# Nigerian Dwarf goat breeding size? How small is too small?



## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

Even though I have been raising Nigerians for years now, this question has always bothered me, How small is too small to breed your Nigerian Doe? I don't mean age wise, I mean a doe that you have let mature to atleast a year and a half old. I have had 2 does have to get C-sections, the goats were related grandam and her grand daughter, so I am wondering if this may have had something to do with genetics. The grandam was a decent sized nigerian, she was about 20," the grand daughter to this doe was very tiny, only about 18". Both does had very large single buck kids. After the C-sections (performed by a different vet on each goat) both does started to herniate where their surgery was several months after the surgery, I even got the hernia fixed on the grand dam and tried breeding her back but she never took. I have since then gotten rid of this bloodline in my herd but I still worry because getting a C-section on a goat is such an ordeal, and I would rather sell a goat as a pet rather than put them through this, though it is hard to tell how big they are going to get when they are young, I hate to invest so much in a doe that I don't know will ever get to breeding size. 

I have a doe this year that I am a little worried about breeding, she is a year and half, 50lbs and 19". I weighed and measured my other adult doe for reference she is about 4 years old, 62lbs and 19". I was very surprised how close they were in size, I even measured the length of their backs for the front of the withers to the base of tail and they were exactly the same. To me the older doe just looks so much bigger, but I am guessing this is just because she has a little bit more depth. I have looked around at other breeders websites at the height of their does and 19" seems to be pretty common for a doe so I don't know if I am worrying to much or what, lol.

What is your opinion on me breeding this younger doe, do you think I should hold off another year, even though I am pretty sure she is as big as shes going to get height wise? I just hate to wait so long to see if this doe I bred is going to have the udder I hoped for, though that isn't nearly as important to me as the well-being of the doe.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

It sounds like the real problem was that single buckling, but I do know some lines mature slower than others and may need more time than other lines.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I would breed the younger doe anytime. A year and a half is plenty old enough. The issues you had with c sections could have been one thing or another or a contribution of things...bone structure, kid size, small birth canal, etc.


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I got a very cute free nigie when buying another one a few years back. This girl was lacking minerals and is only 17.5" tall. I bred her and she had twins without any issues. She's in with the boys again.

I was worried because I bred her to an OH buck but all turned out fine.

HTH,


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## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

Thank you for the information, I am glad to hear that you guys have bred does her size without any issues. I believe it was small birth canals on the two does I had to get C-sections on, one of them was very hard to get my hand into try to see why nothing was coming out, the other doe that was smaller I couldn't even get my hand in at all, and I have small hands. 

I will let you know how it all turns out with my girl this year, I am very excited to see the full package of udder and all, so far she is turning out really nice.

Just out of curiousity, what is the smallest in size you would choose to breed a doe? I think the smallest I would ever go is 17.5ish" and anything less than 40lbs.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

When I breed does for the first time, I prefer them to be about 3/4 or larger compared to the size of their dam.


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