billy goat care

[alohaparenting]

We have our 4 Nubian does, and we just added a beautiful billy goat to our herd. I have three does needing to be settled yet this season. Because I do not know what their heat cycle is, and they are dry. I expected kidding, dried them off, turns out they were not bred- it was goofy-but we are on track trying to make sure they get bred yet this season. So... normally I just wait to see when the girls are 'flagging' or in heat and take them to go visit a billy goat stud. Now that we own one, and it is this late into the season, AND that I don't know when to expect to see the heat signs... I am thinking the billy can just live with the girls. He is a first year billy, but has already settled 6 other does before we purchased him. He gets along fine with my does, they don't bully him and he is not harassing any of them. No flagging(or other heat signs)-- and only a little billy goat blubbering from him to my queen goat when I introduced them.
The cons to just leaving him with the herd ... I will only have a vague window of when to expect my does due with kids.. and... ? if I don't see them do the deed, I will just assume or wonder vs knowing when and where
the pro would be HE will certainly not miss a heat cycle and it is late in the season, I feel like I am running out of heat cycles for the year. No milk to worry about billy goat taste with

thoughts? Do you leave your billy goats in with dry does all needing to be covered? Can I safely assume he will catch the heat cycles without me managing it? Do billies blubber for other reasons other than does in heat- is that what billies just sound like all the time? Prior to owning him, I have only ever seen billies at breeding dates in active rut with standing does ready for them


How late does your Nubian breeding season seem to go?

[christybell]

I thought that Nubians could breed out of season? It's frowned upon in the goat world to run your buck and does together but I know a breeder that does it and still gets accurate kidding dates every year. She said it's obvious as they buck and doe in season will spend several days together in exclusion to others. There are also marking harnesses that probably wouldn't be too difficult to make. I hope my link works!
www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=4&cat_id=2

[dmbenson]

I have neither time nor inclination to 'supervise' my does that closely - I pick a month (usually August for the Nubians and September for the Boers) and run the selected buck with the does for 30 days. That way I'm positive they've been together for at least one heat cycle, and while I don't have a specific 'day' they're due, I do know which month they're due and can bring them in to watch them. Your Nubians 'should' still be having a good heat cycle this month and possibly next month as well. And yes, the buck will be well able to figure out who's in heat, and get them covered - whether or not you ever do!

[AnnB (NE)]

The smell of a buck will bring some does into heat. Within a week of when we brought a buck home 2 years ago, all the does cycled - even the ones that had cycled just days before.

Ann B

[crose]

With some of the does that I have, i too will put in with the buck for 30 days. That doesnt always work. Happened to me this yr & I'm bummed. Anyway, the other does I keep an eye on their hind end, you can usually tell if they were bred by the wetness. But I'll still leave them together for a month to catch their.next cycle if didnt take. I keep track on a calender when i see signs of being bred and start  watching 18 to 21 days later.

[alohaparenting]

Thank you- so far so good, I did notice some blubbering - and I know this buck 'works'
I am going to send in milk pregnancy tests as well - but by then I think it will be past the breeding season anyway - but it will be good to know instead of wondering
Thank you for sharing how it works at your place, I appreciate hearing how others do it - thank you!