Thinking About Breeding

With the start of September, it makes me think about breeding for next year.

All four bucks under the trees

Goats are cool weather breeders, so I am really thinking about the need to get rid of the rest of the little boys. Because goats mature enough to breed at a very young age.  And Bumble looks like a March baby, and he’s all buck.  So that is going to have to happen soon.

Bumble (born in June) next to Claire (born in March)

I’m also looking at my girls and trying to judge who looks good and who is struggling.  I know Astra is struggling because it was a hot summer.  I think she might get the year off.

Astra

Margarita and her kids both look horrible, so I am not going to breed her.

Margarita

Caroline was supposed to take this year off, and then she broke in with the bucks.  So I will try to give her this coming year off.

Caroline’s girl, Ducky (sorry, I forgot to get a picture of Caroline)

The last one who is not looking good is Sidney.  She just suddenly looks thin, and I don’t know why–heat, raising twins, or what.  But she is going to get a year off.

Sidney with her boy, Frosty

On the other end, I should have several girls to breed for the first time–Pretzel, Rosie, Perdita, Trace, and 2TC.

Trace

Then there’s also Onyx, who just didn’t settle this year.

Onyx (from the weekend when they were so hot)

So even with some taking a year off (or possibly retiring–who knows), we’ll still have a lot of kids next year.