# Doe won't go into heat



## lameacres (Jun 15, 2013)

Hi all! Wondering if anyone can help me figure out what to do about my doe not going into heat! She has never been bred because last year she wasn't big enough. Was wanting to breed her as soon as she went into heat first thing this season. I still have not been able to tell that she has gone into heat at all! I have never had a problem being able to figure out when the girls go into heat because having 2 bucks close by makes it pretty easy. I have taken her over to the Bucks several times and she never wants anything to do with them. I even have our young boer buck right next to my doe pen because he has let me know when my other 3 first timers where in heat cause they stay by the fence where he is all day and he goes nuts trying to get them. So far with this doe that has never happened! She is very healthy and looks great, so not sure why she isn't going into heat! 

Is there anything I can do to try and get her to cycle before this breeding season ends and she goes another year with being bred? Thanks for any help and advice


----------



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

My first thought is copper and or selenium deficiency, or maybe iodine deficiency too. What kind of minerals do you use?


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, could be mineral deficiency. Do they have free choice looses salt and minerals?

Have you tried to put her and a buck together? Maybe you are just missing when she is in heat, when you walk her to the buck area. It is such a small window. Some Doe's have silent heats and you don't see any signs until you have her around a buck.


----------



## lameacres (Jun 15, 2013)

Ok I use manna pro goat minerals that they get everyday. But I can copper bolus her and give her selenium gel tomorrow. It has been awhile since she has had either, but she looks good and isn't showing any other signs of deficiency. And yes for the last 2 months she has been just on the other side of the wire panels where our boer buck is. So he can stick his head through the panels and sniff her etc but so far haven't noticed her or him act differently like when all our other does have been when they are in heat and he has been there.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds like you are doing the right things.

How do her girly parts look, are they normal looking? She may of been born with an issue, Hermi ect.
A vet can check her to make sure she is OK.


----------



## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Was she born with a buck twin, trip, quad etc? If you've covered all your basis she my be sterile, a freemartin.


----------



## lameacres (Jun 15, 2013)

Pretty sure she isn't a hermie. Her parts look all normal and we had a hermie born on our farm last year, she was the only female out of quads. When she hit puberty she started looking and acting like a buck and her female parts were not normal looking at all. I will have to check this girls paperwork and see if there were and boys born with her and maybe she is just sterile. I hope not, she is a spotted great looking girl that I bought and would hate to not be able to breed her


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I hope not either, but it is something to check into, especially not coming into heat.


----------



## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I have 2 FF who are not cycling. I know they are not sterile because they were successfully bred last fall and kidded this spring. They do get minerals, balanced feed, etc. They are 1/2 sisters, both bottle kids. One is scared to death of the buck and freaks when he gets near her, even when she was in heat last year. The other was pretty obvious last year but is not showing anything this year. No way either could be bred. 

So, like you, I haven't a clue why they are not coming in heat! I am thinking about hitting them with Lute or something to see if I can get them to cycle.


----------



## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I have a few not cycling too. According to some stuff I have read, low phosphorous levels can cause a doe (or cow) to either not cycle or cycle weakly.

Reproductive problems such as low first service conception rates and silent heats have been related to wide Ca ratios and to phosphorus deficiencies. Vitamin D has also been implicated through its effect on phosphorus utilization. Vitamin D supplementation is advised for young, poorly growing kids and goats in confinement and exposed to little sunlight. http://www.milkproduction.com/Library/Scientific-articles/Other-milking-animals/Nutrition-and-reproductive-loss-in-goats/


----------



## Redbarngoatfarm (Jul 8, 2015)

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but why not just her run with the buck for 45 days and even if silent you would have covered 2 heats? At least there would be a chance of being bred rather than losing the season?


----------

