Reading about goats will help you decide which breed you wish to start.
Farmers breed goats for their milk, meat and fiber. Successful breeding depends on the use of quality does and bucks and mating them at the right time. Before you begin breeding goats, it is important to determine your purpose in breeding goats: for milk, meat or hair. Begin with a dairy breed such as Alpine, Nubian, Sannen or LaMancha if you want goats for household milk. If you intend selling or using the goats for their meat, start with breeds such as Pygmy or Spanish goats.
Instructions
1. Read books such as "Goat Farming" by Alan Mowlem and "Raising Milk Goats Successfully" by Gail Luttman. Understand the process involved in raising goats and make note of requirements you need to provide your goats.
2. Purchase does from a reliable source in your area. Have them checked by a local veterinarian to evaluate their general body condition. House the goats in a shed to protect them from the cold, wind and rain. Set up a solid fence to retain the goats in the pasture area. This also ensures that pests don't disturb your goats.
3. Provide goats with a suitable pasture area. Supplement this with alfalfa hay or grain and provide clean drinking water.
4. Provide de-worming treatment about 2 weeks before you plan to begin the kidding process. This is important because goats with worms do not breed well. Give your does the necessary vaccines for preventing enterotoxemia and tetanus.
5. Estimate the body condition score of your does by touching the rib areas, shoulders, the loin edges and areas on both sides of the spine. Feed your does greater or lesser quantities to ensure they are not overly thin or fat because this causes problems during reproduction.
6. Identify the time when your does come into heat from signs such as constant wagging of the tail, loud bleating, more frequent urination and a decrease in appetite. Examine the area near the tail to check for a swollen and red vulva and vaginal discharge.
7. Find a suitable buck for mating your doe by the natural breeding method or use artificial insemination with frozen semen. Natural breeding is more reliable and less expensive than artificial insemination.
8. Breed the does early during the heat cycle. Have them checked by the veterinarian to confirm pregnancy. The gestation period in goats is around 150 days. Feed the pregnant does and prepare for the birthing process.
Tags: your does, artificial insemination, body condition, breeding goats, goats their
