# Breeding Boers or Saanen/Boer mixes...



## KrysLove (Oct 17, 2013)

We have a "houseful" of goats, so to speak. LOL We bought our does last year, and 2 where breed when we bought them. We found out that the sister of one of our does had died previously. This was not due to the neglect of the family we bought our does from. She was already pregnant when they got her. The place that they got her from had got her breed, whether intentional or not, way too early. This caused her uterus to rupture during delivery and the loss of both mom and baby. My question is that I would like to know how old you would suggest a doe be before they are bred. Also, how long would you suggest between breeding? We are not considering doing any breeding for the mom's this year but would like to know for future reference. 

Buttercup and Bluebell (Bluebell is sick but will post about that in a different thread), had their babies in March. Buttercup's baby, May, turned 1 this year.... just a month and some days after she had her triplets. Their babies will be 8 months old at the end of the month. We are not planning on breeding the girls that were born in March. We have Snowball, who we were told is 7 months old. The lady we bought her from said that she would breed her if we wanted. I don't know anything about how safe that would be. We bought her without being bred. She is 3/4 Saanen and 1/4 Boer. Any suggestions about how old she should be before we breed her to our Boer? 

As I said, May turned 1 in May and I am thinking she should be big enough to breed now. I just want to get the opinions of others who have been doing this longer??? Thanks in advance!


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I breed my does at one year old, if they are at a good weight, and wide enough through the hips and pins. We breed once a year so they kid once a year.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Like Sydney, once a year. Our rule of thumb is 10 mos & 100#.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I breed at 1 to 1 1/2 years old.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I started to do my girls at 9 months this time....some are going to have to wait a bit. Basically though I really look at them and weigh them at 9 months. IMO size is more important then age. I as well want them to be 100lbs and I look at their hips. I know of people who go by the 7 month age. I tried and I don't like it. It took a toll on mom after she kidded and took longer to get on their feet to rebreed. I'll let you know how the 9 month olds go in a few months


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

May should be fine to breed, being over a year old as long as she is well grown she should be OK. Snowball, it really depends. I usually don't breed them their first year if they are born later than Feb/March and they only get bred if they are at least 100 lbs and I breed them to kid in April or May so they are just over a year when they kid. With Snowball being mostly Saanen, I would give her another year to grow as most Saanens are very heavy milkers and milking as a yearling can be pretty hard on them to maintain their weight, grow and make milk all at the same time.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I breed mine to kid at 18 months to 2 years old depending on when they were born. I expect them to kid once a year.


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