# Stud Service



## Melinda29 (Apr 19, 2016)

I may be sending my yearling does to stud service in two weeks. They (so far) show signs of heat year round. The place charges $65 for stud and $5/day boarding. It's three hours from here, and since it's so far and there are three of them, I can't just wait until I see them each individually in heat to drive all the way up there. I'm thinking of taking them up on a Saturday, leaving them for a week, and then picking up again. The stud owner requires payment up front, so there's no way of guaranteeing pregnancy. There are no other farms that test for CAE, CL, TB, Johnnes, and Brucellosis within 250-miles of here, so short of buying my own (which I'm trying to do), stud service is my only option. So this is going to cost me $100/Doe altogether.

Is 7 days with a buck long enough to induce heat and have a successful breeding probably take place? 

Is there any reason NOT to breed now, for summer kids? 

My does are just turning 1 and weigh around 80 pounds each. They are mini Nubian and mini Sable--big girls for their age.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

More bugs in summer. Heat can affect them.

One week is not long enough. You should leave them for a full cycle which is 21 days.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Hmmm. Most breeders here will let you come back (in the same year) and rebreed if pregnancy doesn't take the first time.

Your breeders price seems reasonable, depending on what breed you have and the quality of the buck(s).

One possibility you might want to consider is using hormones to sync your does' cycles. Then you will KNOW they will be heat while they are there. I've not done it, but there are folks here who have and could coach you through the process.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

The summer is completely fine to have kids! Where I live it get super hot here (70° in winter) and I've had no problems with it just make sure when labor hits they are in the shade and have lots of water. I would leave them for at least 21 days. The price seems to be very high! I have a purebred Kiko buck that I stud out for $35 and you bring your own feed and hay.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I would suggest leaving for 3.5 weeks if you can afford it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice. I like leaving does with bucks for 2 heat cycles to see if they come in again. 
Some have a false heat the first time, so won't take then and will have to follow up with breeding again.

If you can't do that, you will have to bring them back to test them, right at the 18 day mark and leave them there until the time to go out has passed. I prefer to day 23 to make absolutely sure.


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## LibertysBoerGoatRanch (Aug 26, 2016)

Would the boarding fee go down if your brought your own feed? I charge $3 a day for board. Seems that the boarding fee is what's gonna cost you the most.


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## BrokenArrowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

Or put that $300 towards your own buck


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

BrokenArrowRanch said:


> Or put that $300 towards your own buck


Now that's a good idea


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

BrokenArrowRanch said:


> Or put that $300 towards your own buck





IHEARTGOATS said:


> Now that's a good idea


If they are not set up to house a buck at this point its not a good idea.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Well you can buy a buck and keep him with your girls until his place is set up I've done that for years and it works!


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

Dayna said:


> If they are not set up to house a buck at this point its not a good idea.


When we first got goats we bought 3 doeling kids 2 and 3 months old. When they were a little over a year old, we bought a 10 week old buckling and put him with them. He was not able to breed them for several months. We worked on getting a separate pen ready and he stayed with the does until they kidded.

As soon as they kidded he was moved into a separate area. Later, we wethered one of the buck kids and they lived together.

7 years later I've got 39 goats.


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## Melinda29 (Apr 19, 2016)

BrokenArrowRanch said:


> Or put that $300 towards your own buck


Like I wrote in the original post, I'm trying to find one. There aren't any within 250 mile radius of my house, except these. And the ones that are available at that distance are not tested.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I can't own a buck. I don't have the room. I take my does to another farm for breeding. I leave them for 1 month. Works very well for me and I have ended up with 100% pregnancy rate so far. I also make sure my girls are very healthy and up to date on everything.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good advice.


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