# what age to stop breeding does



## JumpingGoat (Mar 10, 2016)

Just asking out of curiosity, what age do you believe is best to retire a doe from breeding that has been well looked after their whole life and bred once a year from when they were about 2 years old.
All of my does are still fairly young so its not something im worried about yet i just want to be prepared.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They can breed into their teens. There isn't a magic number. Depends mainly on health and condition.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Agreed. You can breed them as long as they are healthy and their udders are holding up.


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## papabert (Dec 9, 2017)

Great advice so far. I would add that I believe (just my inexperienced opinion) that if you want a goat to live longer you would quit breeding at a younger age. Logically it would make sense that years of breeding would shorten a goat's lifespan.

Sounds right to me, but please correct me if I'm wrong!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, I had a 12 year old still going strong. 
I retired her to a friend after that, but, she probably could of gone more. 
If they are healthy at a good weight, still producing healthy kids, caring for them and has no udder issues, they can go on and on. But use your best judgment.


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## Calfee Farms (Oct 10, 2017)

JumpingGoat said:


> Just asking out of curiosity, what age do you believe is best to retire a doe from breeding that has been well looked after their whole life and bred once a year from when they were about 2 years old.
> All of my does are still fairly young so its not something im worried about yet i just want to be prepared.


Like Ksalvagno attests to, you can breed a doe up into her teens. As long as her mammary structure holds up and produces enough milk, they can produce kids up into their teens. I have a 12 year old that is pregnant with twins, her 22nd and 23rd kids. Twins every year. Big Kiko/ Spanish doe with a tiny bit of dairy.


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## JumpingGoat (Mar 10, 2016)

papabert said:


> Great advice so far. I would add that I believe (just my inexperienced opinion) that if you want a goat to live longer you would quit breeding at a younger age. Logically it would make sense that years of breeding would shorten a goat's lifespan.
> 
> Sounds right to me, but please correct me if I'm wrong!





toth boer goats said:


> I agree, I had a 12 year old still going strong.
> I retired her to a friend after that, but, she probably could of gone more.
> If they are healthy at a good weight, still producing healthy kids, caring for them and has no udder issues, they can go on and on. But use your best judgment.





Calfee Farms said:


> Like Ksalvagno attests to, you can breed a doe up into her teens. As long as her mammary structure holds up and produces enough milk, they can produce kids up into their teens. I have a 12 year old that is pregnant with twins, her 22nd and 23rd kids. Twins every year. Big Kiko/ Spanish doe with a tiny bit of dairy.





ksalvagno said:


> They can breed into their teens. There isn't a magic number. Depends mainly on health and condition.


Sorry about the late reply but thanks for that info guys! I actually never realized that they would continue breeding for so long


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## goat girls (Dec 13, 2017)

I read that if you stop breeding does at 9 0r 10 they will live up to 20 this is what I intend to do then again it dependes on the doe


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I really want to milk through so that each doe only kids every two years. It's easier on them and I've read they live longer you can continue breeding for longer.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep Suxanne_Tyler, you are right.


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