Sweetie and Celeste are sisters, two of triplets, born April 6th of this year. They are very healthy, with a bit of extra weight if anything, as they have been with their mom during the day till just two days ago when I had to separate them in order to pen breed the moms.
In the past few weeks, each has come into heat for the first time. Celeste weighs about 48 pounds. We didn't weigh Sweetie, but she appears to be just a bit smaller.
I'd like to breed them, because if they are going to have nice udders and teats, and give as much milk as their mother, I will be able to sell their mother, who is my largest ND and just a bit too much for me. I don't want to breed them if it will affect their long-term well being, as of course they have more growing to do yet. However, I'm looking at them and thinking that fetuses would not be demanding too much of them for about three months after they get bred, by when they will apparently have grown quite a bit more....
I need to decide soon, so will much appreciate hearing others' experience in similar situations.
BTW, they are the blonde girls in the photo on my page here. Photo taken Aug. 15th.
Thanks,
Shivani in Westby, WI
Replies
Julia - I realize you are talking about weight and age. I just didn't clarify that in my opinion. I have decided on a year and over to breed after talking to several other breeders and two different vets. I can see the difference in my does that kidded at a year and a half to two years of age. They looked great after kidding, good milk production and healthy babies. Babies having babies is too scary for my liking. I think a yearling is still a baby -
Today we weighed both the doelings. One weighs 46 pounds, the other weighs 50. They are eight months old now, and will be nine months old before the only buck I am aware of being able to borrow is free to travel. They were still spending days with their mom, nursing, till last week.
To be clear we are talking about age AND weight, not just weight. Over 7 months AND over 40#. They then freshen at one year old or over. Many kids at 7 or 8 months are not even close to 40# unless they have been dam raised until the dam stops nursing them. These kids just seem to be more mature.
I am going to offer another opinion on breeding. I have had goats for many years and usually wait till they are over a year before I consider breeding. I am fairly new to Nigerians but had nubians for many years. Seeing that so many people say 40# - I have questioned two different vets on their opinion. Both people I respect. They remind me that the reproductive body parts are not fully developed and yes they can be bred but -- the chance of problems that can effect the doe are much greater and as my vet I use now put it - for what purpose? For a little extra milk - the sale of a couple of kids. I have also run into several breeders that have changed their mind on the weight thing also. I guess all these things are each persons personal opinion but I like to think that a professional like the vet I use has more knowledge than me. And he has seen the problems. My first vet was raised on a goat dairy in the midwest - very full of first hand knowledge. He felt very strongly about age - over weight. Hopefully this doesn't offend anyone who uses the weight as a guide - it certainly isn't meant to. It is just another opinion.
If you go to this site, look for the login at the top on the right. Mine keeps me logged in after I have logged in once. You should have a user name and password you put in when you signed up.
Also there are some facebook groups for Nigerian Dwarfs and if you post your location and that you're looking for a buck to breed, you might get lucky and someone will have one to offer.
Thanks for responding, Julia.
OK! I am going to breed them if I can find a registered buck close enough so we can go "rent" him. The one that was available to us suddenly died on Thanksgiving, not too long after have gotten a foot stuck in a fence. They had released him from the fence and thought he was fine, but found him dead. Pretty sad.
If there is anyone in SW Wisconsin, or near Wisconsin in Minnesota, with a buck to go, please get in touch.
BTW, I just joined this group, was able to post this question about breeding, and received Julia's reply by e-mail, but clicking on the link in that e-mail is now the only way I can get into the site. If I try to go there directly, I'm told it's only for members. ???? What to do?
Shivani
Personally, I follow Deborah Niemann's advice (author of the book on the right) and breed my girls when they are at least 7 months old AND at least 40 lbs. So your girls are old enough and big enough to breed. I had two first fresheners this year who did great with their first kids -- although one was barely 39 pounds at 8 months and the other was 45 pounds at 7 months and had triplets. They both did great. If they have been raised by their dams they tend to get big and healthy early compared to those who were not. I have one doeling this year who is 50 lbs at 7 months--too much of a good thing I think! Now I'm trying to get her bred but she is a little chunky ;)