# Doe Retirement Age



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

At what age do you retire your older girls? I have one that will be 6 next spring, and never really have seen much on how long to have them bred. 

I'm guessing once they hit that six range, just take it by a year to year basis? Or is six when they should be done....?


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I have a 9 year old that is still in great condition and I plan on breeding her this year.

I also have a 12 year old that I will have to wait and see how she looks in the fall.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Not sure why I had always thought it was around 6....huh, I'll have to remember that.


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## BoulderOaks (Sep 24, 2014)

I know that with sheep, they consider ewes to be at their most productive in milk(dairy ewes) and lamb production from 3 years to 6 years of age, but they can easily continue to lamb for many years after, they simply usually aren't quite as productive or easy to keep weight on as they age. I have a 9 year old ewe who will be lambing as a 10 year old next year. She's a tad thinner than the rest, but raises a healthy set of twins every time, and gets enough time to get some condition back on her before breeding again, and she does just fine.


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

I know a doe at 13 was bred and milking great still  it all depends on the doe


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I've always though 8-11 was retiring age. But my oldest doe is only 3, so no experience here


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

I think every doe is different. I had 2 does that will be 9 this year. Zoey I sold to a pet home to retire her because she just didn't bounce back very fast and thought it was time to retire her. Jasmine on the other hand I think still has a few years left. She will be bred again this year as a 9 year old and we will see how she does. But I have a feeling she will be bred as a 10 year old and possibly 11. She is such an easy keeper and easy momma. As soon as she wean her kids she is back up in weight and looks like she is 4 or 5.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

RPC said:


> I think every doe is different. I had 2 does that will be 9 this year. Zoey I sold to a pet home to retire her because she just didn't bounce back very fast and thought it was time to retire her. Jasmine on the other hand I think still has a few years left. She will be bred again this year as a 9 year old and we will see how she does. But I have a feeling she will be bred as a 10 year old and possibly 11. She is such an easy keeper and easy momma. As soon as she wean her kids she is back up in weight and looks like she is 4 or 5.


I agree that's what I'm planning on doing. Well since I've only had 2 old ladies one stopped breeding on her own and the other I retired at 8 just because I didn't want to milk her any more and her udder was saggy and bad news. 
But I have heard 7-8 seems to be the most common that a doe starts having cruddy kids or not bounce back as well but if I had even a 10 year old that was doing great I would keep at it. Especially seeing how upset my only retired girl takes things. When she comes into heat she will stand there and bite the fence and shake it trying to get to a buck, when kids are born she is usually right there in the middle of it all so she is sad she doesn't get to be bred and have kids any more :/


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

Definitely depends on the doe. Her genetics and also the life she's led.

If you have an udder that is saggy and lost all support, down on pasterns, lost her teeth, can't keep weight on, etc then probably time to retire.

I'd expect the older doe to need more nutritional support to keep weight on and not expect as much milk.

My 12 year old kidded twins this year and last that are beautiful and grow great. She has had a couple years off here and there or been milked through instead of bred a couple times as well. This and her genetics probably are why she was able to kid at her age. If a doe has had a harder life with poor care she probably couldn't produce so long even if she had good genetics.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It all depends on the doe and condition. If they have kidding issues or not. 
I had one doe who was 12 and still kidding with no issues.


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