Goat Reproduction

Reproduction

Photo of dam nursing kids.

Understanding reproduction in goats is essential to increasing productivity, which is largely a function of pregnancy rate, the number of offspring born and weaned and the frequency with which kids are produced. Therefore, goat reproductive management should produce a high level of fertility (greater than 90 percent) and an optimum litter size (two kids) with a high rate of survival to weaning. Understanding reproductive processes in the goat will help producers manage their herd …

Goat Reproduction Gestation

Pregnancy (Gestation)

The average length of pregnancy in goats is 150 days, or five months. During early pregnancy, embryonic losses are usually 20 to 30 percent higher than in later pregnancy. There are a number of external factors that can cause pregnancy losses, including environmental stress caused by heat, nutrition, or even doe age. During early pregnancy, the kid is just an embryo and it is also extremely sensitive to a wide range of drugs and mineral deficiencies.

During pregnancy …