Breeding Season

Breeding Season is complete here at the farm. I decided to only breed 5 of our does this year due to the economy. I only want to have as many kids as I can handle if I am unable to find buyers. So, while breeding is finished, the rest of the does (and the bucks for that matter) don't know that so we will probably have another month of does going into heat.

For breeding, I have a temporary pen set up using electric netting for the fence and a small shelter. When a doe goes into heat, we move her and the buck of choice to the breeding pen where they will stay for a day or so. Then they are moved back to their regular areas.

I also have to put up a line of electric netting between the buck and the doe pastures. Through out most of the year, there is one fence between the 2 pastures and that is sufficient. When breeding starts, I put up the netting as a temporary second fence about 12 ft in from the permanent fence-line. This completely eliminates the destructive rubbing on the fence and breaking of the fence with horns that goes on with a single fence. It also eliminates the chance of a "through the fence" breeding as well.

I bred my 2 AAGBA white does, Moonshine and Maisie, to our wonderful AAGBA buck from Fred Speck in Texas. These are the same breedings as last fall, I am very happy with all of the kids from these breedings this spring.

Sinead is bred to Hill4115, this is another repeat breeding. Sinead's doeling, Bronwyn from this spring is outstanding. She has wonderful coverage, a nice brownish red fleece, pretty, tight curls and great luster. I'm hoping for something similar next spring.

Nessie is also bred to Hill4115. This is her first breeding. I am hoping for great things from her kids. She has a very consistent fleece with great tight curls, a pretty gray color. I love her frosted nose and ears too.

Blackie is bred to my new buck, Kai Ranch Irving (pictured at the top). Blackie has a dense, soft, medium curled fleece. She is my heaviest shearing colored goat. She is from the black/patterned (recessive) line. Irving is mixed, his sire is red from the red/black/brown line and his dam is a reverse badger from the black/patterned line. I'm hoping for some wonderful color from this breeding next spring.

Roni, Mairead, Keely, and Bo-Peep will all get this this year off and will be teasing the bucks for the next month or so as they go through their heat cycles. When the days start to get longer again, that triggers the end of breeding season for angora goats.