The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Dogwalker on October 28, 2012, 12:11:52 pm
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Do milking goats come in season while still being milked and how is that different from still feeding the kids?
I want to put two of mine back to the buck this year. I'm milking in the morning, the kids are 4 and 5 months old and had been with their mums during the day. I've got a visiting buck here since the beginning of October and thought the smell of him would bring them on. Not much was happening so for three days now I've put the nannies in the field with him in the daytime and just let the kids have a suck before bedtime to ease their udders. One of the local farmers said they won't come on while they're still suckling kids.
Advise please.
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Yes they still come into season even if they are milking, I have actualy put 3 of our milkers back to the billy this week, they where all milking through infact 1 had not kidded for 2 years
As for when they are feeding kids I cant answer that as we hand rear all of our kids
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I think it does delay seasons but it doesn't stop them. That said, even if the billy being around 'starts the cycle', the cycle is 17-18 days long so they may not be interested in the billy until the middle.
I've got mine on the same regime as yours except the kids have just got to their new homes.
My goats are very vocal when in season and would normally have had one by now - and they haven't. I'm hoping they get going soon. That said, I milked Ellie last year and she did eventually come into season but I remember having the conversation with my neighbour about worrying she wouldn't.......
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Yes, 2/3 of my milkers are just coming into season, even when they still are with their kids (6 mths old), at least mine have.
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Both of ours (one feeding her kid, one giving us milk) have come back into season. noisily. Sadly Puffin thinks the rams 2 fields away, but in her eyeline are potential suitors. Its been a long weekend...
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Oh dear :D
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Oh dear :D
Indeed. She is still stood out there now in the freezing cold and rain "Mehhhhhh, mehhhhhhhh, mehhhhh" tail going ten to the dozen. Neighbours are going to be a tad fed up methinks.
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I've warned my new neighbours that they will hear mine all day when it happens, and that nothing is wrong. I think them being half-a-mile away will help though :goat:
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Thank you for all the replies, looks like I'll just have to be patient then.
This time last year I only had a few chickens and had just had my first pork back. Now I've got chickens, ducks, geese, 3milking nannies and their 5 kids, 1 long term visitor nanny, 5 angora nannies and a hired in buck. Two sheep went to the abattoir last Monday and 2 pigs go tomorrow.
It's been a steep learning curve this year and my brain aches!!
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having still got the kids on could delay them coming in heat, if your intending puting them in kid maybe a good time to take them away it will help keep the milkers in condition ready for the new kidding.
there is always the chance of silent heat with goats much harder to detect.
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there is always the chance of silent heat
who has these silent goats then? Not me or Plums by the sound of it :D
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Pom is pretty quiet and lasts for less than 24 hours so is easy to miss. I don't think she's been in this year. Her mum on the other hand, lasted for two days, tried to climb the fence and get through a tiny window appeture while bellowing, "Maaaaaaaaaan, maaaaaaaaan. I want a maaaaaaaaan." all day and most of the night. Just as well the neighbours had their windows shut.
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Last year one was very obvious parading around the field, shouting, flagging her tail and eyeing up the rams next door. One had to be watched very carefully, she's a very reserved young lady, you know.
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Our lot where going mad last week, out of the 7 nannies 5 where in season and the other 2 are in at the moment . They start shouting at first light and dont shut up untill well after dark then when the dogs go outside the floodlights come on and they start shouting again.
I think its worse this year because we have the billy here :-\
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there is always the chance of silent heat
who has these silent goats then? Not me or Plums by the sound of it :D
not all goats show the typical signs some have silent heats which prove tricky to catch unless you run the male with the female.
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I know :) I just have two very loud hussies so the idea of goats who don't make such a noisy fuss is quite a pleasant one :goat: though since I have to throw them into the car and scoot over an hour away to a friend's billy, it is qutie helpful :thumbsup:
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Savannah is fairly quiet but does try to ride round on poor Reggie's back. I put this down to her having never been mated and Puffin's desperate shouting because she HAS been mated and had a kid but I could be wrong.
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I think it's just individual, Rowan shouted as loudly as Ellie last year and she hadn't been mated til then.
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Savannah is fairly quiet but does try to ride round on poor Reggie's back. I put this down to her having never been mated and Puffin's desperate shouting because she HAS been mated and had a kid but I could be wrong.
Hmm that theory isnt the same for my lot. Bluebell has never had kids or even seen kids since she was born and she is the noisiest hussy I have ever heard in my goatkeeping time. The first time we heard her from the kitchen with all of the windows and door closed. It was so ear piercing we ran down to the shed thinking one of the goats where in trouble :o
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Does blow my theory out of the water ;D how many days on average do these seasons last? I've forgotten and not been that bothered before but with noisy girl this year, Its more important to know :)
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My two only really last a day. I have to take them the same evening they start shouting.
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Mine vary
Cherry is always in for 3 days. Amber is 2 days and the others around 24 hrs
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A neighbour with sheep was surprised goats came on heat while still suckling, so maybe it's sheep thing not to come on heat with lambs still on?
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Your probably right, they all know sheep and cattle but nothing about goats.
Last year I kept getting asked when my goats were lambing / calving. ::)
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In most mammals, including us, feeding babirs reduces fertility. It's just not foolproof and as the babies begin to wean, so the cycles begin again, depending, in most mammals, on the season too.
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I suppose improved breeding of goats to increase milk had overridden natures cycle.
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Yes, I think it will have selected for ones that will keep milking for longer and still come into season.
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Pom finally came into season over the weekend while we were away but my goat-sitter noted it. Now I can plan to take her to the billy next time.