Goat Reproduction

Reproductive Management

• Most Indian goat breeds exhibit oestrus throughout the year. A few breeds are seasonally polyestrous with the extended breeding season.
• Under extensive conditions, rearing of bucks (males) with females leads to mating throughout the year.
• Goats usually come to heat between September and November and March and April.
• Depending on the body condition, flush them with 300-350 g of concentrate feed daily along with ample green fodder to improve body condition.
• Flushing around breeding increases the kid crop by 10-20%, increasing the number of twins born.
• During pregnancy, feed the doe about 300-400 g of concentrate daily during late gestation (2 months). This transition feeding should continue for 2 months after kidding also.
• Transition feeding helps improve milk yield, nursing ability, health condition, birth weight of kids, reduces stillbirths, and improves twinning and triplet percentage.
• During pregnancy, an increase of about 10-12 kg body weight is desirable.
• A doe can be first bred after it attains 65-70% of adult body weight. The age at first kidding is 12-14 months and the gestation period of goats is 5 months and 5 days.
• Steps need to be taken to avoid inbreeding.
• Be watchful for a shiny udder, restlessness, sunken tail and hip, heavy breathing, and constant looking sideways, which are signs of approaching kidding.
• Post kidding, provide the doe a bucket of clean water. Keep the doe and kid in the same cubicle for 3-4 days. Thereafter, the doe may be allowed to graze with other goats.

The Doe's Estrous Cycle

The doe's estrous cycle is the interval between two estrus or heat periods that lasts an average of 21 days. The estrus or heat can last from 12 to 48 hours. During estrus does are receptive to being mounted by bucks. For artificial insemination, it is important to identify when a doe is in heat. Producers are encouraged to utilize teasers, usually a vasectomized buck to identify a doe in heat.

Age of attainment of puberty	7 months to 1 year
Approximate weight at first mating	15-18 kg
Age at first mating or insemination	8 months to 12 months
Oestrous cycle	Generally, every 18-21 days
Duration of heat	14 – 48 hours
Gestation period	145 – 156 days
Age at first kidding	13 –17 months
Ideal kidding rate	3 in 2 consecutive years
Service period	45 days
Minimum dry period	30 days

Signs of Heat

• Wagging of tail. The frequency of tail movement increases in the presence of males.
• Frequent bleating, more so when the goat is alone.
• Excitement or restlessness.
• Anorexia and lack of interest in feed.
• Drop in milk yield.
• Vulva becomes swollen and oedematous.
• Small quantity of clear discharge from the vagina.
• Doe anxiously goes seeking the buck.
• It remains close to the buck and allows mounting.
• It mounts on other goats and allows to be mounted by others.