[langdon]

Thank's for reply's they were great
we just talking about yhe other option of buying the semen, but again as we are only new to  keeping what is
your opinion on this again any advice we will appreciate

[ballingall]

You will need someone to inseminate the goats for you. There are people who can do it, and have the necessary equipment, through most goat clubs. If you knew how to do it yourself, and had the equipment, you could do it yourself on your own goats, but I imagine you haven't done that yet.

Where abouts are you located Langdon? There should be a goat club not too far away which is always useful for contacts. I haven't used AI myself, but my mother does know how to do it, and I know people who have successfully AI'd their goats. I have a friend in Dumfries who would come and inseminate my goats if I wanted her too. There's not a really true figure of how successful AI is in goats, mainly because relatively small numbers of goats are AI'd.

Its not that expensive (I think) to buy some semen, but then you ahve to pay to get the straw up to you, and pay your inseminator's costs, including travel expenses to you. Whether thats cheaper than going out to visit a male is debatable- could depend on the stud fee's, how far away they are, and how much your CAE test will cost you.


Beth