Breeding Season It's that time of year to start preparing our goats for breeding season. We like to start by bathing and body clipping with focus around the tail and back legs. We will also vaccinate and worm them. One of the most important preparations is to vaccinate animals against diseases. Vaccines Clipping, vaccination and getting does ready for breeding season. Establishing a good vaccination schedule is vital to protecting your goats against infectious diseases. When you begin a vaccination program remember many vaccines require an initial dose with a booster 14-21 days later to initiate an adequate immune response. Over time, the vaccines protective antibodies provided by the initial immunizations will start to decline, with annual and bi-annual booster vaccinations will aid in bringing immunity back to adequate levels and help with the potential for illness. What months do goats breed? Most breeding occurs in late summer through early winter (August to January). Goats have an 18-21 day estrus cycle or “season.” The doe's “season” lasts from a few hours to two or three days. The gestation period is 150 days or five months. With full-size goat breeds it’s a general rule to wait and breed does at 8 months (or 80 lbs.) We prefer to wait till around 1 year to 1 1/2 years old before breeding our Does. Also we like to wait till Bucks are a year old before starting to breed, at 6 months of age one buck can breed up to 10 does, and at 1 year can breed up to 30 Does. Do Boer goats breed year round? Boer goats can breed year-round, although they do not breed well during the off-season (April to July). The old saying goes “The shorter the days, the stronger the heats.” A young doeling will begin to come into heat at about 4 months old. A Does average heat cycle is every 21 days, but can range from 18 to 25 days. The doe will remain in heat for up to 36 hours. Most does will tell you when they are in heat. They will stand by the fence nearest to the buck, flag their tails, stare at him, and call out. However every doe can act different, some can also have a large amount of vaginal discharge when they are in heat, some will butt heads and mount other Does. Many times it’s the doe that is being mounted by the other does that is the one in heat, not the one doing the mounting as one would think. If you think a Doe is in heat you can push down on her butt just above the tail head, and she stands still or even flags or wags her tail, you know there is a good chance she is in heat. This is called oddly enough a “Standing heat”. Usually a Doe that is not in heat will tuck her hips under and walk off, many times does will not show any signs they are in heat, and the only way to catch them is to put them in with the buck and let him figure it out on his own. When to Breed? “When do we breed our does?” You should really ask yourself when do you want to kid? I know, you just want to breed your does, but remember knowing when your Does are going to kid will help you with making a marketing plan. When to kid is a more complicated question than most people realize. The gestation period for a goat is 145 to 155 days, so figure 150 days, or 5 months. There are a few things to keep in mind when setting a planned time:
How to Manage Breeding For our Market goats we like to use the Pasture breeding method. This is probably the most common way to get the job done in a meat herd. To pasture breed you put the buck out with the does during the month that you want them bred, and expect that he will get the job done and he generally does. However, unless you put a marking harness on him you will not know when, or if, your does are bred for sure. A Marking harness is a nylon or leather harness that has a place for crayon block that goes between the buck’s front legs and chest area so when he mounts a doe it will leave a mark on her back or butt. Sometimes with younger bucks in a pasture breeding situation will expend all his attention on one doe by breeding her over and over. Then, when another doe comes into heat, he doesn’t have anything left for her. That is why it is a good idea to leave your does in with a buck for at least 40 days, that’s long enough for at least two heat cycles and this gives the buck another shot if he missed one the first time around. The other method we use for our Show or Wether does that need to Kidd at a specific time, is what we call “Planned breeding”. Planned breeding is where you keep a Doe or a few does that you know will come into heat the same time by keeping record of observed heats or have used a CIDR (CIDR is a temporary implant that will bring a Doe into heat) with a Buck in a smaller area so that they can be observed closer than in an open pasture breeding situation. Getting ready for Kidding, and thereafter Prepare for the arrival of a large number of kids well before the time. Shelter is important during the kidding season and nutritious feed or grazing should be supplied. Around five to seven days before kidding, put pregnant does into smaller grazing pens nearer to the homestead. When a doe has kidded, place her in a kidding pen for three to five days to bond with her kid and start feeding it quickly. The kid should ingest colostrum within an hour after birth to ensure survival and growth. Keeping doe and kids in a individual pen will give the kids time to grow stronger. If a doe kids with difficulty, the kid is yellow and weighs less than around 4 lbs. her milk production is low, her kid mortality is high and her colostrum is thick and sticky, the doe has a through-flow protein problem. After they have bonded for three to five days in a kidding pen, move the doe and kid to a small pen. Our Family enjoying the goat'sSome Additional Post You Might Find Helpful: Don't miss a thing! Sign up to get updates delivered right to your inbox.
