Doe in heat
It is essential that mating be planned carefully to ensure that the maximum possible number of kids are born, and that birth weights are as high as possible.
One buck to every 50-70 does is probably best, and if several goat-proof paddocks are available it pays to form separate mating mobs to reduce the risk of bucks fighting and damaging themselves, and wasting time better spent on the prime task.
Young does should be separated from the mating mobs, as they will take the buck as hoggets if allowed.
It is advisable not to let them mate until 18 months of age, as pregnancy and kidding will reduce their liveweight at a time when they should still be gaining size.
The date on which bucks are put out in a meat-production flock is likely to be dictated by the local freezing works and their decision as to when they will slaughter goats. The optimum time to slaughter, in terms of feed conversion and weight gain, is at 8-10 months; growth rate declines markedly after about 4 months.
However, one will also have to take account of any premium offered by exporters for heavier-weight goats — and possibly better returns for larger skins — which may make it economic to carry slaughter goats through to 15-20 months.
Kid Goat
The other factor which has to be taken into account is that for kids to reach good slaughter weights, it is essential that they receive a high level of nutrition from the doe during the first month or so of life.
That in turn means that the doe must be well fed over the post-natal period. It is therefore necessary to take availability of feed into account as well when deter-mining kidding dates.
October kidding would be safer, but meat goats would then be considerably younger and lighter, at time of slaughter.
Spreading kidding over several months to spread risk is another option, and one that may well fit in with grazing management. But it would involve breaking the flock up into several mobs at mating and kidding time.
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