How To Tell If Your Goat Is In Heat

How to Tell if Your Goat is in Heat

Know how to tell if your goat is in heat by identifying key differences in behavior. In every breed of goat, with the exception of Nigerian Dwarfs, the does will begin to go in heat during the fall/winter. There is no set date or even set month. Each female is different, but you can expect to see them enter into heat during the fall and winter months. 

When a goat goes into heat it is called estrous. It significantly easier to tell when does go into their estrous cycle than it is to tell when doeling does. However, some common signs for both are that they are louder than usual. A LOT louder. It’s a mating call, the female is declaring that she is ready.

You might also notice that she is either extremely cuddly or extremely distant, they can sometimes be the extreme opposite of their regular disposition. I’ve mainly experienced them to be overly affectionate.  Their tails will wag like crazy. They are showing off and waving their scent around for the males. You may even see discharge coming from the vulva.

Differences in Behavior

Another sign is that a goat will either assert dominance by mounting or assume submission by being mounted. All of the above are the common signs you’ll see in females during the estrous cycle. 

Your bucks and bucklings behavior can be an indicator that a female is in heat. They typically will pee on their own face. While this seems extremely weird to us, it impresses the lady goats who might be in their estrous cycle. If they are in the same pen together he will mount her until she has had enough. 

Estrous cycles typically come around every 17-24 days, but only occur for 12-48 hours. They will have several cycles during the months of fall and winter. Now, remember above how I said the exception are Nigerian Dwarfs? That is because their cycles are year round and occur every 21-23 days.

It is incredibly important to wait to breed a doeling until she is at least 80lbs or 1 year old. They are at higher risk of complications when they are too little.

Make sure you are prepared to properly take care of your kids. Check out our How to Raise a Baby Course for detailed lessons on everything you need to know to raise a baby goat through its first year of life.