Raising successful breeding goats requires the breeder to master important techniques such as observing signs of heat and choosing the right time to inseminate
Many people ask when do female goats are in heat? How to see external signs that female goats are ready for mating. To successfully raise breeding goats, breeders must master the techniques. How to recognize goats in heat and the appropriate time to choose mating for the best breeding results?
On average, goats raised to 6 – 8 months old, depending on the breed, will breed for the first time, skipping the first 1 – 2 heats before mating. It is necessary to correctly recognize the signs when the goat is in heat to mate at the right time.
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Signs of heat in goats: They lose their appetite, sometimes stop eating, are restless, agitated, wag their tails, urinate a lot, bleat to find a male, flirt, disturb. If they are producing milk, it will decrease or jump on the back of another goat, then stand still for the other goat to jump on, the vulva is swollen, red, and mucus flows out, etc. This is the most suitable time for mating.
The estrus cycle of goats varies from 18 – 24 days, average 19 – 21 days.
Estrus lasts 1 – 3 days.
Appropriate mating time: Mating before 12 hours is too early, mating after 36 hours is too late, the most appropriate mating time is from 18 – 36 hours from the start of estrus, when the female goat stands still for another goat to jump on (lethargic stage), the vulva is swollen, red, and mucus flows out, etc. Therefore, the goat should be mated twice a day in estrus, if estrus is detected in the morning, mate in the afternoon and vice versa.
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In addition to selecting and pairing suitable mating pairs and avoiding inbreeding, mating goats at the right time is extremely important. To detect estrus and determine the appropriate mating time, people often use male test subjects for testing. Male test subjects can have their penis surgically pulled to one side or simply have their penis wrapped in a cloth tied to their abdomen. At the same time, there must be a breeding record book to record the mating date, mating results and expected birth date to help deliver the goats, etc.
For goats, after about 1 month of giving birth, they will be in heat again, but they should not be mated early. They should only be mated again 1.5 – 2 months after giving birth, when the reproductive organs have completely recovered. If there is a retained placenta, genital tract infection, etc. then you must wait until the next cycle, after the disease has been cured.
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As for male goats, after 3 months they must be raised separately and only allowed to mate when they are 11 – 12 months old and have reached the specified weight of the breed; absolutely do not keep male goats in herds of pregnant goats and milking goats, as this will both create more pungency and avoid the bad smell of the male goat being absorbed into the milk and the female goats will be less likely to miscarry, etc. For natural mating, the appropriate male/female ratio is usually 1/20 – 30. When the ability to conceive is below 60% and over 6 years old, the male goat should be eliminated. Absolutely do not allow male goats to mate with female goats that are siblings or descendants of that male goat, etc.
A female goat is pregnant when there is no sign of heat after 17 – 21 days of mating.
These information have provide how to recognize goats in heat and the right time to choose the right mating for goats to reproduce effectively.