Spring breeding

I have had terrible luck getting my goats bred in spring. In fact, one year I decided I was going to do 50/50 in fall and spring, and I wound up with half of my does not getting pregnant! And I had put them in a pen with a buck!

I did a survey of ND breeders, and the farther north they lived, the less likely they were to have does going into heat in spring. Keep in mind that Nigerian goats are from the equator where there are no seasons.

When I visited a goat dairy in Hawaii a few years ago I learned that they have Swiss breeds, and they come into heat off-season. I think it really has to do with where the goats live and if you have seasonal changes in the amount of sunlight. I have had NDs for almost 20 years in Illinois, and years ago I did have some does coming into heat off-season, but with successive generations born here, it's not happening. We have days and nights that swing about 65% to 35% daylight versus darkness from June to December. The closer you are to 50/50 night and dark, the less likely you'll see seasonal breeding.

Replies

Deborah Niemann-Boehle October 3, 2021 at 7:09pm

I have had terrible luck getting my goats bred in spring. In fact, one year I decided I was going to do 50/50 in fall and spring, and I wound up with half of my does not getting pregnant! And I had put them in a pen with a buck!

I did a survey of ND breeders, and the farther north they lived, the less likely they were to have does going into heat in spring. Keep in mind that Nigerian goats are from the equator where there are no seasons.

When I visited a goat dairy in Hawaii a few years ago I learned that they have Swiss breeds, and they come into heat off-season. I think it really has to do with where the goats live and if you have seasonal changes in the amount of sunlight. I have had NDs for almost 20 years in Illinois, and years ago I did have some does coming into heat off-season, but with successive generations born here, it's not happening. We have days and nights that swing about 65% to 35% daylight versus darkness from June to December. The closer you are to 50/50 night and dark, the less likely you'll see seasonal breeding.
Francesco October 1, 2021 at 9:28am

I’m located in Bolsena, in central Italy. Very mild climate.
Tammy Gallagher September 24, 2021 at 8:18am

I should have also mentioned that I also don’t want my does laboring in hot weather and kidding during peak fly season.
Tammy Gallagher September 24, 2021 at 8:16am

Where are you located? I don’t personally breed my goats that late because of higher parasite loads on the ground during that time of year here in Texas. We breed to kid when temps are generally low for that reason.

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