Blessings, Margarita & Stace
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Growing up on a farm shaped me into who I am. If someone were to ask me what experience has shaped my life and personality the most, I would say, without hesitation, growing up on a farm. It was not always as blissful and beautiful as people might picture. But it was emotional and educational, and made me who I am today. I loved it! I was able to work alongside family, watching the sunrise and sunsets, being surrounded by animals, Mother Nature and all of God's creations...nothing can beat the memories of your upbringing. I learned responsibility at a young age. Animals depended on you to feed them, and I understood the importance of my daily chores. No farm kid grows up without learning responsibility. I developed a strong work ethic. From working the livestock to building fence, to cleaning the horse stall and gathering the eggs from the chicken coop each morning. Every farm kid knows not to ask Mom or Dad if you can go hang out with friends until the chores are done for the day. Probably my least favorite rule growing up was that we had to have all tasks taken care of before we left to go over to a friends or a movie. I also knew that I had to be home in plenty of time to get a good night's sleep to start all over again in the morning. Even if I didn't make my curfew I still had to get up at the crack of dawn. I could outwork most of my peers. And of course if someone told me I couldn't do something...that made me even more determined to prove them wrong. (I'm still that way). There are certain things you learn at a very early age not to do around livestock, or you will get in serious trouble and a cussing. No running, jumping, or fast movement around the livestock. There are other things you are expected to know, you treat your livestock like they're your babies and your horses even better. Never get between a mama cow and her baby calf, and never get behind a bull "they kick". Never yell when working with livestock, and most of all never leave the gate open. Know how to read your livestock when pregnant. Know how to pull a baby blindfolded. Know where all flashlights and batteries are for the same event. Learn to drive at a early age and pull a trailer… I learned how to drive a truck and tractor and ride a horse at an early age. I also learned to pull a 24-foot gooseneck stock trailer, and learn to back it up. Know what a “wedge” is and where to find one. Never choke down a truck, tractor or anything else. Don't get anything stuck in the mud. You should know how deep it is before you cross it. It's never fun to tell you are stuck. Know how to pick out a socket wrench, an open-ended wrench, an adjustable wrench, a washer, and “this size bolt” from a five-gallon bucket of rusty tools at any time. Always have lots of duct tape and WD-40 on hand. Be ready to fix the fence at any time. Don't have a smart mouth. I learned to understand life and death. You’ve seen the births of animals and developed an understanding of the circle of life at a young age. If you didn’t plan on keeping the animal don’t name it. I’m not afraid of a little dirt. Always wear work clothes on the farm and not your Sunday go to meeting clothes. I shared my family’s passion for country living and farming /ranching. Everyone in the family was expected to help and know each of their responsibilities. Also be ready for your chores to change because the animals may have a different idea of what the chores will be that day. I loved listening to my parents and grandparents stories about the farm back in the old days and seeing their faces light up. Family stories are part of your heritage. They have so much to teach us if we would just listen. Patience is a necessity; “Good things come to those who wait” must have first been said by a farmer. In other professions there are deadlines, goal-setting, and board meetings. In farming only hard work, time, and patience can better your farm. There are times it can be frustrating when a piece of equipment isn’t working correctly or a cow or goat just won’t cooperate. Or you miss out on social time to help on the farm, but it is usually worth it. Hard work goes a long way and we get to see the reward once our goals are achieved We cannot force everything, sometimes it just takes time and love to figure out the problem. When I was a little kid I always had so much respect for my dad when something went wrong. He remained calm and handled the problem at hand. I try to follow his example by not stressing and by remaining calm. You know the older I get I have to step back and tell myself to let it go... Respect will be second nature. When children are raised on a farm, they will learn to have respect for Mother Nature, family, and God. Mother Nature cannot be tamed or coaxed into a sunny day. If she wants to let it rain and flood everything, she will. The only thing you can do is pray for is a break in the weather so you can fix what is broken and hope for a better season. The weather is one of the biggest factors for the end result for farmers and ranchers. Respect for others becomes a cornerstone into who we are. Moms teach their children to not only respect others, but to walk a mile in their boots, and not to judge those who grew up differently than you. I am carrying on the love for agriculture with my husband Stace today. We have a deep love for the land and connection to nature. Our children know the farm life and come back home when they can to help out. You know that's love! We go to bed early so we are able to rise and shine in the morning. One thing about growing up around the farm, I learned the meaning of love. It takes a certain love to wake up every morning to go feed livestock in freezing weather. The same type of love that pulls you out of bed at 2 a.m. to go repair a fence when one of the animals broke through. This love grows even more every time a farmer makes a sacrifice to go out and work on behalf of his family. A farmer knows that every action has a consequence and product. Without choosing to do things that aren’t always easy or comfortable, farmers show a great gift of love and opportunity to provide for their family. Work, work, work, all day long. Although it’s not a lifestyle for everyone, I wouldn’t change my childhood or my life now for the world. Growing up on a farm instills qualities that cannot be learned in a different setting. You are a part of the land you work. Pray a lot and go to church because you are at the mercy of the good Lord. Respect God's creation because you have never been so close to it as you are on a farm. Some Additional Post You Might Find Helpful: Don't miss a thing! Sign up to get updates delivered right to your inbox.
