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Some Interesting Facts About Goat Reproduction
Because you all asked for it.
I admit I don’t know as much about goats as I do about horses, but I did manage to pull together some interesting facts.
Goats Normally Have Twins
Goats are built to carry two kids, although triplets and quads rarely occur. Some breeds (Mostly Nubians and Boers) are more likely to have more than two kids.
Singletons are relatively rare, and generally happen when the nanny is small or sick. Good nutrition results in more kids. Some breeders may cull goats that routinely produce single pregnancies as they still cost the same to feed and care for.
Goat Pregnancies Are One-Sided
Horses tend to carry a foal more to one side than the other. Goats carry their kids on the right side of their bodies…making it quite easy to tell a pregnant goat from a fat one. Why?
Because the left side of their bodies holds the rumen, which can swell to a considerable size. So they leave space for it by putting the uterus more to the right. A swelling on the left side of a goat is not a good thing, as it indicates a bloated rumen.