What We Learned Breeding Our Goats | Stud Service | Sending Our Borrowed Buck Home Hurt

In this video we will explain all the things we learned during our first breeding season with our dairy goats. Breeding dairy goats is very important to continue getting milk. We decided to use stud service and pay the farm where we bought our dairy goats. We learned a lot about the behaviors of does and bucks during breeding season.

Lamancha goats usually go into heat during the months of August through December. Nigerian Dwarfs actually can go into heat year around and are considered seasonal breeders. Goats have estrous cycles that usually last anywhere from 17-24 days. Goats are usually in standing heat for 12-36 hours.

Things to look for when trying to pinpoint when your doe is in heat are swollen lady parts, discharge, change of behavior, or being louder than normal. If you have a buck on your farm, the buck will be extremely interested in the doe, making blubbering noises, sticking tongue out, following and trying to mount the doe when she is in heat. If the doe is not in standing heat then she will usually run away or even become aggressive toward the buck. When the goat is in "standing heat," then she will become interested in the buck and stand allowing the buck to mount her.

Thankfully, the farm we bought our does from offers stud service. Our goat breeder allowed us to pay and keep a pure bred Nigerian buck at our home for a full month in hopes to breed all 3 dairy goats that we have. The Nigerian Dwarf buck bred with our two pure bred LaMancha goats so that their babies are called mini Mancha. Mini Manchas are known for their docile temperament, elf or gopher ears and consistent production of high butterfat in their milk. Mini Manchas will be a smaller breed compared to Lamancha.

Because we have a small .5 acre homestead, we have decided to not own a buck right now because of the lack of space. Another reason we do not own bucks is because they require a lot of extra care especially during breeding season. They also need to be separated from the does majority of the year and would require more land than we currently have.

Most bucks are interested in breeding year long but does can only become pregnant if they are in standing heat. The lack of sunlight in the fall is usually what triggers seasonal breeding goats to go into heat.
During the month of breeding that we paid for stud service, unfortunately the buck we borrowed for stud service got hoof scald while he was at our homestead. Hoof scald happens a lot with goats and sheep that are out in grazed pasture when weather conditions get cold and wet. A buck in rut will pee on himself a lot to attract the does. The extra moisture mixed with bacteria that is found in contaminated soil can cause an infection between the toes. Hoof scald or hoof rot happens when the bacteria and moisture between the toes get irritated and gains entry to infection. Usually the skin between the toes is hard but with hoof scald and hoof rot it looks like soft white or pink skin. When infection happens, it is usually treated by a solution of zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, or a 7% iodine solution directly on feet.