Breeding goats?????

[mommaebear]

Ok I've done enough research to have learnt that goats from warmer places, such as Boers are seasonal breeders, and goats originally from cooler places can breed year round. What I am confused about are which breeds are from warmer climates(Kiko? not sure what it is like in Newzealand, but the interior of Austrailia is hot), and which breeds are from cooler climates. My focus is for meat production, and year round breeding to have a somewhat steady supply.
TIA

 

[MaggieJ]

Don't have the answers, but I googled best meat goat breeds Canada:

http://www.aps.uoguelph.ca/~gking/Ag_2350/goat.htm

http://www.critterridge.net/meatgoatbreeds.html

And then there are forums dedicated to raising goats such as this one at Homesteading Today.
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/forumd ... ne=30&f=17

I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to that question as well, so if you come to a conclusion, I hope you will share it. My guess is it will be Boer or a Boer cross.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Warm breed goats would be the Boer and the Nubian , also Nigerian Dwarf , there is one more small breed but the name escapes me at the moment. However our Nubians were seasonal breeders, just like the Swiss breeds. I've heard that the Boer and the Nigerian Dwarf will breed year round. No personal experience however.

 

[5dognightfarm]

The Spanish are good meat goats and they're known for handling the heat well. Also look at San Clementes, they aren't super meaty but they're also from a hot region but they were originally a feral breed so they may be seasonal.

I thought Boers bred year round though?

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

guys--you got it backwards!!! The warmer, equatorial originating breeds are aseasonal!!!(year round)It has to do with photoperiods-- animals come into estrus when it would help the young be born at the start of the 'sprong flush'-- and equatorial regions do not ahve such a huge difference in the weather and light cycles... However, it has been noted, among sheep breeders-- that the aseasonal breeds, kept further North, are losing the aseasonal capabilities-- It isrteallyheck trying to increase your arr3e breed herd numbers when then animals are becoming more like the northern breeds...

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Don't goats take about 5 months to kid? So if a goat kids and is fresh for a month or two then breeds again, you are practically calling that a whole year anyways, so whats the difference?? With today's modern barns etc. etc. it isn't any harder to raise kids in the winter than the summer.. it seems to me we had sheep lambing in Feb. for Easter and our goats around the same time.

 

[Brody]

Pygmy's come into heat every 21 days - quite regularly if not bred ...

 

[Intothewoods]

Don't goats take about 5 months to kid? So if a goat kids and is fresh for a month or two then breeds again, you are practically calling that a whole year anyways, so whats the difference?? With today's modern barns etc. etc. it isn't any harder to raise kids in the winter than the summer.. it seems to me we had sheep lambing in Feb. for Easter and our goats around the same time.

Well, actually you are talking about more than a month or two fresh even for meat goats, weaning is often done about three months old or even four. Dairy goats are bred back while still milking also, obviously the goal for them is longer lactation because that equals more milk. With dairy goats you usually dry them off two months before they deliver their new kids. I think the OP was asking so that she will know which breeds to pick, if you have goats that will breed year round you can stagger the breedings to have kids all or most of the time. I have read that Boers, while being seasonal, have an extended breeding season. Nigerian Dwarfs are year round, but you are not likely to want a dwarf for meat production. You can probably get a lot of good information just by Googling "breeding season for ___ goats" on whatever breed you are considering.

 

[LilFish_JWQueen(:]

ok i have nigerians and my boyfriend has boar goats and both breeds will breed all year round. nigerians are dairy goats.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I raise both Boers and Nubians. I breed them pretty much any time of year. There seems to be more intensity with the cycle in the fall, but it works anytime. I usually breed for the percentage kids to be born early in the year for fair goats and the fullbloods to be born in the spring.