# When do you retire your does?



## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

For a healthy doe that hasn't had any problems kidding once a year. What age do you stop breeding her?


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## mikescott (Dec 16, 2012)

depend on health alot .10 or 12 with my exp.


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## RedGate (Dec 7, 2012)

I think that it just varies doe to doe and farm to farm. I know for most, that's usually 9-12. If she is healthy, seems to handle pregnancy well, keeps good weight on, then I don't see any issue with breeding her. I think at some point though, when you have kept a doe for a decade+, it's not about her being a productive animal anymore, it's about prolonging the life of a friend.  I've heard from some people that the newly retired doe can become depressed without kids or getting to milk that sort of thing, though. Just no one number fits all situations.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I tried to retire two of mine at 10 yrs and 12 yrs. They wanted kids, pined for them, came into milk, jumped fences to get to bucks etc. 

So I dont retire my does as a rule. Some may think thats cruel. What I do though is give my girls time off. I might leave them dry for a year, or milk them through for 2 or 3 yrs. 

Of course, if theres a health problem I would not let them breed.


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

Thanks for the info guys I have a 6 year old fullblood boer doe going on 7 and I thought she wouldn't be usable much longer after reading this I felt almost silly for not researching this earlier. My doe is healthy and is a great mother it's nice to know I can away with using her another three or four years. I've had this doe since she was 6 months old and shell be around even after she no longer produces.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

RedGate said:


> I think that it just varies doe to doe and farm to farm. I know for most, that's usually 9-12. If she is healthy, seems to handle pregnancy well, keeps good weight on, then I don't see any issue with breeding her. I think at some point though, when you have kept a doe for a decade+, it's not about her being a productive animal anymore, it's about prolonging the life of a friend.  I've heard from some people that the newly retired doe can become depressed without kids or getting to milk that sort of thing, though. Just no one number fits all situations.


Lifespan of goats, buck or doe is decided upon when they are retired from breeding.... most bucks on average live 8-10 years with does going up to 12 as the chances of delivery complications rises with age.

I chose to retire my eldest doe at 8 years old, she's a pet and always has been so after her delivery I milked her for as long as she was giving, 26 months, after that she dried off and has been content since.


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## sunshinegoat (Feb 7, 2012)

We had thought of retiring our oldest doe (8 year old Saanen) last year after she gave us twin doelings..we were thinking she wanted a break... After weaning her kids she went right back to kicking everyone's but and stealing food so I think she's got it in her to go a few more rounds  She's due the end of April.


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## fd123 (May 29, 2012)

I found a good read somewhere on the internet about this very subject! I cant remember what site it was on... The conclusion they came up with was that retiring a doe at 9yrs gave the doe ...the longest , healthiest life afterwards.. Ill try to to find where i read this and post a link...


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## Bambi (Jun 10, 2012)

Most of our working does are retired milkers. They were retired at the age of nine, but I agree it depends on the individual doe and her health. After they retire from milking they can become good workers (packing and driving) if they are healthy. The average age of our workers is thirteen and our buck is fourteen and still packing.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Thanks for all the help. Someone had once told me 7 years and I was hoping it was longer than that.


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