The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 08:51:53 am

Title: Still no season
Post by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 08:51:53 am
Should I be worried?  Have I missed it?  :-\
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: jaykay on November 03, 2012, 08:55:38 am
Mine haven't either. And I certainly couldn't miss mine!

Maybe it's the rotten weather or something?
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: ballingall on November 03, 2012, 09:21:11 am
Should I be worried?  Have I missed it?  :-\


It's possible you have missed it, but not definite.


What age is your goat? Did she kid this year? Is this the one who is still suckling kids? Where do you live? Do you leave a light on in your goatshed?


There are loads of factors that can influence them coming into season.


Beth
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: sokel on November 03, 2012, 09:30:44 am
Mine have all been in season and the ones not yet Billied are in season again at the moment.
I was told by someone thats big in the show world that putting them out on a cold frosty morning can bring them into season, not tried it myself but may be worth a try or can you get hold of a billy rag ?
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: goosepimple on November 03, 2012, 09:44:56 am
Mine not in either, but she was very late last year and into the new year - am assuming that if I take her to a billy she may weaken at the knees?  She hasn't seen a male so doesn't know they exist.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: sokel on November 03, 2012, 10:06:05 am
Mine not in either, but she was very late last year and into the new year - am assuming that if I take her to a billy she may weaken at the knees?  She hasn't seen a male so doesn't know they exist.
Snowdrop was evil to william when we first got him and would try and bite him every time she got a chance, when she came into season she jumped over 2 pen fences to get to him  ::) then once she was mated there was no way we could keep her in her pen
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: plumseverywhere on November 03, 2012, 10:42:41 am
Whilst Puffin is screaming the place down, Savannah's seasons are easily missed. Apart from I noticed some obvious 'changes' in her lady area when I went to milk her last week, otherwise I'd have missed hers. Not that we are mating them this year anyway so its all quite relaxed - yay!
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: kja on November 03, 2012, 10:45:13 am
 :wave: do you have a billy on site ? if not you could try a billy rag
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 10:48:16 am
Ashia is wearing a billy collar that the breeder gave me, but other than stinking the place out she looks 'normal'.  She has never had kids but her pal, Simone, has had kids and is 'normal' too :\

They go outside in the paddock every morning; the rest of the time they have a concrete run with a shed in it and they come and go as they please.  Surely they can't BOTH be that quiet?!  Or will the milker not come into season? (she's 2.5)
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 10:49:55 am
Just been to look at her (well, I sent OH) and he said she is a bit swollen "down there" more than Simone anyway.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: kja on November 03, 2012, 11:59:56 am
keep a eye on her.

are you having a vist from a male or is she visiting him ? when shes ready.

Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: jinglejoys on November 03, 2012, 12:18:23 pm
My girls started standing by the gate staring at the boys barn and flagging their tails after that sharp frost last week...always trust a good frost to bring them on! ;D 
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Bumblebear on November 03, 2012, 02:20:27 pm
We're taking her to the billy kja.  I hope  :fc: (meaning I hope she comes in season!)
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 03, 2012, 11:13:41 pm
Pom has only been in season once and that was only a week ago.  We want to mate her this year so, typically, she is due again the weekend we are away.  Cloud, at nearly nine months hasn't shown any signs yet.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: countrywoman on November 04, 2012, 12:24:34 pm
Mine haven't had a clear season yet - but they were the same last year until end of November when both came in loud and clear on the same day!  I'm only planning to mate one this year but she'll probably be the one who isn't obvious...  Don't mind if I have to wait a while as I don't take them to shows so late kids are easier for me, no worries about cold nights etc.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Bumblebear on November 04, 2012, 07:22:34 pm
Well ashia ha started to be a blooming nuisance, just clearing off when before she would follow me and Simone...could it be the start I wonder.....  :fc:
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: wytsend on November 05, 2012, 06:47:28 am
I have just 2 left to cover.....    mine started coming in season in middle of August !!!!!!
Kidding starts 2nd week in January !!!!!!!!!!!!
Probably another mild winter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
Well you can hope !!
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 05, 2012, 10:01:24 pm
It's a nice thought but I've given up expecting decent weather ever.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: goosepimple on November 06, 2012, 01:54:17 pm
 ;D  I liked the 'ever' on that Mad, show's a writer  ;D
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Penninehillbilly on November 06, 2012, 08:14:23 pm
I've seen a billy collar mentioned before, I'm guessing it's one a billy has worn?
 
