# New Buck Not Interested In Does ???



## ErinElizabeth (Oct 27, 2013)

I brought home a Boer Buck a few days ago. I was told he was a little over 8 months old. I got him home and noticed that he doesn't seem interested in the does. I have 3 Boer females that are a year old. I put him in a smaller pen and then added one of the does who is in heat to see how he would react. The other two are in a larger pen sharing a fence with his also. The buck is obviously intact and very healthy looking. But he is not stinky nor does he pee on his face / beard / front legs. I have been watching him closely and have not seen him snort, lick, or rub on the female or smell her pee etc. Is he just too young? This is my first year with Boers but have been raising Nigerians for 6+ years. Every time I've brought home a Nigerin buck, he is going crazy before I get him off the truck, even at that age. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

He may need more time to get used to his new place.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

Is the buck much smaller than the doe? (Would that matter, I don't know.) 

My guess would be he needs to acclimate himself to the new place for a few days.


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## goatfarmergirl (Jul 3, 2011)

If he doesnt do all that stinky buck stuff, maybe he's a weather.
Though, he could just be getting used to the place or inconfident.


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## ErinElizabeth (Oct 27, 2013)

He is definatley intact and both testicles appear and feel normal. He is slightly bigger than the doe. Generally, around what age do Boer goats start marking themselves with urine? It doesn't seem like he ever has at all.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Age could be a factor. Are you 100% sure the doe is in heat?

Nigerians are very aggressive breeders. Boers...not so much. They are more likely to lay around waiting for does to come in than to chase them around relentlessly like a Nigerian. At least in my experience.

Give him some time to settle in and figure out his job.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

BCG said:


> Age could be a factor. Are you 100% sure the doe is in heat?
> 
> Nigerians are very aggressive breeders. Boers...not so much. They are more likely to lay around waiting for does to come in than to chase them around relentlessly like a Nigerian. At least in my experience.
> 
> Give him some time to settle in and figure out his job.


I agree. All our boer bucks have been shy breeders


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Ok...now I understand why the buck that I just brought home seems to be so ...slow with my does! So different from my ND buck!!! He takes about 30 seconds with a doe in heat...


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

BCG said:


> Boers...not so much. They are more likely to lay around waiting for does to come in than to chase them around relentlessly like a Nigerian. At least in my experience.


I have to disagree with this statement. I've got, and have had, a number of cross bred Boer bucks that are more than willing to actively and persistently chase and breed does at the ripe old of 4-5 months of age. The one purebred Boer buck I had had no hesitation whatsoever in pursuing a doe in heat, as well. ErinElizabeth, you might want to get a breeding soundness test done on your buck.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

We just picked up a buck to breed with two of our does. One doe just went into heat for the first time, very briefly. The other doe is having a major heat. She and the buck have not bred yet, but they are showing interest in each other. She chases him more than he chases her at this point, but he's young and in a new place. He's peeing all over himself, so I think he's going to go for it, but I'm expecting it to take a little time for him to be comfortable and do his thing. I would guess it could be the same for your situation. I'd give it a few more days, or another heat cycle before being too concerned.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Goats are different just like people are different. Just because one buck will breed at 2 months old doesn't mean they all will. Just because one buck will come off the truck ready to breed doesn't mean they all will. Just like people, some goats are more sensitive to change than others. You really have to look at each goat individually. There is a wide range of "normal" for anything that they do. Give him some time to get used to being at a new place and with a new herd.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I agree with giving him time to settle in. When we brought Darlin home at 7 mos he only had a little pee on him.
He was here for a few weeks before he went to work.


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## ErinElizabeth (Oct 27, 2013)

Ok, thanks for the advice. I guess I am used to all the Nigerian bucks I have used being a little more confident and aggressive breeders. This buck seemed more nervous about coming to a new place but seems to be getting used to it pretty quickly. Still no interaction between him and the does or urine marking, but I'll keep you posted. I'm not in any rush to have the does bred, I just want to make sure the buck is functioning normally.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Is he sniffing under tails at all?? If the does are not in heat he may not be a full blown pervert but I would be a little concerned if he's not checking the girls out. Like the others said I would still give him time you got him for a reason so give him a chance but watch for heats and deeds to be done. I have heard so many people say they ended up with bucks that don't breeed......watching my boys I have a hard time picturing that


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

GoatCrazy said:


> I have to disagree with this statement. I've got, and have had, a number of cross bred Boer bucks that are more than willing to actively and persistently chase and breed does at the ripe old of 4-5 months of age. The one purebred Boer buck I had had no hesitation whatsoever in pursuing a doe in heat, as well. ErinElizabeth, you might want to get a breeding soundness test done on your buck.


