# Mini Goat Breeding Question



## LuckyDuckFarm (May 26, 2015)

Hi! We have a slight predicament. We just bought a seven year old purebred Nigerian Dwarf! She's registered with the ADGA, has won several first place ribbons at our local fair, and is just sooo friendly and cute.
But anyway. We have a Nubian/Boer cross buck that we wanted to breed her with, but we came across the information that you CANNOT breed an older Nigerian Dwarf (or a mini goat of any age, for that matter) to a buck of a larger breed because the babies will be too big and kill the mother during birth. But at 6 months old, our Nubian/Boer buck is only about the same size as the Dwarf doe. We realize he may be bigger when he's full grown, but we don't exactly know how much bigger. 

So our main two questions are: 
1. Would it be safe (for the doe) to breed her to our mongrel buck?
2. This is sort of off-topic, but can buck even breed at six months?


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

1. No it's not safe to breed her to a buck. He may be the same size now but you have to go of his mature size which will be much bigger than her.
2. Yes a buck can breed at 6momths of age. Some are able to breed as young as 8-12 weeks of age.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

1. Was supposed to say: no it's not safe to breed her to "that" buck.


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## Rise_and_Shine_Ranch (May 16, 2015)

I agree with Bree,

You cannot breed a big standard breed buck to a small dwarf doe. It would create too large babies and kill the mama and the kids. 

And yes, six month old bucklings are ready to go as early as 7 weeks for our ND little boys. For standard breeds, maturity comes a little later. 6 month olds can definitely breed one doe, and a few more.

My advice is to breed her to a ND or a Pygmy buck. But make sure to retire her soon! One of the #1 causes of death in older does is kidding complications.

Good luck with your new doe! Sound like she is a keeper.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I would never recommend it. A Nubian/Boers kids are normally 8 to 10 lbs. at birth. A Nigerian's kids are 2 to 4 lbs at birth. Even if they blend well the kids are going to be very large for this doe. 
My does are the same age as yours, they are already showing some trouble with kidding out well and are easily in their last year or so of productivity.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You must always consider the full size of the buck. What size he is at 6 months has nothing to do with the size of kids he will reproduce.


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## LuckyDuckFarm (May 26, 2015)

Ok. So we think we might have to sell the mixed breed buck and get a mini buck instead. But that brings on a new problem: We also have a three year old full-bred Boer doe that is giant. Would a miniature sized male be tall enough to breed her?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can always back her up to a hay bale or platform.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I have full sized boer girls and don't have a big buck. All mini bucks. This year we used our oldest buck and with his experience he seems to be able to serve them in the paddock. For one girl we used our young 1 yr old buck. Put him, the doe and a hay bale in a smaller yard and he got the job done no problem either.


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