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Maggie Leman
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Username: maggieleman

Post Number: 830
Registered: 07-2005


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Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 03:22 pm:   

Not much scares me anymore, but I do get surprised alot! I really enjoy this and I am glad I can help. Remember I am just offering my opinion and telling you what works for me. You need to decide if my advice may work for you and not just blindly do what I tell you to do.

I am very glad Gary maintains this site for all of us.
Maggie Leman
Goat 911 Capri Medic
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Cindy Hance
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Username: chance

Post Number: 73
Registered: 10-2005

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Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 02:15 pm:   

Thanks again for all the great info. Called our buyer earlier in the day and told him he'd have to wait and he had no problem with that which means he cares too and that makes me very happy. I almost feel like I know what I'm doing now after all the help I've gotten from you! . This is a wonderfully helpful site and Maggie thank you for all the time you put into this! You are very giving! I'm sure we scare you now and again but THANK YOU!
Cindy
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Maggie Leman
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Username: maggieleman

Post Number: 827
Registered: 07-2005


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Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 01:01 pm:   

I often wean by selling the kid. If they can't hear each other cry they get over it ALOT quicker. The doe may call for the kid at times throughout the next few days, but if she doesn't get an answer she gets over it pretty quick. This is how nature works.

If buck kids aren't sold by 12 weeks old I do separate them. I hate all the screaming and some are much worse than others, so therefore I don't keep many bucks (I have to REALLY REALLY LIKE the little bugger). Doe kids and wether kids are left with their moms. As the kids get older the does feed them less and less and the kid demands feeding less and less too.

I usually breed once a year but I have some does that recover from nursing very quickly (especially those that have single buck or wether kids) and those I breed again if they are in good body condition. So I do have several does that kid 3 times in 2 years or so. I like to breed a doe that is in good body condition but no extra fat so that I am breeding her when she is actually gaining weight and muscle. This is called flushing and increases the chances of multiple fetuses. This doesn't work with does that are already carrying extra fat. On the other hand very thin does often won't conceive at all or will only conceive one. I always try to hedge my chances towards multiple kids. Multiples are smaller at birth, goats are genetically inclined towards multiple births, even wild goats.

I do not run a buck with my does. All of my breedings are pretty much planned and I try very hard to hand breed the doe on the day she is in heat. First I want to be prety darn sure of my breeding date or have a very narrow window. And I have 10 breeding bucks right now! I will often leave a doe with a buck for a week or so, in case she has a 5 day heat. A 5 day heat is a short intense heat cycle that comes about 5 days after the regular heat cycle, and happens when the ovary fails to release an egg (or 2 or 3) on the regular heat. The hormones rebuild very quickly within 4 to 7 days or so and then the eggs are released. These 5 day heats often last for just a few hours, often occur at night. I suspect that alot of does that go a week or so "overdue" really were bred on a 5 day heat....

Some does have the kids pretty much weaned at 4 to 5 months, others will let them nurse once or twice a day for over a year. If you rebreed the doe she will dry up when she is about 2 months pregnant if she hasn't dried up before then (well most of the time she will!).
Maggie Leman
Goat 911 Capri Medic
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Cindy Hance
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Username: chance

Post Number: 71
Registered: 10-2005

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Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 09:23 am:   

Thank you that is very helpful - I guess the buyer is just going to have to wait. Any advice on how long to separate them from mom before taking them off the property altogether and out of sight? Our one mom is just so wonderful with her kids and I'm worried about her. One noise out of them and she comes running and I mean running. She's even there when we give shots cause the one always yells.

Do you only breed once a year? You said you let the mom wean the kids, that must take some time...
I want to make sure I do the right thing the first time and not just what everyone else is doing around us. I love my goats and do all I can for them and want their lives to be as wonderful as God intended. It makes me sad to separate them at all.

Thanks again.
Cindy
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Maggie Leman
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Username: maggieleman

Post Number: 824
Registered: 07-2005


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Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 08:27 am:   

I wean bucks at 12 weeks, no later, but very seldom any sooner. Afer 15 years of doing this I have yet to have an unplanned pregnancy. Does and wethers I don't ever wean I let mom do it. I try not to sell any goat less than 12 weeks old (they just do better) and certainly not less than 8 weeks old. At 8 weeks they are just starting to develop their rumen well and just starting to develop an active working immune system. They are so vulnerable to changes, parasites and disease at 8 weeks. They are much more independent and able to adapt if they are ove 12 weeks old. They do better and grow better with that extta month of mom's milk too.

The 8 week weaning age came about as a dariy goat practice. This was about as young as one could wean with a good chance of success. Dairy goat breeders wanted to wean early to have more milk for themselves and to cut down on the amount of labor feeding bottle kids 2 to 3 times a day.

The longer you can leave meat goats with their mom the faster and better they develop.
Maggie Leman
Goat 911 Capri Medic
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Cindy Hance
New member
Username: chance

Post Number: 70
Registered: 10-2005

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Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 01:13 pm:   

When should we be weaning our boer kids? I heard bucks CAN start breeding as early as 2 months. We are getting ready to wean some that we have sold and I want to make sure it's not too soon...they are a little over 2 months. Please help! New owner would like to pick up end of week - I may put him off another week for separation first from mom before they are gone entirely unless I hear otherwise from experienced breeders... Is this too early?
Cindy

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