Breding our Goats - continued

Nettle was in heat last weekend and again went into heat six days latter.  What happened?

Our Goat Herd with their Protector (sleeping)

Goats are seasonal breeders and in our region the breeding season GENERALLY extends from September to February, although exceptions occur.  The duration of estrus (heat) varies from 12 to as long as 48 hours. Within that duration standing heat (the period the doe stands firmly when a buck attempts to mount) lasts approximately 24 hours.  Ovulation usually occurs 12 to 36 hours from the onset of standing heat.

What all of this means is that a goat typically goes into heat just before ovulation, or the release of the eggs from the ovary.  The buck's sperm then fertilizes the egg.  If the egg falls too soon or too late she won't "take".  I noticed that Nettle had some vaginal discharge with a little blood mixed in prior to her going into heat, so my guess is that the eggs dropped early.  In humans, if no conception occurs, the uterine lining as well as blood will be shed. The shedding of an unfertilized egg and the uterine wall is the time of menstruation.

On Friday when Nettle was in standing heat I locked her in the pasture with EV, our Boer buck.  I put Snowshoe (our Nubian buck) and Stewie (our wethered buck that will be butchered next spring) in an adjoining pasture.  When I returned home from the office, Stewie and Snowshoe both broke out and joined Nettle and EV, so if Nettle takes this time the kids will be either full blood Nubian or half Nubian and Boer.  It is also possible to have one of each.  Typically a goat gives birth to two kids, sometimes one and sometimes three, but when multiple kids are born they are not twins, just multiple eggs that have been individually fertilized. Yesterday I fixed the fence but will have to replace that section before next breeding season.