# How can you tell if goat is pregnant?



## Trip Trap Mountain (May 1, 2011)

We have a 5 year old pygmy doe.... I'm very nervous that the little foster buck we had here a couple weeks ago may have snuck one in through the gate. I know at her advanced age a pregnancy would be dangerous right? Is there any way to tell if she's pregnant or do we just have to wait?

Thanks!! Good to "see" everyone, I hadn't logged in in a long time.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Well, you could send a blood sample to Bio-tracking. Or you could wait and see.

5 years old is not an aged doe though. That doe should be right at her prime. Pygmies and Nigerians live for a long time @15 years and many of them kid out at 10 and 12 years with no problem at all.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

goathiker we posted at the smae time! I was going to say the SAME thing!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

:hi5:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree 5 isn't that old.....

is she is in really poor or good condition?

How long ago was she exposed to the buck?



> Thanks!! Good to "see" everyone, I hadn't logged in in a long time.


 Well welcome back.... :hi5: :thumb:


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

It is pretty hard to tell (as evidenced by my Curiouser who just delivered twins and did not look pregnant) without tests or sonograms.
My Tabatha is 8 and just delivered. She was a FF at 5. She is Nubian so I do not know how that compares to a Pygmy but my guess is she will be okay.


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

When feet are coming out of the vulva


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

Epona142 said:


> When feet are coming out of the vulva


Mwahahaha! :ROFL:

And no, five is NOT old. Not by a long shot. Who told you that? Most breeders do not retire their does until 9-10 and they don't have a problem living to be 15. They have a lifespan similar to many breeds of dogs.

I don't know how far into the spring Pygmy goats will come into heat, but maybe you have seen heat cycles since the suspected breeding. If you saw her wagging her tail more than normal, mounting other goats, making weird noises, or saw goopy discharge on her rear end or tail (usually whitish to yellow colored) then she was in heat. If she had any of those symptoms after she was possibly bred by the little buck then she probably didn't conceive.

Also, once they are at least two months pregnant you can usually see a change in the shape of their "pooch" (their girl parts.) They will start to get more swollen and the tip at the bottom will be more tear-drop shaped rather than the normal triangular of a non-pregnant doe. Her anus will go from tightly tucked up under her tail to kind of well...less tucked up, so that it is closer to level with her girl parts. Kind of a gross description, and your family/friends will think you are a weirdo for staring at a goat's butt...but its a good indicator. I can usually feel a kind of lump in the lower belly in front of the udder a couple of months in...and can sometimes feel kid movement as early as three months pregnant. Usually easiest to feel right in front of the udder and I have to use a little pressure.

You can send a blood sample to biotracking.... www.biotracking.com ... Its not spendy, but drawing blood is difficult to learn (for me it was.) A vet could do the same thing I'm sure but would charge you more.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Epona142 said:


> When feet are coming out of the vulva


 :ROFL: :slapfloor:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> When feet are coming out of the vulva


 So silly... :laugh:


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Of course, in this instance, the goat will not be pregnant much longer....


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

Epona142 said:


> Of course, in this instance, the goat will not be pregnant much longer....


and THIS^^^ is why I love you so much, lol!!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:laugh: :wink:


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

Epona142 said:


> Of course, in this instance, the goat will not be pregnant much longer....


 :laugh: :ROFL: :slapfloor:

This is true...Pygmies can breed throughout the year unlike most other breeds.

If there is another goat breeder near you they may be willing to teach you to learn how to draw blood....I have a lady who lives near me (bought a buck from her last year) and she has agreed to teach me to disbud, castrate, and even draw blood this spring


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