I have been trying to keep track of the heat cycles in my 2 does.I read that they will cycle every 18-21 days.How do you count that time? When is a heat over and when does it begin?I have one does that very obviously was in heat today.She had discharge and was calling alot.Seems like it was just 15 days since last heat.I want to get feel for this so I can be somewhat prepared for breeding in April.
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I thought this was the way to go also, but if the doe is calling, acting unsettled, mucous, if she stands for the buck that's bout it. We stood and waited (I had a service buck) and talked and in the interum they did the dance (so to speak ^^) 4 times. We called it good and the buck went home. We waited until they seemed to have lost interest. Then, both does, one at 5 days and one at 7 showed all the signs of heat again. The owner brought the buck over again, they bred and now one is due early March. The other I am hopeful, dont know yet. So, you may not really need to keep the buck around. I did that the first time and dont think it was really necessary.
salviadorrii said:
Thanks for clarifying the counting.I was trying to figure out when the heat was over and counting from there.By calling the day they come into heat ,day 1 makes my records make much more sense.
Now I do think I had one that had a false heat.She started acting like she was in heat yesterday which would have been day 8.So if that is supposed to be the true heat then I start counting Day 1 again?(You should see my calendar!)
I only have my 2 jr does ,so no buck.I will be able to bring one in for a bit in april when I want to breed so I want to make sure it is here a little before expected heats.And will keep it a little longer.I do not think I will be able to keep for a 2nd heat cycle(as a just in case situation),oh well.
This brings me to another question,while Nigerians are supposed to come into heat all year round I have heard that in the late spring and summer months they have a much shorter heat.Any info to shed on that?
I agree wholeheartedly, I love ALL goats, but I would much rather have that relationship and truly know the goat. But I have seen some mature does that I definitely COULD fall in love with. ^^
salviadorrii said:
I just looked up my latitude.I am at around 37 degrees north.It could very well have something to do with that.Well I will start my prayers to the goat gods that my girls get bred.I got into this for the milk.Probably should have gotten does in milk to begin with.But raising my 2 does has been great.
I just looked up my latitude.I am at around 37 degrees north.It could very well have something to do with that.Well I will start my prayers to the goat gods that my girls get bred.I got into this for the milk.Probably should have gotten does in milk to begin with.But raising my 2 does has been great.
We had several short cycle this past breeding. So what I do now is put them back in with the buck 5 days after they stand for him - if they stand for him then they short cycled - if they don't then they were bred the first time. I had one doe that I decided she just was a floozie - she went in with the buck three or four times and stood for him every time. When she kidded she was 10 days from the date I had written down as 145. Then she acted as if she were a buck in rutt with the other does the day after she kidded. Such a floozie! lol!
this 5 day thing happened to me twice. Doe bred mucous, stood for buck, then 5 days later, same thing. Her sister had the same behavior, calling for buck, some mucous, stood and bred. 7 days later, same scenario, bred her again. I was thrown also, I thought hey, what about the 18 day thing!!
I haven't really noticed that it's shorter, but I have noticed that my goats don't tend to get pregnant very often when I breed them in the spring and early summer. I've never had August or October babies, and I've only had September babies once. I had four that should have kidded last fall. I sometimes wonder if the year-round kidding things works better in the south, since NDs are from Africa. I'm in Illinois, so we have pretty short days in winter.
salviadorrii said:
Thanks for clarifying the counting.I was trying to figure out when the heat was over and counting from there.By calling the day they come into heat ,day 1 makes my records make much more sense.
Now I do think I had one that had a false heat.She started acting like she was in heat yesterday which would have been day 8.So if that is supposed to be the true heat then I start counting Day 1 again?(You should see my calendar!)
I only have my 2 jr does ,so no buck.I will be able to bring one in for a bit in april when I want to breed so I want to make sure it is here a little before expected heats.And will keep it a little longer.I do not think I will be able to keep for a 2nd heat cycle(as a just in case situation),oh well.
This brings me to another question,while Nigerians are supposed to come into heat all year round I have heard that in the late spring and summer months they have a much shorter heat.Any info to shed on that?
Thanks for clarifying the counting.I was trying to figure out when the heat was over and counting from there.By calling the day they come into heat ,day 1 makes my records make much more sense.
Now I do think I had one that had a false heat.She started acting like she was in heat yesterday which would have been day 8.So if that is supposed to be the true heat then I start counting Day 1 again?(You should see my calendar!)
I only have my 2 jr does ,so no buck.I will be able to bring one in for a bit in april when I want to breed so I want to make sure it is here a little before expected heats.And will keep it a little longer.I do not think I will be able to keep for a 2nd heat cycle(as a just in case situation),oh well.
This brings me to another question,while Nigerians are supposed to come into heat all year round I have heard that in the late spring and summer months they have a much shorter heat.Any info to shed on that?
They're only in heat for one day, so that's day 1. If it's 15 days between cycles, then something is not right. Some does will have a false heat and then come into heat a week later. Pay attention and see if she comes back into heat in five to seven days. If so, that is supposedly the real heat. I never had does do this until this year, so I will let you know in a couple months if it's true that the second heat is the real one.
Do you have your own buck? If so, don't worry about getting it right. Just put her with him whenever she appears to be in heat, and write down the dates. If you will have to run her over to another farm for her date, then keep good records of what she does and when, so hopefully by the time you're ready to breed, you'll know for sure what you're looking for.
Replies
salviadorrii said:
salviadorrii said:
salviadorrii said:
Thanks for clarifying the counting.I was trying to figure out when the heat was over and counting from there.By calling the day they come into heat ,day 1 makes my records make much more sense.
Now I do think I had one that had a false heat.She started acting like she was in heat yesterday which would have been day 8.So if that is supposed to be the true heat then I start counting Day 1 again?(You should see my calendar!)
I only have my 2 jr does ,so no buck.I will be able to bring one in for a bit in april when I want to breed so I want to make sure it is here a little before expected heats.And will keep it a little longer.I do not think I will be able to keep for a 2nd heat cycle(as a just in case situation),oh well.
This brings me to another question,while Nigerians are supposed to come into heat all year round I have heard that in the late spring and summer months they have a much shorter heat.Any info to shed on that?
They're only in heat for one day, so that's day 1. If it's 15 days between cycles, then something is not right. Some does will have a false heat and then come into heat a week later. Pay attention and see if she comes back into heat in five to seven days. If so, that is supposedly the real heat. I never had does do this until this year, so I will let you know in a couple months if it's true that the second heat is the real one.
Do you have your own buck? If so, don't worry about getting it right. Just put her with him whenever she appears to be in heat, and write down the dates. If you will have to run her over to another farm for her date, then keep good records of what she does and when, so hopefully by the time you're ready to breed, you'll know for sure what you're looking for.