both my adults have been in season, for various reasons I've missed the chance, I think one of the yearlings has been on, but it was the same day as her mum so can't be sure, they all acted a bit silly. Billyboy is coming back tomorrow so that should help.
Never thought of lights on, I always thought it was temperature based, seasonal light levels seem obvious now you've said it.
I leave a low light on till about midnight (about 6w,other side of barn, would that affect things?) and sometimes main light is left on till about 10pm, after milking. May have a rethink on leaving lights on.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: salopman on November 06, 2012, 10:26:03 pm
I sell lighting for a living and there is hard evidence that Mares come into season in winter months under the influence of long hours of flourescent lighting i think if i remember 16 hours a day of light - if you google horses -lighting-oestrus i think you will find the answers.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Penninehillbilly on November 07, 2012, 01:48:54 am
I would have thought it was reducing daylight that would start the cycle?
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Roxy on November 07, 2012, 11:13:50 am
For some reason, its the same every year here.....the pygmy goats, and the sanaan x start at the beginning of November, but the Anglo Nubians have shown no sign at at all, even when I paraded Darren down the fence line.  Only big one served so far is the British Alpine x British Sanaan (interesting to see what the kids will be like served by Darren!).  There again, we are highup here, and do not want kids too early.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: kja on November 07, 2012, 12:27:07 pm
mums goats are like clock work they come back from the last show of the season mid oct on the monday they start to come in ....................this year they were late they started to come in on the tuesday all mated by the friday.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 07, 2012, 03:06:04 pm
My Curry is a BA x Sanaan.  He's pure white and a lovely looking boy.  Pity we're going to eat him really.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: jaykay on November 07, 2012, 03:20:47 pm
Horses' gestation is nearly a year, so in order for the mares to come into season at the right time for the foals to be born in spring, they would come into season as the days got longer.

Sheep and goats’ gestation is 5 months, so they come into season as the days get shorter.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: wytsend on November 07, 2012, 04:42:22 pm
Goats respond to reducing daylight.........completely the opposite to horses !!!!!!!
So turn the lights off and keep them in for a few days in poorer quality light....... they'll be shouting the place down very soon afterwards !!
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Daisys Mum on November 07, 2012, 06:53:47 pm
After reading all the posts on here, it seems very unlikely that my pygmys are in kid as I bought them in September. I suppose I should have done my research before I bought them :-[ . So when they do start how long have I got to get them to the billy? And if I miss there first season how long till they come in again?
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Brucklay on November 07, 2012, 07:04:44 pm
Daisys Mum - when your pygmy's come into season it can last about 48hrs and the optimum time for the billy is about half way but they may only be in season for 24hrs - our plan was always to take in the afternoon on the day we noticed or the following morning. If you miss the first season the next should be about 3 weeks later but they can be a little irregular to start of with.
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: sokel on November 07, 2012, 07:08:18 pm
After reading all the posts on here, it seems very unlikely that my pygmys are in kid as I bought them in September. I suppose I should have done my research before I bought them :-[ . So when they do start how long have I got to get them to the billy? And if I miss there first season how long till they come in again?
I used to keep Pygmys years ago and they seemed to come into season at various times through the year, 1 gave birth at the begining of november 2 months after I got her.
most goats are only in for 1 day ,i have 1 comes in for 3 days but thats not the norm.
they come in every 3 weeks
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: Daisys Mum on November 14, 2012, 09:45:17 pm
Just learned today that my girls were covered at the beginning of September so looks like I will be a mummy after all  :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:
Title: Re: Still no season
Post by: goosepimple on November 14, 2012, 10:03:10 pm
So glad your goathouse is right next to your house Anne!   :cold: That'll be a happy new year then!