# Ï'm Too Short!: Breeding Nigerian Dwarf with La Mancha (Full-sized)



## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

Hopefully this is the right spot, as the "problem" is with the Nigerian Dwarf.

I sense a recurring theme here with our goats--nothing seems to go through the normal processes.

We are trying to breed a Nigerian Dwarf and a full-sized La Mancha. I'll pause a minute for any snickering to subside.

The problem we are having is the most obvious one. Our guy is a bit too short to accomplish the mission.

I've separated the two for a date. I have even given the little guy a pallet to give him some extra height. I've tried being the date coordinator, maneuvering the buck onto the pallet and the doe in the appropriate position....(The things we do for our goats). But, as you can imagine, being chaperoned is a mood killer.

So the root question is, anyone have any ideas to facilitate this pairing? 

The buck is a little over a year old and about 18 inches from hoof to shoulder. So not quite full grown. Would like babies in the spring, but we've gone through a couple of cycles already and considering the girls are still looking for love, my base assumption is they are not bred. Doe's first cycle was on September 18 and she was in heat again today (Oct 14)...26 days later.

So I guess that brings other questions. That heat cycle seems to be kind of long. 

1. Is that long of cycle normal? 
2. If that is uncommon, could the doe be pregnant? 
3. How often, if at all, do does go back into heat once pregnant?

So I guess that is 4 questions in total. I guess the last 3 are off topic for the mini forum. I'll move them and start a new thread in the appropriate board if necessary.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I bred my nigerian buck to my saanen does...we were successful 2 out of three..: ) we used a tire with a board on top and like you...held the doe in her spot and Bleu figured out the rest...Nigies can be very eager at their job....

for our standard breeds, We put our love birds together and get at least three visuals...once the doe is tired of the buck after that we remove her...most times she will still call and flag for several days...Ive nto had one come back in heat after a successful breeding, how ever I have read where they can have a weak "heat" like behavior three weeks after being bred...its hormones..

a blood test will confirm pregnancy and you can post pooch pix here for us to give our best guess...waiting 30 days is best : )


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## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

happybleats,

Thanks for the confirmation that I am at least heading down the right track with the "booster chair". I was hoping this heat cycle would be, as you called it, a weak cycle--implying she was bred but kind of going through the motions. But considering I have not noticed any change in her vulva, I wasn't hopeful that she was bred. Take all of this with a grain of salt as this is our first go round with goats.

During her first heat, he chased her around like a goat possessed. This time around, he did a small song and show but didn't have near the same vigor.

As far as visual confirmations of the breeding---have seen them. But it seemed like he was falling a bit short. 

Visuals on Vulva, same size as always. No color change. Today she had a small discharge. We'll see how it looks in the next 3-4 weeks.


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## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

Goat date shack....You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! Until after the "date" is over.

In for a penny....in for a pound...


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

lol..good idea...I might biuld me one of those!!! the only thing we had a problem with the pallets is Bleus hooves got stuck ...might nail a plyboard on there just in case..


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## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

I thought about the plywood but really didn't want to have to go that route. Will if I have to but figured I'd give this a whirl first. Other doe is in heat today so date time is just about here.


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

I've had the same sort of problem with my Alpine buckling as he is still a little small to do my bigger Alpine does so i've had to assist him most of time. I've used a pallet with good results except my buck's hooves sometimes get caught in the slots so i moved to a steep bank.
Breeding is a 2 person job around here lol.


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## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

Having absolutely no luck. I'll put them in a pen or the date shack by themselves and all of sudden no interest. If I put him in with the does and try and let things happen naturally, too short. 

If I go in to give the guy a hand, he becomes un-interested. I'll position but he go somewhere else and lay down.

Thinking this is about a lost cause this year.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

It can work. This lol guy managed to breed this standard togg.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

Here's the pic


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Put them together and leave them a few days if you haven't in the past. He might just take advantage of her laying down to rest and get the job done. My pygmy buck came with a pygmy doe and a boer doe. Guess who was pregnant, yep the boer doe. Lol


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## IvyMayPygmyGoats (Jan 24, 2014)

AHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH. Sorry, but.. Oh lord good luck little man. let's hope she's into small guys.


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## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

We have put them together for days on end during the first and second cycle. However, upon inspection it just wasn't working.

We found another standard sized buck and were able to procure him.

Less than two minutes in, the job was done on all our does. He's an eager fella.


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## bbpygmy (Apr 14, 2014)

Would the offspring be able to be registered? we have one Lamancha doe and a Nigerian Buck both registered with ADGA. we would like to have a mini mancha since our giant LaMancha keeps picking on our pygmies :/


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

bbpygmy said:


> Would the offspring be able to be registered? we have one Lamancha doe and a Nigerian Buck both registered with ADGA. we would like to have a mini mancha since our giant LaMancha keeps picking on our pygmies :/


Yes the offspring would be registerable with the Miniature Dairy Goat Association as f1 mini lamancha.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

We use a cinder block when our buck needs a boost. 

Glad you got your girls bred.


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## LittleShortyFarms (Sep 26, 2014)

bbpygmy



bbpygmy said:


> Would the offspring be able to be registered? we have one Lamancha doe and a Nigerian Buck both registered with ADGA. we would like to have a mini mancha since our giant LaMancha keeps picking on our pygmies :/


Dad is registered ND and mom is unregistered LaMancha. So their kids would be F1s.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

Yes F1's. But only a grade if the mother is unregistered


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## csnyderrn (Feb 24, 2014)

I am having the same issue...hold the doe, the buck just doesn't care. Not sure what is next. I really want the big does bred. Frustrated.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

csnyderrn said:


> I am having the same issue...hold the doe, the buck just doesn't care. Not sure what is next. I really want the big does bred. Frustrated.


My problem is if I hold the girls they won't stand right. They hunch up and squirm and he still can't get them. So I'm running them together and crossing my fingers. The youngest nubian hasn't come back in, and I haven't seen the older nubian back in. The saneen is the one that keeps cycling. But she is the tallest also, and skittish, so can't hold her.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Leave some pallets or something he can get up on in their area...I have lead my lamancha onto a slight hillside to accommodate my ND buck. The hill worked best for us. (Kinda creepy to be such an integral part of the breeding..:/. )


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Yep I put in two pallets. I've had to help my miniature horse stud before. Actually had to hobble and tie a mean mare and then lead him up and help him get her quickly before she could kick the fire out of us. But the next yr she was fine, was just a contrary maiden. But this saneen doe just doesn't cooperate. She hunches and tries to lay down or jumps around when I try to hold her. Thought about making a breeding stand by making a box just big enough for her to stand and a platform behind her. Lol


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