Any livestock industry depends on the generation of offspring. It does not matter the direction of productivity (meat, milk, wool, etc.), success primarily depends on the quality and quantity of offspring. Mating is an important process on which the quality of animal breeding depends. The case of goats has its own subtleties, without which it is impossible to get offspring.
Types of mating
In goat breeding, several types of fertilization are used:
- Artificial insemination. This is the most progressive method. Goats are fertilized with sperm from the best producers. Sexually transmitted diseases are excluded. The number of inseminated animals can be in the hundreds. To date, this method is not widely used in farms of the country due to the lack of a sperm bank. Foreign material is very high quality, but its cost is too high.
- Freestyle. How goats do with goats with this method is described below. Its essence lies in the joint maintenance of queens with producers during the entire random season (from 1.5 to 2 months). This is the cheapest and easiest way. The goats find the females who come to the hunt and cover them. The cheap method does not live up to expectations. Too many goats can go idle without waiting for the attention of the gentleman. The fact is that after mating with two or three individuals, the goat loses interest in goats, does not pay attention to them. One more minus: in this case there can be no question of tribal work. In addition, it is not possible to fix the exact date of insemination of the goat. Producers quickly deplete and lose their shape. To maintain the activity of goats, it is recommended to separate from the females for 5-6 hours per day.
- Harem. It differs from the free one in that there is only one producer in the herd of 25-30 goats. In this case, breeding is possible, because the uterus is selected for a particular manufacturer. The goat searches for goats in the hunt and covers them without human intervention. There are drawbacks to this method, in particular, it is impossible to control the insemination period, and many goats can remain single.
- Manual The case of a goat with a goat is controlled by a goat grower. A female who has come to the hunt is identified from the herd using a probe. The goat ready for pairing is placed in the machine and covered with a goat selected for it. Thus, a clear breeding record is kept, the timing of insemination and future lambing of the uterus is controlled. Usually one cage is enough if it ends with a characteristic impulse. The maximum number of cages per one “date” is two. If the goat continues to show signs of hunting, it is re-covered after 12 hours.
The most effective method of all of the above is manual mating. During the season, one male (2-7 years old) is able to cover up to 100 goats. With the free or harem version, this figure drops to 30 goals.
Manufacturer requirements
Although puberty in goats occurs already at the age of six months, they begin to use them no earlier than a year later. Early “sexual experience” negatively affects the overall development of the male. The offspring of such young "daddies" are not distinguished by viability and good productivity. Use animals up to 6-7 years of age, some especially valuable goats - up to 8 years, but with a reduced load.
To obtain viable offspring, the best individuals of both sexes are selected. The goat should be:
- factory condition;
- strong constitution;
- absolutely healthy;
- not be a close relative of the queens;
- have the appropriate origin (mother is highly milk, milk is transmitted through the manufacturer);
- it is desirable to come from a prolific "family" - from twins or triplets;
- have an energetic, mobile temperament.
You can not leave the tribe of cryptorchids, animals with any abnormalities in the development of the genitals, lame, depleted or too fat.
Masterbatch Requirements
The first mating of goats occurs when they reach 7–9 months of age (although it comes to hunting as early as four months after birth). By this time they weigh about 40 kg. The minimum allowable weight is 32 kg. There are goat breeders who prefer to raise females up to 18 months and only then happen.
There are pros and cons. Goats that managed to give birth before the age of two have more milkiness, but their productive use is shorter. Early mating can cause lambing complications. Older individuals produce less milk, but produce longer.
When choosing animals for mating, pay attention to:
- exterior;
- health;
- age;
- fatness;
- origin;
- lack of close family ties with the manufacturer.
Females are used up to seven years.
Animal preparation
The tribal goat is used only 3-4 months a year. It is kept in a spacious individual machine with a size of 2 * 1.5 m, the height of the walls is at least 1.5 m. They should be equipped with a manger for roughage, a feeder for concentrates. The animal is provided with access to water. To maintain the goat in good physical condition, he or she is given a walk or grazing twice a day.
