Instructions
Evaluate if your doe is breeding quality. This will have to do with her overall conformation, temperament, bloodlines, and show record.
Select a buck to breed with your doe. You always want to try and "breed up." So, select a buck whose temperament and confirmation will complement your doe's best traits and help improve her worst. Take a closer look at the buck's mother (dam) and female relatives to make sure his line has a good udder. The buck should be the same breed as your doe so you can register their kid. Goat shows are a good place to observe possible sires and to talk with other owners about potential bucks.
Decide on a method for breeding your goat. There are two methods commonly used for breeding goats: natural breeding and artificial insemination. Which you choose depends on your budget and location. If you can find a buck near you or own a suitable buck, natural breeding is more reliable and cheaper. Most owners offering outside breeding to their buck will also with offer boarding for does during breeding seasons; for an addition fee of course. They issue the doe's owner a Certificate of Service which allows then register the kid. If you chosen buck that is out of state artificially inseminating your doe with frozen semen is the only choice. However, artificial insemination can be expensive and is less reliable in goats then live cover.
Implement good herd management practices to ensure your doe is fit and healthy before breeding. Make sure all your goats are on a diet of good quality hay and grain, dewormed regularly and trimmed when needed. An all-in-one booster shot, such as Lambiva, should be given two months before breeding.
Watch for signs of heat in your doe. Signs include: tail wagging, bleating for no reason, loss of appetite, restlessness, mounting other goats, letting other goats mount her, a mucous discharge from the vagina, a swollen red rear, excessive fighting and wetness on the underside of her tail. During the breeding season a doe will come into estrus or heat every 18 to 22 days.
Breed your doe early in her estrus or heat cycle for best results as ovulation occurs 12 to 36 hours after the onset of heat.
Prepare a kidding kit once pregnancy is confirmed by your veterinarian. Your kidding kit should include: a bar of soap, clean towels, surgical scissors, a bottle of betadine, antibiotic spray, a syringe, colostrum, paper towels, veterinary lubricant gel, and a bucket for warm water. Gestation in goats lasts approximately 150 days, but it is not uncommon for a doe to kid a week early, so be prepared.
How to Breed a Goat
A lot of factors go into breeding goats and there is no foolproof formula for success. Breeding and raising goats takes time, dedication and knowledge. Whether you decide to breed goats as a business venture or a hobby, it is not something that should be undertaken lightly. For dedicated people willing to put in the time and effort, the experience can be both personally satisfying and economically fruitful. Read on to learn more.