Questions about my ND Goats!

Hacienda Rujoma

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Good morning! My first post with you!
please let me know your suggestions and info. Thank you.

I am reading about breeding my goats and have some questions that are not completely answered.

“If she is currently milking, you will need to dry her off at least 2 months before kidding, if not more.”

Does this mean that even though the kids are weaned and removed from the area of the does, it is possible to continue milking the does?

And that I should wait two months before breeding again?

Or that the doe can be continued to be milked even while pregnant and I should stop milking two months before the kids are due to dry her milk?

I’ve kept my buck together with my does after they are pregnant and he was sweet and nice with everyone. Why should he be separated from the herd?

I understand that he should be separated from the does close to kidding time but all the time? Why?

Herds of goats in the wild are not separated. Even the kids stay in the herd until the young bucks are driven away by the alpha buck.

It’s been more than 3 months since the kids were born. They were almost weaned immediately by their moms and the kids were rehomed to good owners more than a month ago. I did wait two months before rehoming the kids. I stopped milking the does about two months ago. During that period I have kept the does and kids separate from the buck since kidding. Can I put them together now?

Hansel, the buck, has been separated now from his does since September when the kids were born. Goats are herd animals and I know he is not happy being alone. Psychologically it has to be affecting him. Every time I feed him, I can see he is not happy and he keeps ramming the iron fence.

I like to keep my animals happy and allow them to do what comes naturally in their breed. I keep other animals, chickens, turkeys and geese and they all free range all day, seem happy and do what’s natural for them. How can I achieve that point with my Nigerian dwarf goats?

Thank you for your help. All input is welcome. I’ve read so much about goats that I am confused. I love my pets, they get regular vet check ups and I want them to thrive in all ways!
 

messybun

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Hello there!!!! Okay, to start, welcome. Yes, you can milk a goat without her babies being present. It’s called the “milk through” goats like Lamanchas can easily milk for about two years without having to be rebred. Nigerian dwarfs, not so long. NDs will naturally dry up much sooner.
There are a lot of oppinions when it comes to drying off, a common one is to milk through the first part of the pregnancy and for the last two months let her dry off. Personally, I think that’s a bit much on a goats’ system, and that they should have more resting time. It totally depends on your needs.
There are a few reasons to keep bucks separate. They will breed a doe very soon after the baby drops, which will over tax her system a lot. Bucks will breed their daughters, or any young doe in the herd, very early. In nature goats are seasonal breeders, they go into heat and can only be bred at certain times of the year. We have domesticated some breeds to be round the year breeders. It is more convenient for us, but in nature those goats get killed. Often because a doe will be pregnant before she’s full grown and frequently die in labor because they aren’t big enough. The few that survive are often stunted and can’t produce great babies. Bucks can also be aggressive and kill the babies, but it doesn’t sound like you have that problem.
Another reason you keep a buck separate from milk goats is because they smell so bad it will taint the taste of the milk(serious stank!) and you don’t want Bucky milk!
The last reason for separation is so you can schedule breeding, which means you know about when the babes will be born; like not dead of winter lol.
Having a buck is kind of tricky, other people on here have way more experience than I do with it!
I might suggest thinking about a whether to be his friend? I’m not sure though. You are totally right that goats shouldn’t be alone, and you don’t want to ruin a sweetheart. Hopefully you can get some good ideas on here, but let me just say, trust your instincts. They seem pretty good, and you’ll learn as you go.
 

Mini Horses

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There's good info for how and why to separate your buck. You don't want the doe kids bred too young and even another buck kid will do that if kept together too long. Most of us keep a couple bucks together or with a wether buddy for company...or with other animals.

A goat can be milked even when they have kids. While there is a max that a doe can/ will produce, they will get to and hold the higher amount primarily on a need basis. Those who only nurse kids, left with them until they wean, will lessen amount produced as nursed less and less. Dairies normally take kids at birth and bottle feed to allow them to milk the mother longer and get more milk. It takes far more food to support lactation than a fetus. Most often, the doe is milked for first half of pregnancy and dried to give her less pull on her body resources during last half, when fetus does most growing. No baby, no milk. That's why they are rebred. Most lactations are about 10 months. Production is heavy, levels, then lowers more and more. It varies from breed and animal to animal. Some of the larger dairy breeds are known to be able to " milk thru" the annual breeding and keep a decent production, staying in lactation for 18-24 months. So they are not bred each year. This is great for farms who just don't want as many kids, don't keep a buck, etc.

If you want milk year round, stagger the doe breeding times so they kid a few months apart to keep one in milk when another has been dried off. I keep Saanens and they are very good for long lactations plus high yield. Some separate kids from does
overnight after a couple weeks old, milking some of the fill in the morning before putting them together again. It often depends on what an owner wants as to the amount of milk.

What's confusing is that there are so many options. You need to decide what you want to have, want to do with them, then work to that. Definate is limiting the breeding of too young does...castrate all young males is an option. I often put all weaning bucklings in a pen with dad.....he has daddy duty!
 

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