Again?

[Jan]

My milker was down on her milk today.  The weather has gone from very hot to fall weather.  She hang on the buck fence as soon as she got into the outside fence...tail up. standing.  When I put her in I watched him penetrate and hunch and minutes later much goop hanging out.

She was in with him 3 days ago although I didn't see penetration just humping. What gives?

Its bee a while since I bred any goat (six years) so I am getting confused.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

There are a number of things that could be going on. Every now and then, a goat will continue to come into heat, even though she is pregnant, but in my experience it's not very common. I've only had it happen once here, and the last few years, we've had around 15 does freshen yearly. Based on the dates you've mentioned, I think it is more likely that she's losing the pregnancy. If they're coming into heat about every four weeks, it would mean she'd lose it at a week, and you wouldn't see anything. If it only happened once, some type of "poisoning" could have been the cause, but if it's happened twice, it could be a deficiency in copper or selenium.

I'm at a Panera in Ohio writing this on my home from a conference, so don't have time to look up the stuff I've put on here before about copper, but I think there should be some info in the archives about copper. Hope this gives you some ideas!

Jan said:

Well, now I am more confused!
Iris was way down and off feed on Weds. Sat and Sun is is back up to more than usual. She has become very vocal and very friendly. According to my records I put her in with the buck the first time July 21 and 22. Then again on August 11. I saw her stand on the 11th. Of course she went in again on Sept 6th.
Could she have gotten bred the first time ?
She had a singleton last time but prior to that had had triplets three times. If the first breeding took she is due about the 19th or 20 th of December.
She is my only milker and I intended to milk until 8 weeks prior meaning I would stop on the 1st of December. Now I am wondering...
She kidded May 1st at her old home so I bred her early here. Oh dear, oh dear.

[Jan]

Well, now I am more confused!
Iris was way down and off feed on Weds. Sat and Sun is is back up to more than usual. She has become very vocal and very friendly. According to my records I put her in with the buck the first time July 21 and 22. Then again on August 11. I saw her stand on the 11th. Of course she went in again on Sept 6th.
Could she have gotten bred the first time ?
She had a singleton last time but prior to that had had triplets three times. If the first breeding took she is due about the 19th or 20 th of December.
She is my only milker and I intended to milk until 8 weeks prior meaning I would stop on the 1st of December. Now I am wondering...
She kidded May 1st at her old home so I bred her early here. Oh dear, oh dear.

[Jan]

Thanks...I had forgotten what to look for and in standard sized goats my then hornless buck went in with them for a few days. This mild buck I have now has horns and his former owners engaged in butting with him. I put the doe in with him for a few hours because I can't/won't handle him (husband's strict orders, "this goats are outta here if you handle that boy, he's not safe for you!")

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

She wasn't really in heat three days ago. If the doe doesn't arch her back, the buck didn't actually do anything. Some goats will act like they're in heat two or three days before they really are. Even if a buck breeds her at that time, she won't be pregnant. In fact, if you see a goat acting like she's in heat the day after she's been bred, it's a good idea to put her with the buck again, because they ovulate late in their heat, and you don't know exactly how long the sperm is going to survive.