Blessings, Margarita & Stace |
AuthorI'm Margarita. A Christian, Wife, mother of three, & grandmother "Mimi" of three. I create blog post about our life on the farm. Archives
April 2024
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The Goat Management Binder
$15.00
The Goat Management Binder This binder will help you keep your goats health records organized and more. Remembering all the identifications and medical records for each goat is difficult so I quickly learned that I needed to write down our goat herd information. We created all the pages for our goat heard. This system works for us. I think our Goat Management Bind will help you with your recordkeeping. This eBook has 24 pages Print our the pages, fill in your goat information and place in a binder of your choice. When all of your goat information is kept in one place it saves time in case of an emergency. Homemaking / Home Management Binder
$15.00
Digital Homemaking / Home Management Binder I'm excited to share with you my Homemaking / Home Management Binder. This is a beautiful simple binder to write your Weekly task for you home. You can use every day over and over. You will get: Faith based / Proverbs 31 Women Weekly Cleaning Schedule Organizing your home Daily Chores Monthly Plan Meal Planner Grocery List Bill Tracker Savings Tracker Vacation Budget 20 pages 8.5"x11" letter size that matches any printer Unlimited prints (personal use) Instant download and get started PDF Printable Enjoy getting organized with our Homemaking / Home Management Binder ** THIS IS A DIGITAL PRODUCT. ** NO PHYSICAL PRODUCT WILL BE SHIPPED. Your files will be available to download once payment is confirmed. * You may print the files as many times as you like for your own personal use. * Sharing this product is not allowed. ** We do not accept returns, exchanges, or cancellations, but please contact me if you have any problems with your order. Instant Download Your files will be available to download once payment is confirmed. Farm/ Livestock Management Binder
$25.00
Farm / Livestock Management Binder In this binder you can log all your livestock needs and help you stay organized with all records. Such as: *Goats *Chickens *Horses *Medications *Purchases of Livestock *Sold Livestock Our Farm / Livestock Management Binder is 24 pages. Print our the pages, fill in your Livestock information and place in a binder of your choice. When all of your Livestock information is kept in one place it saves time in case of an emergency. Gardening In the South
$20.00
Gardening In the South E-Book Learn about Gardening in South Texas Zone 8 In our e-book we cover Fruit trees, Perennials & Pollinator, Garden checklist, What months to plant. Your files will be available to download once payment is confirmed. I don't accept returns, exchanges, or cancellations. But please contact me if you have any problems with your order. Thank you for shopping with us! Margarita Common Goat Medications
$20.00
Common Goat Medications We give you goat medications that we use for our goats. Included: Common Goat Medications & Easy to Understand Dosages General Information on Injection Wormers Antibiotics Anti-Inflammatories & Hormones' Injectable Vitamins and Minerals Oral Treatments You will get: 13 pages - eBook Unlimited prints (personal use) Instant download and get started PDF Printable ** THIS IS A DIGITAL PRODUCT. ** NO PHYSICAL PRODUCT WILL BE SHIPPED. Your files will be available to download once payment is confirmed. * You may print the files as many times as you like for your own personal use. * Sharing this product is not allowed. ** We do not accept returns, exchanges, or cancellations, but please contact me if you have any problems with your order. Instant Download Your files will be available to download once payment is confirmed. Thank you for shopping with us. Crochet Cup Sleeve Cozy
$6.00
Only a few left! Pretty cup cozy for both hot and iced beverage cups. It will slide up over a standard size non handle travel cups or store-bought coffee cups. They are great at protecting hands from the heat and cold of the travel mug/cup. *100% cotton yarn. * Colors may vary due to stock so message me if you prefer something specific. *Machine washable and dryer safe on low heat. *All Cozy’s make a great gift for literally anyone! *If you don’t see one you love don’t hesitate to message me! I love creating new products. Thank you for visiting our store. Handmade Goat Milk & Honey Soap
$7.00
Handmade Goat Milk & Honey Soap 4 oz. bar. Benefits from goat milk & honey - it's moisturizing, clarifying, and naturally antibacterial. Goat milk & Honey Soap has always been a favorite, it smells divine, and there are loads of skin benefits. Goat milk & Honey Soap hydrates and nourishes dry skin. It doesn't leave your skin feeling dry. Ingredients: Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauretha Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Goat Milk, Honey Titanium Dioxide. Due to the handmade nature of our soaps and fragrance oil added, all bars vary in color. |
Handcrafted items made with love.
Farm / Homesteading eBooks Faith eBooks Notary Public Service Goats when available |
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Tailspin Farms
2273 FM 1681 Stockdale, Texas 78160 |
210-771-7205
Email - mcgoats@tspinfarms.com |