# How long to wait to re-breed?



## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

This is really two questions in one and I don't want to spam the whole board. 

How long do you wait to let the kids in with the rest of the herd? I have 4 2 month old does that are currently sequestered away from the herd with their mothers. They share a fence so everyone has "met" before. 

Part two is how long do you wait to rebreed your does? It's been two months since two of my does kidded. I haven't noticed them being in heat.

If everything had worked out, all of my does would have kidded in October but apparently they didn't stick. I guess it was too hot during June/July. So I currently have a buck in with the herd and I'm pondering turning the 2 mommas back in with everyone else. That way I'll (hopefully) have them all on the same kidding schedule.


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## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

In answer to part one, I kept the babies and mothers together in the day and separate at night for almost 3 months and when I put them in at night, there was no problem.

For part two, I waited around 6 months before re-breeding and she's had no problems or anything. I wouldn't breed them for another month at least. And just try to watch them for signs of heat really closely so you can start tracking them. If you put them in with the herd and the bucks they will get pregnant. It's not necessarily a terrible thing, I just like to give them time off.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Usually you should only breed them once a year.


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

Some wait 2 months up to several months. If you breed her now ( i call it back to back breeding) then after this breeding you would want to give her a nice break. Alot of show breeders breed their girls this way. 
As for the babies. I have 5 month old doelings that I still haven't put in with the bigger ones but i have an extra pen so i can keep them seperated and have no need to put them with the bigger ones. My advice if you put them with the older ones just make sure they have an area to get away to that the bigger ones can't get to.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You really shouldn't be breeding more than 3 times in a 2 year period. But you do wear your females out much quicker than ones only bred once a year.


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

Guess I should specify how i do it lol. I waited 4 months before I bred bailey again. Once she kids I will give her a longer break this next time.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I put my Dams and kids, if strong, nursing and bonded, at 3 days old, out in the pasture with all the other Does, I watch for any bullies and lightly tap them, with a lounge whip, to say no. If things calm down, I then let them be,I have a creep feeder area, so the kids can get away from any meanies. 
At night, I then lock up momma's and babies in the barn, some momma's and kids, I will put in their own pens. 

At 2 months old, is way old enough for the kids to mingle, with the rest of the herd. Weaning age is 3 months old for Boer. 


Rebreeding, I breed 1 x a year. 
If you are to breed back, I would wait 1 to 2 months after, the kids are weaned and the Doe is dried up. Not just after she kidded. It isn't easy on the doe. As mentioned, breeding to much, to often, will lesson the Does kidding years or cause prolapse issues, if the Doe is not given time, to get her figure back per say.




If everything had worked out, all of my does would have kidded in October but apparently they didn't stick. I guess it was too hot during June/July. So I currently have a buck in with the herd and I'm pondering turning the 2 mommas back in with everyone else. That way I'll (hopefully) have them all on the same kidding schedule.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

We do the same as Pam as far as keeping the kids with the herd and stalling some at night. We also take mom's away at weaning rather than moving the kids out of the pasture. We generally always have two "herds" of does in seperate barns, makes it easier to feed the youngsters and nursing moms more grain. Our yearlings does are currently in a seperate field that most of our bred does. Bucklings do get seperated, but they get sold so never make it back into the herd. 
Our does kid once every 11-12 months.


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

I only wanted to breed once a year as well, but it would be nice to have all the does on the same schedule for selling purposes. I think I'll wait until the does are dried up before allowing them to get in with the billy. That means everyone will have to stay segregated. When do the kids usually get weaned without manually separating them....3 months? The babies are currently eating grass/hay and sneaking some of mommas food.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I hear ya Maggie 

Crowbar032 sounds like a good plan. 
Some does will not wean their kids, so I separate the Does, remove them, off the field and feed a less quality hay, such as oat hay and dry them off for about 3 weeks to 1 month, then, before I release them back out in the pasture with their doe kids, I will use teat tape or a regular bandage and use a very thin strip of duct tape and tape the very top of the bandage with it,to the teat(very thin) so, it stays on a bit longer, after 2 weeks or if the bandage falls off before then, and the kid isn't nursing anymore, you are done,they are weaned. I find, that, it is less stress on the kids, when they are left out in the field and momma is penned up. They are stressed but not as much, so the kids eat a bit better, than if we pen them up, in a different atmosphere, that they are not use to and away from the whole herd. Of course momma will be very upset but that is understandable. Watch the Doe, if her udder gets really tight, milk her out, when needed. This is usually within the first week, Do not feed any grain or Alfalfa.


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

toth boer goats said:


> I put my Dams and kids, if strong, nursing and bonded, at 3 days old, out in the pasture with all the other Does, I watch for any bullies and lightly tap them, with a lounge whip, to say no. If things calm down, I then let them be,I have a creep feeder area, so the kids can get away from any meanies.
> At night, I then lock up momma's and babies in the barn, some momma's and kids, I will put in their own pens.
> 
> At 2 months old, is way old enough for the kids to mingle, with the rest of the herd. Weaning age is 3 months old for Boer.
> ...


Alot of people said their does didn't settle during that time..it had to of been the extreme heat this summer.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

My Does take in the hot summer, with no problems.


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

Oh i thoughtyou said they didn't take this last time. Sorry about that.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It's OK


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Its ok JaLyn, I was confused a minute too till I looked back through the messages. That last paragraph about the does not kidding in october was from Crowbars original post that somehow got pasted into Pam's reply without any quotes.


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

oh lol..now it makes sense..Thanks Maggie..


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## Engebretsen (May 16, 2012)

Would it be terrible to give those mamas a break through the rest of the year, and then breed everyone closer next year instead of trying to sychronize now?


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