# Doe Not Settling



## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

I need input from everyone on this situation.

So I bought a doe, Apple Tree Acres Twix, a Nigerian Dwarf, under the contract that she would be bred. Her first exposure to the buck was in March, with witnessed coupling. I brought her home, hoping she'd have little ones on board. Just to be sure, over a month from the day she was witnessed with the buck (more like a month and a half) I sent a blood sample off to Biopryn to see if she was pregnant. Nope, came back open. So off to the breeder for more love. 

She has been there about, two months? And she does not think Twix was able to settle again. The plan is that I'll pick her up, we'll wait a few months, and try her again in the fall if she is still not with kid. I don't think it is the buck, because the breeder tried a different buck when the first one wasn't seeming to get the job done. The only other buck on the farm is Twix's father, so that isn't happening, hah. 

What should I do to absolutely prepare Twix for the third try? I am thinking of getting the vet to do a blood pull and run a panel to see if she is low in anything, like copper or selenium. Twix gets free loose minerals, a bit of purina goat chow grain, and alfalfa hay. She is not underweight OR overweight, actually I'd say her body structure was perfect. The time of the first breeding attempt, she was under two years old. Now she is over two. This would be her first freshening, if she managed to get bred. 

Another thing the breeder brought up is there is a possibility Twix have cystic ovaries, just like humans can be. Maybe the vet can do an ultrasound, get a view of her ovaries, to see if that is a problem. 

If anyone has advise, that would be wonderful. I do like this girl, but I would like a producing goat, since I did get her for milking.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Someone on the forum recommended Vionate..a pet vitamin/mineral supplement to help with fertility..she said it "works wonders". I've been adding it to my mineral feeder, and they love it. They are all looking great, and went into heat soon after I started it. It's not been proven by me yet...but it's available on Jeffers, and not expensive! Why not?
This was for my doe, Pixie...also not settled ...yet!


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Can you get a photo of her girl parts? Might she be a hermaphordite?

She could have cystic ovaries. For that there are a few drugs (all RX) you can treat with at certain intervales. I have tried Lute on a doe and that did not work so now I am trying Cystorelin and Lute combo at a certain dose and interval. Will let you know if my doe settles.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I am no help, but wonder if you do end up going to the vet over it, and everything checks out to be fine, then could you possibly AI her?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I've also heard of tumors blocking the womb.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

HoosierShadow said:


> I am no help, but wonder if you do end up going to the vet over it, and everything checks out to be fine, then could you possibly AI her?


Yes you can try AI if she is cycling and not cystic. If she were cystic she would continually cycle (generally short cycle like every 7days or so) and never take ... until you treat and solve the hormonal issue


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

freedomstarfarm said:


> Can you get a photo of her girl parts? Might she be a hermaphordite?
> 
> She could have cystic ovaries. For that there are a few drugs (all RX) you can treat with at certain intervales. I have tried Lute on a doe and that did not work so now I am trying Cystorelin and Lute combo at a certain dose and interval. Will let you know if my doe settles.


I have one that is not settling either. She's been with the buck since late October, we've done two doses of lute this spring and still nothing. She's really cute but I am going to sell her b/c i only wanted to keep productive does. She was one of quads and the rest were boys, i am wondering if she was surrounded by too much testosterone during gestation.

How do you know if your doe is a hermaphrodite? Here is a pic of her girl parts


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

was looking for a photo but couldnt find one. 

PznIvy how old is she? has she freshened before?


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

She'll be two next month, and no she hasn't. I know the buck is fertile, he's got 11 babies this year to prove it. She doesn't like the buck or is scared or something, when she is in heat (which doesn't appear to be very often) she is always hiding from him in a corner or in the hay manger. I thought the lute would help, but it didn't.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I tried lute on one I have now going on 2 and not settled yet. Now I am doing the combo of the 2 hormones have heard good results with them together.


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

well i decided to keep two babies from this years' crop so she has to go now. What is a good price for a pet goat? I am going to price doelings at $300 and wethers at $100, I was thinking $150 for her?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

That sounds like a fine price. (=


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Sorry it took me a while to get the pictures! She just arrived home this Friday from the breeder. She was a bit distressed to be leaving her (platonic) boyfriend, heh. The buck she was with has produced babies before, so he isn't shooting blanks.

Here are Twix's girl bits. I had to hold her tail up, she wouldn't keep it up while I had the camera about.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

It does look different than before, but keep in mind that the heat can do that too.


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Those pictures were taken at the same time, this morning, one a bit closer than the other.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

looks like normal girl parts. does not look bred yet but if she is not far along pooch would not show it.


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

The longer a doe goes without breeding, the longer it might take to get her to settle.

I have a few that needed to stay with the lil guy for 3-4 months. They finally all settled. Just took a while.

It's also possible that the ph just isn't right between the two and you have to find a different partner. Not sure I'm saying this right but I know that I've bred horses and AI'd horses to some productive sires with no outcome. Change their partner and ..... I've got babies. I've had this happen with goats too. That's why I keep 4-5 boys around.

Best of Luck and I hope all works out for you,


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Glad her hardware looks normal. I will try to get a picture of her without her tail being held. If anything, for a 'before' picture. Doesn't holding the tail kinda distort things a bit? 

In a month I will send off a fresh blood sample to Biopryn. $4.50 plus shipping is a great price for piece of mind! 

I just looked at the date in my calendar. I dropped her off with the breeder on June 3rd (she was showing signs of a very obvious heat, but I don't think any action occurred because she was more interested in beating the buck up rather than breeding). And she was picked up July 27th. So a little less than two months with the boy.


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