Author Topic: Goats' - Freshening  (Read 22135 times)

pamaples

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Goats' - Freshening
« on: June 23, 2009, 12:12:50 AM »
Hey, I've read lots of posts and didn't find my answer so, how often does one need to "freshen" a goat? Do they need bred every year? Or every two? I always had cows before, Vaca chiquitas are new to me.

Pam

goat lady

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2009, 12:51:13 AM »
I have had a few goats milk 2 years but their milk production is not much the 2nd year I have found that breeding yearly gives better milk production I  breed a couple late so I have fresh milk for the house through the winter .

FRANCOIS

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2009, 12:54:49 AM »
Once per year, unless you have miniatures.  Breed them on the second cycle with a live buck, wait 4 months and dry off, kid and allow to nurse for 1 month.  this gives you a 10 month lactation cycle which is standard in the US.  Some goats can skip a cycle but it's generally not the best milk for cheese making.

pamaples

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2009, 02:44:27 AM »
Thanks! I only have one goat now but am getting another milker in a month. I like the idea of staggered breeding. Uh, Francois, at the risk of sounding ignorant, what is 'second cycle'?

homeacremom

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2009, 05:32:54 PM »
It's fascinating to look at the test results for herds with goats on extended lactations. The milk decreases as the breeding season and winter start and the milk components look like end of lactation numbers. If the does are well cared for they continue to produce steadily. Certain lines can do this easily and others not at all. By spring when they would normally have freshened, production increases and the milk component numbers start looking like early to mid lactation milk.


FRANCOIS

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2009, 08:01:08 PM »
Estrus cycle.  Mine would come into heat August/September and I'd log it then get them the next month (usually 24-28 days after).  That way everyone was bred early and I could get everyone kidded allat once, out of the way and milking in the Spring. 

Ariel301

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2009, 12:29:27 AM »
Quote
I like the idea of staggered breeding

Can that be done in dairy goats? I thought they only went into heat in the fall.

pamaples

  • Guest
Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2009, 01:33:56 AM »
Ya know, I don't really know. Goat lady says she breeds a few of hers late in order to have milk all year. I like that idea.

I bought three meat goats in the spring and had no notion of milking until later in the fall when someone suggested I try it. So I did. My girls showed no sigh of estrus whatsoever even with a buck very close next door. I put the neighbors buck in there with them, and it took them about a 10 days to start showing signs of being interested in each other. After he lost interest a couple of weeks later I sent him home and we had 4 kids in the spring. My point is Maybe they only need to smell the buck to start into estrus, I don't know. It seemed that way. Could have been just good timing though?

H.A.M. that is very interestion.

Ariel301

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2009, 02:32:39 AM »
Interesting. We will see if ours start to come into heat with the buck living next door to them. We didn't have a buck of our own until this spring when we were gifted with a 12 hour old orphaned Alpine buck. He's a little over two months old now and showing plenty of interest in the ladies, but they don't think much of him yet. It would be great if we could get staggered breedings; I like the idea too.

susanne

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2009, 09:02:15 PM »
depending on breed, goats can be bred year round.
i like to have winter milk and have does due in twoo weeks and again in december. next kidding is planned for february/march.
this works very well here




goatherdess

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2009, 01:52:15 AM »
We are breeding our heaviest goat in Nov. and plan to milk her through Feb. Meanwhile, we have a goat we plan to breed as soon as possible in Sept. so she will give birth in Feb. just as the other is drying off. Hopefully, there will be only a couple of milkless weeks for us this year.

pamaples

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2009, 01:29:26 AM »
HI Susanne, I have come to find out that my particular goats can breed year round. The neighbor's buck got into my pasture earlier this summer and, well, guess what. That's right, all does pregnant here. In fact, I think they will give birth in November or December. That's not very kind weather for little ones, but I will make them a warm place.

Another question, just as dumb as the first one: I have never tasted "goaty tasting" goat milk. My girls give really great tasting milk that, frankly, if I didn't know it was goat milk, I couldn't tell. If I buy a "real" dairy goat, will the milk taste different? stronger? goaty? What they eat probably effects the way the milk tastes. They have access to pasture and I feed alfalfa only, and apples when I have them. They get a ration of 4-way sweet feed when they are being milked. Any dairy goat I buy would be fed the same way.

Thanks, Pam

susanne

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2009, 01:21:08 AM »
pam the only dump question is the one that is not asked ;)
i just had three does that kidded a couple of days ago and one that might go tomorrow or monday.
depending where you are located, winter kids seem to grow much better as there is less parasite problem.
there are some breeds for example the toggenburg, that are bred for the strong tasing milk for cheese making. some prevere this taste.
the nubian milk  from my does doesn't taste goaty either. just sweet and very rich milk.
a lot depends on milking technic and cooling the milk. if you have good tasting milk now, you will have this from your dairy doe too ;)

siegfriedw

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2009, 05:57:23 PM »
I know of some really great dairy lines that have milked thru for 3 years..but you need to have a real good doe for this. Otherwise you risk having one that only milks a quart or two (or less) and have to wait til the following fall to freshen her.

susanne

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Re: Goats' - Freshening
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2009, 09:01:50 PM »
or you have nubian that bred year round. if they don't have enough, theycan still be bred for fall ;)