A case of goats is possible if both partners are physically healthy and meet the required condition. Before mating, the goats do not stop milking, so the diet does not change. Check the animals for fatness (preferably good or medium).
The male should have a small layer of subcutaneous fat. Glossy hair indicates good health. Instincts do not allow the goat to gain weight in the period from September to December, he is too excited, even if not used in a random campaign. Two months before the start of the "work" check his condition. Too well-fed goat is transferred to a supportive diet, where roughage prevails. The skinny ones are checked for worms and concorm feeds are added (start from 100 grams per day, gradually bring the norm to 600 grams). If necessary, the animal is additionally injected with vitamins and mineral supplements.
Hunting
They breed females only when they come to the hunt. The best time for mating goats is 10-20 hours after it starts. Fertility in this period reaches 85%. This is because ovulation occurs after 27-29 hours from the moment of the first signs of hunting. Hunting lasts a short time - from 12 hours and a maximum of up to 2 days. It is important to identify it in time and have time to cover the goat. Signs of the hunt:
- restless behavior of the female:
- swelling and redness of the external genitalia;
- constant rotational movements of the tail;
- vaginal discharge is noticeable: the beginning of the hunt is opaque, thick, the middle is liquid, clean, and at the completion stage it is thick, white;
- she tries to find a male by smell, constantly sniffing.
The manifestation of hunting can be bright or sluggish, it depends on the characteristics of the animal, on the time of year, feeding conditions and keeping. At the beginning of the random season, it is not so noticeable.
Technology
Consider how goats mate. The process itself lasts only a few seconds. For guaranteed fertilization of a female, a few simple rules should be followed:
- the place of mating is chosen quiet, the atmosphere is calm;
- the goat is brought to the female and allowed to be caged, watching that in addition to a few small shocks at the end there is one strong one;
- after the final push, the goat should be hunched over; if this did not happen, the mating is repeated;
- after the first cage, the male is allowed to rest for 20-25 minutes and the process is repeated;
- for one mating, a goat can make only two cages, then he needs a break lasting at least 6 hours (earlier it is useless to cover - there will be no sperm in the testes, it takes time to form).
In goats, the sexual cycle lasts from 17 to 23 days. Its violation serves as a signal of malnutrition of animals, a lack of trace elements or vitamins.
The timing
The case of goats starts on the tenth week after June 21st. At this time, animals massively come to the hunt. Optimal dates are August-September. The offspring born in January-February will be ready to go to pasture, by then already having 20 teeth. Fresh green grass will contribute to the rapid development of babies. As livestock practice shows, winter children are stronger and more resilient.
The second term for covering goats in May-June. Okot will take place in October-November. The offspring leaving for the winter will not receive the vitamins and minerals contained in green fodder. Such offspring develops worse and lags behind their winter relatives in terms of growth.
Features
The case of goats has its own nuances, which should not be forgotten:
- fertilization is more effective in October-November;
- a goat cannot cover more than two females per day;
- to provoke a goat’s hunt, they lock it for a while with the goat;
- modern tools allow you to synchronize hunting by the herd;
- obesity is a common cause of lack of hunting;
- in young individuals, hunting proceeds almost imperceptibly;
- the most healthy offspring are obtained from queens at the age of 3-5 years, and animals up to 8 are used;
- after lambing, the goat is ready for mating for 16-30 days (if it is not covered, then lactation will be longer);
- it is not recommended to get two offspring a year, the second will be weaker, and the goat’s body is depleted (it should rest for at least six months);
- for the constant availability of milk, it is better to divide the herd into two groups and cover one half in the fall, the second in the spring;
- free breeding is not acceptable for successful breeding;
- a young goat (up to 2 years old) is not suitable for the role of an “expert” in identifying hunting for females, he will jump at all, but an older male only “cares” for the female in the hunt;
- in very hot weather, the sexual activity of males decreases.
These are the main aspects of goat mating. Naturally, each specialist is free to choose the appropriate methods at his discretion.