# 1 year old nubian doe on the small size



## goatsnmore (Feb 22, 2011)

We have a nubian doe, 14 months old, that's on the small side. She currently weighs 75 pounds, and is smaller than herdmates, born at the same time. She was one of triplets, and the smallest one of the bunch, by quite a bit. Her mother wouldn't accept her so she ended up being bottle fed, with lamb replacer.

With proper nutrition, do you think she will ever catch up enough to be bred? We're planning on using a boer buck.

Thanks, in advance, for your words of wisdom.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She is quite small...for her age.... she does have some growing time left.....she should grow a bit more...as they do grow for up to 4 years...but... won't be as big as the normal size adults..... We usually say... that it should be safe.... to breed a Doe... that is at minimum of 75 lbs or larger....so... she does fall ...into that category...however.... beings that she will be bred to a boer...the babies can be big....Does that buck has large genetics.....is the birth weights... or average? 

It is up to you... whether you want to chance it.... use your best judgment :hug: 

Has she been checked for worms and cocci.. in a fecal?
that may help in knowing ..whether or not... she needs to be treated and that may be why... she isn't getting as big..... :wink:


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

Seems to me the 75 pound rule of thumb is assuming a 7 or 8 month old doe who will be growing quite a bit as she has her pregnancy. A doe who is 14 months isn't going to grow as much. Personally if you want to breed her I would think about a Nigerian Dwarf or pygmy buck for the first time, just to see how that goes and how much more she grows. Plus the fecal idea is a really good idea.


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## fcnubian (Oct 23, 2007)

Before even thinking about breeding, I would try to find out why she's so small...
Did she have coccidia as a young kid? Or was she raised on coccidia prevention? 
What kind of feed (hay & grain) is she getting? 
What is she being wormed with? And is that wormer working in your herd?


What bloodlines does she have in her? There's a line that is slow maturing....when one of my does freshened as a yearling she was small...I bought her already in milk. She sure has matured over the past year...she's pushing 150lbs now but I know the lines that she comes from will be slower to mature and she won't really hit her full maturity until she's around 3 or 4 yrs old. Of course that's not keeping me from breeding her...she's bred and due in April, but just putting that out there that some lines are slower to mature.


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

We have a 4year old Nubian doe who has always been petite.I bought her at the age of 2 and even with the right nutrition and no health issues with her..she remains small.I don't know her history before I bought her but she came from a very large herd so either something stunted her growth or she is just that naturaly. :shrug:


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## goatsnmore (Feb 22, 2011)

Jessalynn, If you don' t mind me asking.... have you bred your small nubian? If so, did she have any problems with the birth?


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

Yes I did and she has had no problems last time she kid with twins and she is due anyday now.The way I look at it is...if humans can have children with a spouse who is larger then them and have no problems..why would a goat? As long as she doesn't have any abnormalities in her hips cervix ect to carry and give birth..it shouldn't matter.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

We bought two lamancha does that were on the smaller side, we were assured they would keep growing but I really don't think they will. They are 2 years old and l have a yearling that is bigger than they are. They were both bred when i bought them and 1 was bred to a very large buck. Her little buckling came out huge and it was a hard pull. Yes she's fine and baby is doing fine, but if it were my choice I would not breed a young doe to a large buck with it being their First Freshening. It's hard enough having to stretch for the first time to kid, add to that a very large kid and you will get tearing (My doe did she was sore right after too). I would rather breed to a smaller buck for the first time then you could breed her to the bigger buck her next year


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## nagismom (Sep 25, 2010)

I agree with fcnubian there are definitely some slow growing lines with the nubians. I've also seen that with triplet first fresheners. Personally I keep them dry until the fall following their first year. That's always worked for me. I also try to pick a mature buck with a history of small to average kids (4-8lbs). I like the idea of breeding to a dwarf breed also but I've never done that.


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