Don't get me wrong. My bucks are more than willing to breed when the time is right. They just don't waste time chasing does that are not ready. They'll wander around checking does and if none are in estrus they'll go lay down or graze.

I do have a young Buck that will pester the heck out of anything on door legs. As he ages and figures out what he's doing, I'm sure he too will work smarter...not harder. LOL


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Ok, I see. My bad, I misunderstood and I apologize for that.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

No worries. I should have explained better the 1st time.


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## springkids (Sep 12, 2013)

This was our first year using a young buck. I have a 8 month old Boer buck as well. He was REALLY socialized with people from the previous owners so at first he was more concerned about me that does. That lasted about 9 days untill the first heat came on. It has been game on ever since. It took 22 days for him to breed them all. We have 14 does this time which is a little longer than some of the older bucks we have used in the past. However, 2 of those does did not take the first time and came back in heat. So now it is just a waiting game to see if anyone else cycles back. 

I wouldn't panic...I think he needs time to settle in. Good luck!!!


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## MercuryXS (Nov 12, 2012)

Our 8 month old FB Boer Buck bred everything including the fence posts the first week we put him in with the does.


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## ErinElizabeth (Oct 27, 2013)

I have been watching the buck and he seems very comfortable in his surroundings. A few days after my last post I saw him smell a doe in the ear which was progress. Then a couple days later I saw him drink his own pee, he didn't get a drop on his legs or in his beard but this was progress. But then this morning I saw him snorting and licking at my favorite Boer doe. So I think he is coming around. He is still not urinating on himself, but I'm sure he will in time. Right now he is perfectly white and doesn't stink at all. I'll enjoy that while it lasts.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

GoatieGranny said:


> We just picked up a buck to breed with two of our does. One doe just went into heat for the first time, very briefly. The other doe is having a major heat. She and the buck have not bred yet, but they are showing interest in each other. She chases him more than he chases her at this point, but he's young and in a new place. He's peeing all over himself, so I think he's going to go for it, but I'm expecting it to take a little time for him to be comfortable and do his thing. I would guess it could be the same for your situation. I'd give it a few more days, or another heat cycle before being too concerned.


Here is an update which I'm giving you to offer hope.  Bella went into an all out crazy heat mode and it totally changed the buck. He'd been with us for about 5 days when things changed. Bella was bred on Nov. 1st, and again on the 2nd and 3rd.

After Bella, another doe, April, went into heat. The first day the buck just sniffed at her and they romped around a bit. The following day, (today), she ran right past her mama, didn't stop for her morning teat, and bee-lined it for the buck. I let her in the pasture and she turned around and stood for him. He hopped on and that was that. I left them together for about an hour and I witnessed about 10 mounts.

Last night another doe went into heat. She's been bellerin' and screaming to get out by the buck. Poor thing! We only wanted two bred this year, so we have to keep her away from him.

It seems that
1) He had to get used to our place for a few days
2) He knew when they were in heat, but didn't try to mount them till the day after heat began when they were out of their minds with desire for him. lol. When they were at that point, they turned around and stood still for him to do his thing.

Don't give up. Keep watching the does and let's hope things kick up a notch for the buck in the next few day.


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## ErinElizabeth (Oct 27, 2013)

Update on the buck: Ferdinand seems to be completely settled in and comfortable. I have three does I want him to breed this fall. They are in a small pasture sharing a fence with his pen. I am outside most of the day and let him out with them and they get along great. They eat together, sleep in a pile together, and I even saw one of the does using his horn to scratch her head. My favorite of these does went into heat and I put her in his pen. I saw them mating multiple times on November 2nd. Neither of the other two does has come into heat. They are a year old this month and I don't recall ever seeing them go into heat. I think it might be because he is not stinky, (he is not urinating on himself, he is completely clean and no odor) and he does not chase or lick and rub at them. I've never had this issue before. Any ideas?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You could always just have him live with them.


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