# Dumb question



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

So I've had this dumb question in my mind for quite awhile now, and not really sure one would phrase it to Google it or something. It's probably pretty obvious to most but I've never quite understood it.

So with choosing a buck for your does, you want to choose a smaller framed buck than your does..especially with younger does. So here comes the dumb question lol...does that mean how your buck is currently sized (example a yearling) or is it based off of what his potential adult size will be?

I know, so dumb but it's been nagging at me for awhile now and really bugged me last night. 

It's currently 3 above here with 30mph winds...so like -22. Last night I still had some does out in the pasture in that shelter (which really is fine, they are out of the wind knee deep in straw) but I just sleep better when everyone is in the barn and safe. 

Anyway, in the middle of the horrible weather my two groups, the older does with the big beast buck and the yearling does with my yearling buck became mixed and Boris (the beast) found out that yearling doe Frieda is in heat and was chasing after her (as was yearling buck Fritz) I don't think he bred her that I seen. I quickly got the yearling group separated again, but it just brought up that nagging question again.


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

It's his genetic weight potential.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

That's what I thought but just had to finally break down and ask to make sure, thanks lol.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

adult size has little to do with birthing ease. the does body knows how big is too big and will adjust the size according to the size of the doe. that is why we have minnies.
birthing ease is a factor of two things one the head size of the kid at birth this is a buck trait that you should be watching for. 
The second is the size of the hips of the doe the only way to check this is to do a sonogram.
Birth weight is not a good thing to look at when it comes to birthing ease. you do not want to starve the fetus for birthing ease the kid will be week and die if you do. any how a starved fetus still has the scull of a fat fetus.

I worry more about human intervention during birth than kid size. If you have two front feet and a nose do not get two excited and help too soon. let the doe fully dilate first. with goats this some times takes longer than the book said it would. waiting is a virtue during kidding. I think I have killed ewes by hurrying things up so I could go to bed.

Ps the only dumb question is the one not asked.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I'm getting more guilty of assisting too soon myself I believe, you just get caught up in the moment you know. I pulled two sets last year, the one I should have known was coming. Every year she has a single monster buckling, (big head, like you mentioned) and this last kidding season was pretty difficult to get him out so I felt ok about pulling that one.

The other I probably should have let her go another hour or so but then again maybe not. She had triplets and they were all mixed up in there, took a bit of limb sorting. But they came out easy. All three made it thankfully.

This whole size thing is just kind of worrying me because I bred a few doelings earlier than I usually do. I went with them being 10 months and 90# instead of waiting till they were 1-1/2. Really hoping I don't come to regret this decision, going to just go back to my old strategy I think after this year.


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

90 lbs and 10 months should be fine unless they were really fine framed


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

The buck is almost always bigger than the doe. If they're the same breed, size difference isn't really an issue unless you're worried about a small first freshener or undersized doe then you might want to consider a smaller buck. I don't think it really makes a difference. The problems come when you breed a large breed buck to a small breed doe. Don't cross a Boer buck on a Pygmy doe for example. That's just asking for trouble.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

> I worry more about human intervention during birth than kid size. If you have two front feet and a nose do not get two excited and help too soon. let the doe fully dilate first. with goats this some times takes longer than the book said it would. waiting is a virtue during kidding.
> 
> Ps the only dumb question is the one not asked.


I totally agree...on both statements!!


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