For many goat owners one of the main ways, they make money off of their goats, in addition to their milk, is to breed them to sell and also for their meat.
Breeding goats is a regular process and is something that occurs regularly at both the commercial and domestic level.
When it comes to the actual birthing process, however, there is a lot that newcomers don’t know.
One of the major questions regarding this is whether or not goats need to be separated in order to give birth.
Well, I have done the research and am excited to share it with you today.
So, without wasting any more time, let’s answer the question “do goats need to be separated to give birth?”
The answer to this question is yes, goats need to be separated when giving birth. This is especially true for bucks as they can potentially injure or kill the kids when they are born and can hurt the does while they are pregnant. There are many benefits to separating your goats when they are giving birth and it will make the entire birthing process easier and will allow it to run smoother.
But why exactly should pregnant goats be separated when giving birth, what are some typical signs that your goat is going into labor, and how long do goats need to be separated for?
We are going to answer all of these questions and more as we dive deeper into the topic of do goats need to be separated to give birth.
Let’s get into it!
Why should pregnant does be separated when giving birth?
Goats are herd animals, and it is essential that you raise at least two goats together as they can get lonely and experience various negative effects of being alone.
This is true in most cases but there are some instances where it is absolutely necessary to keep your goats separate.
One of the most important instances is when your goat/ goats are pregnant.
Pregnant goats need to be separated from the rest of the herd, especially bucks, for a few reasons.
Bucks can potentially harm the kids
Bucks (male goats) can be very aggressive and pose a legitimate risk to the safety of kids once they are born.
They can easily injure kids and, in severe cases, even kill them.
Bucks can also hurt your does by excessively breeding them which puts both your does and the kids at risk.
In general, you shouldn’t house bucks with does as you will not have any control over when and how much your bucks are breeding.
This means that you will not know when to expect kids and you will be ill-prepared for when they arrive.
This could potentially result in serious complications for both the kid and their mother.
Pregnant does need more feed
It is common for pregnant does to require more feed in order to support a successful pregnancy and the growing kids.
It is, therefore, a good idea to separate your pregnant does so that you can easily supply them with the necessary amount of feed they require without having to deal with other goats.
What are some typical labor signs?
It can sometimes be hard to know exactly when your doe is going to give birth, especially if you are not 100% sure when they were bred.
You may be waiting for your doe to go into labor before separating them from the rest of the herd, or you may simply be curious about when your goat will give birth.
There are some signs you can look out for in order to accurately tell when your goat is going into labor.
Their ligaments become soft and loose
The state of a goat’s ligaments can be a good indicator of when your goat is ready to go into labor.
Goats have two cord-like ligaments on either side of their body at the base of their tail.
As your goat gets deeper into its pregnancy these ligaments begin to loosen and become very soft to the touch.
When it is possible for you to touch your fingers together from either side of your goat’s tail this is a sign that your goat is almost ready to give birth.
They start to discharge
As your goat gets closer to kidding you will begin to notice discharge coming from your goat.
This is a good sign that your goat is close to going into labor.
Some goats can display discharge a few weeks before labor so you should use this sign in addition to the others mentioned here to determine whether your goat is ready to kid.
This sign isn’t necessarily enough to determine this by itself, but it is still a good indicator that the kidding process is going to start soon.
They become restless
Increased restlessness is an excellent sign that your pregnant goat is ready to go into labor.
You will notice your does’ behaviour begin to change during this period.
Towards the end of the pregnancy, it can become difficult for your goats to get comfortable, and they may begin to pawn the ground or repeatedly try to lay down.
This is normal behaviour, however, so there is no need to get alarmed.
If you notice this happening keep a close eye on your goat and be prepared for them to go into labor at any moment.
Inspect their vulva
In addition to discharge, when goats are getting ready to give birth, their vulva will become more relaxed and will begin to droop.
It may also become puffy.
How long do goats need to be separated for?
On average, does can be pregnant for about 150 days (around 5 months) before they give birth.
The birth itself, however, is a quick process and doesn’t take that long to complete (is usually completed within 12 hours).
It isn’t necessary for you to separate your pregnant does for the entirety of the pregnancy, but it is essential that they are separated during the birth and a few weeks after the birth.
This will give the kids time to get accustomed to their mothers and their surroundings and will also allow the mothers to adequately rest and recover.
It is up to you when you decide to separate your does from the rest of the herd and there is nothing wrong with separating them early in the pregnancy.
Goats are social creatures, however, and require companions wherever they are.
Because of this, many people wait until their goat is a couple of weeks out from labor to separate them from the rest of the herd so that they don’t feel any stress or anxiety.
With this in mind, it is a good idea to breed multiple does at a time so that when they are separated, they will have other goats around and won’t become lonely.
Why you should have a birthing pen
In addition to simply separating your pregnant goats from the herd, you should set up a separate space specifically for the birthing process.
This is known as a birthing pen.
Birthing pens are incredibly easy to set up and will help to ensure a safe and hassle-free environment to deliver your kids without interruption or interference from other goats.
A birthing pen doesn’t have to be anything fancy, and you don’t need to construct an entirely new pen simply for this purpose.
All you need to do is cordon off a private area within your barn for birthing and keep it separate from the rest of the herd.
Goats will give birth more easily if they feel comfortable and like they have privacy so this is a very important part of the birthing process and something you should give proper care and consideration to.
In conclusion, yes, goats do need to be separated when giving birth.
Giving birth is a delicate process and there is a lot that goes into all aspects of it.
In order to ensure the safety of the pregnant doe and its kids, it is important to separate them from the herd when they are ready to give Birth.
This can be either a few weeks before the birth or few days/ hours.
The exact timing is up to you but there are many benefits to keeping your pregnant doe separate from the herd while it is going through this process.