Getting ready for breeding season...

Well today was the day- September 1.
What is so significant about today? Well to most, or to all...nothing much special besides maybe the air is getting cooler, and we are watching a hurricane creep towards us and prep for that.  But today, today on the farm was a day to start prepping for breeding season. The past couple of weeks here we have been watching our does and giggling over them in the other pasture mooning over the handsome fellas in the pasture beside them. They have taken turns coming into heat and flagging their tails and stomping their feet and talking through the short distance of 12 feet between the pastures. 
Everyone took the stand today and got a full once over, their own little personal bucket to nibble from while they got their CDT booster, some good minerals, some kelp, a spray of iodine on their tail, a good famacha score check and their hooves trimmed. 
I always suggest doing a good check up on your herd when breeding season is approaching and ALWAYS trim those hooves.  Trimming hooves is vital for good health, making sure no infection in their feet pops up during pregnacy and to prevent a major hoof trim and stressing your does out while they are pregnant.  

For our herd personally,  I also always bump up minerals, good quality food, by a little- not a lot, and kelp. I suggest everyone researches what they want to do for the health of their herd and go with it. There is no right and perfect way to run your herd, the best way is what works for you and keeps your herd healthy. 
During this month every week I will be making sure I have gone through my checklist to make sure my does are ready for breeding. Each week will be something different. 
This week was hoof trimming and CDT, and all over check up.
Next week everyone will get a vitamin B shot-
The week after?  I will evaluate the herd to see if a copper bolus is needed. 
The week after that, I will make sure that they have more minerals and kelp available for them to enjoy free choice while I start watching who will come into heat in October.  When the first doe hits her heat in October I will not be standing by but will instead be allowing them to have their dates with the bucks I want to match them up to.  This means come March we are quite the busy little farm and I am one wore out mama, but then its all done within a few weeks and we can go back to normal and enjoying all the little babies running and bouncing around. 
Its always the same year after year, its fun, exciting, and exhausting but the reward is great and the loss can be as well if things dont go right. Its fun to have all of those babies around but its also fun to see them leave, the happiness they bring to other families and farms and having some quiet for a time until the next exciting thing pops up.
For those of you starting to breed, or wanting to expand your herd and starting new and this is your first time, please feel free to ask questions, look for advice, read all that you can and enjoy your herd!
-K

Here you see our beloved wether (male goat who is fixed) Mo- he has a very important job during breeding season helping us make sure that the ladies are for sure in the peak of their heat!