# Is my doe too small to breed?



## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

I just bought a buck today to try my first go round at breeding. I have had goats for several years but never bred any. Anyway the buck I bought is beautiful good conformation but he is a little bigger than I though weighed him when we got home and he is 98 pounds. All of my does are smaller than most as I found from this site. I have 7 does ranging from 40 to 55 pounds except my favorite girl who is a year and a half but only 32 pounds. Is she too small to breed I know she is definitely old enough but not sure of her size or even my other girls


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## countryfarmgirlforever (Nov 2, 2013)

What breed are your goats?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

what breed are your girls and what breed is the buck? 32 pounds seems awful little unless she is a mini and then the buck is a little big, I think. I personally would not breed that big a buck to your much smaller girls.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Even for a mini 32 pounds is way too small at a year and a half.


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## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

Sorry they are Nigerians. She is pretty small but we kept her brother as well and wethered him and he is only 36 so I think they just come from very small lines.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

They should be larger. What breed is the buck? I personally would only breed Nigerian does to a Nigerian or Pygmy buck. 98 lbs make me think he is a larger breed.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I still say the buck is too big. You're talking 2x the size of most and 3x the size of your little one. Like I said, I wouldn't. I have to agree with ScottyHorse that 32 is just way too small to breed.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

How old are all your girls? My adult Nigerian does ranged in weight from about 75 to 85 lbs. So all your girls sound on the small side. Definitely don't breed the 32 lb doe.


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

I'm wondering if perhaps there is a mix-up between pounds and kilos? The girls would be roughly Nigerian Dwarf size if those numbers are in kilos...but it the buck is still twice the weight of them, I still wouldn't breed them to him.


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## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

The buck is also a Nigerian he i just a stocky guy I will post a pic of him but definitely won't breed him to my little lady.


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

My question is, how tall is she? I've seen some pretty dinky Nigerian does and Pygmy does, minimum hight is 16-17 inches on them, so depending, she may not be all that small for her age, if she comes from small lines. Is she a good weight though? Is she really skinny? Anyhow, yes, don't bred her to a large buck.

And even still, just because you kept her brother doesn't mean it's just small lines if he is small too, they could be really stunted, due to worms, parasites, improper nutrition, etc.


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## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

I will measure and reweigh all of the girls tomorrow. As far as stunted growth I suppose you could be right they have always been very healthy though.


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

Do you have pictures of the does for size comparisons?


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## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

I dont but will take some tomorrow after work


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

Also if his "weight" or bulk is coming from his width, it might be a good idea to see how wide you little girl is at the pelvis as that will impact her ability to deliver kids.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

^^^ I agree....still no on the small girl but I agree about the hips. I have a doe that isn't really that tall actually one of the shorter ones. She kidded last year and the kidhad a leg back iI put my hand in to find it and she pushed my hand and a 9lb kid with its leg back like it was a walk in the park. I would just be worried about your girl since she is small for a small breed. Another thing with her being so small is also safety to your buck. We had a little heifer get in with the bull he was big she was small. She could support his weight and fell with him in her. He ended up breaking his penis and was worthless. So I always keep that in mind as well and you seem to have a nice buck on your hands.


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## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

Thank you everyone for all of the advice. I would never even have thought about a broken penis I weighed my little lady again today she was 33# her brother the wether 39# and I also weighed 2 out of my other 6 does they were 44# and 45# I didn't weight he rest of the girls as they are all about the same if not a smidgen bigger maybe 5 or 6 pounds more at the most. I did separate my little doe Hazel and her brother Nigel from the rest of the crew.


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## goatgirl2021 (Oct 21, 2013)

If it's and alpine it a larger breed of goat I breed anywhere between 80-90+ pounds and change the feed.


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