didn't give her the lutalyse, right? That's an amazing coincidence! I just love the noises they make when they're in heat.
  • Well, I thought I should update just to share the information:

    I gave our oldest, May, a shot of Lutalyse on Thursday night. Sunday rolled around and she didn't seem like she was in heat. We carted May and Chutney down to the breeder- the whole way, Chutney was making all these wierd noises like she was buzzing- very odd. When we got to the breeders May was so uninterested in the buck she had her tail glued down to her butt. Interestingly enough, Chutney was VERY much in heat (I was noticing on the ride down that her vulva looked 'different', which was pointed out by the breeder when we arrived as well). SO! While May was not in the mood, Chutney was more than happy to take her place. She was a little younger than I was planning on breeding her but she is 8 months old and the breeder said she was big enough.
    So we're going to keep an eye on Chutney to be sure she doesn't go back in to heat, and we'll be keeping an eye on May so we can bring her down to the breeder as soon as she goes into heat...whew...! Probably won't bother with the Lutalyse again...even though I've got a little vial with 5 or 6 more doses in it...

    I can't wait to have some boys around the farm, though, I think Chutney could smell my Mom's wethers in the Jeep which caused her heat to be more noticable...
  • If you work full time, it's entirely possible that your doe has always been in heat when you weren't there. Some are only in standing heat for a few hours. When we first moved out here, there was a mobile home here that had solid windows in the living room and kitchen that overlooked the goat's pasture. I had no trouble knowing who was in heat then! Five years ago, we built a house, and there are only two windows on the first floor (library and guest room) from where you can see the goat pasture, and it is much more challenging for me to catch does in heat now. I even keep a wether with the does, but it's still not as easy as it was when I could watch them pretty much all day long!

    Knowing that you have a 2-hour drive to get to the breeder, I'd give her the shot so that she'll come into heat Saturday or Sunday, based on all the numbers you have -- making sure, of course, that the breeder would be okay if you came over on Saturday, if she comes into heat then.

    Good luck!
    Deborah

    Melissa Senesac said:
    No, the breeder is available almost any time. But she prefers to have us scheduled in...also, we live almost two hours away from her, and we both work full time jobs on top of it all...so it makes it a bit tricky. So, I can expect to see signs that she is in heat, even if I normally can't? Whew this is crazy. One more reason why I'm looking forward to having my own bucks someday...
    :) thanks for your input Deborah.

  • No, the breeder is available almost any time. But she prefers to have us scheduled in...also, we live almost two hours away from her, and we both work full time jobs on top of it all...so it makes it a bit tricky. So, I can expect to see signs that she is in heat, even if I normally can't? Whew this is crazy. One more reason why I'm looking forward to having my own bucks someday...
    :) thanks for your input Deborah.


    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    I've only used lutalyse twice (total of 6-8 does) -- when my la mancha buck got in the pasture with my Nigerian does -- and they all acted like they were in heat three days later. I don't know if it's different because I was using it to end a pregnancy, but then those goats might not have been pregnant. I was just doing it to be extremely cautious since a pregnancy caused by a LM buck could kill a ND doe. Is the breeder only available on Sunday? If not, I would just watch the doe and take her over when she looks like she's in heat.

    Melissa Senesac said:
    Now I'm getting confused/concerned. Our breeder told me that the shot would take 3-4 days to kick in, but our vet said TWO days...he's not a "goat vet"...but the information I've read online says 65-75 hours (which is 2.5-3 days) so I'm not sure who I should listen to...
    Any insight on this?

    thanks!
  • I've only used lutalyse twice (total of 6-8 does) -- when my la mancha buck got in the pasture with my Nigerian does -- and they all acted like they were in heat three days later. I don't know if it's different because I was using it to end a pregnancy, but then those goats might not have been pregnant. I was just doing it to be extremely cautious since a pregnancy caused by a LM buck could kill a ND doe. Is the breeder only available on Sunday? If not, I would just watch the doe and take her over when she looks like she's in heat.

    Melissa Senesac said:
    Now I'm getting confused/concerned. Our breeder told me that the shot would take 3-4 days to kick in, but our vet said TWO days...he's not a "goat vet"...but the information I've read online says 65-75 hours (which is 2.5-3 days) so I'm not sure who I should listen to...
    Any insight on this?

    thanks!
  • Now I'm getting confused/concerned. Our breeder told me that the shot would take 3-4 days to kick in, but our vet said TWO days...he's not a "goat vet"...but the information I've read online says 65-75 hours (which is 2.5-3 days) so I'm not sure who I should listen to...
    Any insight on this?

    thanks!


    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    December's not too late, so the only issue would be the timing thing. Hopefully your timing will be okay. It's been a few years since I attended that conference, but I seem to remember the window when it doesn't work is pretty small. I've found some young does are VERY quiet when in heat, so it can be a challenge to figure out!
    Good luck,
    Deborah
  • December's not too late, so the only issue would be the timing thing. Hopefully your timing will be okay. It's been a few years since I attended that conference, but I seem to remember the window when it doesn't work is pretty small. I've found some young does are VERY quiet when in heat, so it can be a challenge to figure out!
    Good luck,
    Deborah

    Melissa Senesac said:
    I would have preferred to wait until I knew she was in heat...but as I don't have any boys on our spot yet I guess its a little more difficult that I was expecting. We've had her for six months and not once could I really say that I thought she was in heat...even though I know the signs...hopefully she isn't at the stage in her cycle where this won't work!
    Thanks for the input, Deborah!
  • I would have preferred to wait until I knew she was in heat...but as I don't have any boys on our spot yet I guess its a little more difficult that I was expecting. We've had her for six months and not once could I really say that I thought she was in heat...even though I know the signs...hopefully she isn't at the stage in her cycle where this won't work!
    Thanks for the input, Deborah!

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    Most people don't use lutalyse to get does pregnant. The only time I've heard of people using it for breeding is if they have to have a doe in heat when they're going to an AI clinic. Otherwise, they just take their doe to a buck when she's in heat. If someone buys a goat from me, and they don't want to keep a buck, I recommend they get a wether because he'll let them know when the doe is in heat. I have attended an AI session at a conference, and although I don't remember the exact timeline, there are times during a doe's cycle when lutalyse won't work.
  • Most people don't use lutalyse to get does pregnant. The only time I've heard of people using it for breeding is if they have to have a doe in heat when they're going to an AI clinic. Otherwise, they just take their doe to a buck when she's in heat. If someone buys a goat from me, and they don't want to keep a buck, I recommend they get a wether because he'll let them know when the doe is in heat. I have attended an AI session at a conference, and although I don't remember the exact timeline, there are times during a doe's cycle when lutalyse won't work.
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