AboutGoatlady Expertise Specializing in New Goat Owner understanding of goat physiology, goat anatomy, goat care and herd management. *I am not a veterinarian, any advice and information should be verified by your veterinarian before administering to your goats.
(! During times of severe weather in the Midwest, I may experience a delay in internet service due to the interference of the satellite reception - but will answer your questions as soon as service is restored. !)
Note: Keep in mind, the goat expert is volunteering her time to help other goat owners, she also runs her farm with her own herd of 100 goats and may not be at her computer at all hours. Questions are answered as soon as she can possibly read and answer them, usually within 24 hours.
Experience 18 years experience of raising goats and herd management. Active hands on experience with goat herd and research with various Caprine University Research and Extension Centers nationwide. 15 years dedicated to helping other goat breeders/owners with goat anatomy, goat disease and goat health care issues via phone, published goat care articles and internet interaction. The information I have to offer is not only from personal experience and years of research updated often as new information is made available to me, but supported by many Veterinary Research colleges and all medications and information I have to offer on how the medications work and what dosages "I" use, is information I have acquired by discussing directly with the company's veterinarians and staff research experts.
Organizations 5 year active member of International Veterinary Information Service
Publications United Caprine News, Homesteaders Magazine, Columnist for Goat Magazine, Owner and Author of GoatPedia™
Education/Credentials Graduate Programs in Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
Answer *HI Ann,
IN early pregnancy you really have no way other than a veterinary performed ultra sound or xray.
The best way to know (or have a good idea they are) is to watch the breeding, when the buck throws his head back while mounting the doe, this is when ejaculation takes place. If she hunches up directly after this , this is a sign he had entered the doe and was in deep enough to press on her cervix. In 3 weeks a successfully bred doe will more than likely NOT come back into a heat cycle. There have been exceptions when a bred doe "may " come back in to a heat cycle only this first 3 week cycle. (goats cycle every 21 days for approx 3 days during breeding season which is normally from Aug to Feb, unless they are NON seasonal breeders such as pygmies, nigerians or boers who can be bred any time of year) After that she is what is called "settled" or bred. IN the last 2 months of pregnancy you can see the udder development, the belly enlargement, at times see or feel baby movement in the underbelly, the vulva will begin to swell as the pregnancy progresses.
I have 2 very good articles for you to read, one is about breeding and one on kidding..
