How do you tell if a sheep is pregnant?

Answer 1

I raised goats as a kid in Southern Idaho (USA) - I was never an expert but here are some criteria to go off of:

Time of year

In colder climates goats will come into heat starting in maybe November and then (if they are not bred) will come into heat again every 3 or 4 weeks until late February.

It may be in warmer climates they breed year around. Further breeds might be different. We had Toggenburgs which is I believe a Swiss breed so they would definitely mate in the winter so their kids would be born in warm months. Sometimes they come into heat really fast and it ends quickly, other times it seems like it would go on for 2 or 3 days.

Tail swishing

They will move their tails around a lot more - up and down side to side - almost like they are irritated 'back there'.

Smell

I can't describe this one because it is unlike any other smell. If the other signs are present and you smell a distinct smell that you've never smelled from the goats before - bingo! You will smell it in the air - especially if the relative humidity is higher - no need to go sniffing anyone's backside.

Noise

They will bleat a LOT more. Often if they are with other females they will often bleat too, but if you go inside the pen and watch you can tell which doe is actually in heat.

Agitation

They will be restless and agitated. Our goats always wanted affection and for us to be in the pen but I think that's because our goats had been given a lot of attention and were kind of pets. I'm sure that their hormones get mixed up and they don't understand what is going on so it is comforting to tame goats to have the person that they saw as a sort of parent around.

Appetite

Our goats still ate but I would say they ate less and would get distracted while eating, normally they would be very intent on their eating.

Answer 2

Some signs that a sheep may be pregnant include a distended abdomen, changes in appetite, increased mammary gland size, and behavioral changes such as seeking isolation. However, the most accurate way to confirm pregnancy in a sheep is through ultrasound or blood testing performed by a veterinarian.

Answer 3

The easiest way to tell if she's bred is to watch for her heat cycle. A goat's heat cycle is about every 18-21 days, so if she doesn't come into heat, most likely she's pregnant. You can also have a vet do an ultrasound or a bloodtest, but that can get to be pretty expensive. Do not assume just by looking at her if she's pregnant or not. Goats stomachs are naturally wide, so sometimes they look pregnant even when they aren't.

Answer 4

When your does go into heat. They will be acting restless and be quite vocal, urinating more often than usual, especially when you enter the pen or when a buck is present. Her vulva will be darker and more swollen in colour, with sticky mucus discharge present. Mucus is clear in early estrus and white towards the end of estrus. A doe will attempt to mount other does or let other does mount her.

If a buck is present, she will be sticking close to him. The buck will wag is tongue, slap a front hoof against the ground, urinate on his face and act pretty foolishly. If there is no buck present, presenting a buck rag (one which has been rubbed on a buck's forehead the placed in a sealed container) to a doe that is suspected to be in heat will encourage her to show clear signs of estrus.

Young does should not be bred until they are 75% of their mature body weight, which is usually around 8 to 10 months of age. Do not breed a doe if she is as young as 6 months of age due to concerns that early breeding may stunt her growth, or produce weak kids.

Answer 5

She will be restless, depending on the female she will bleat (or baa) more often, she may mount or stand while mounted by another female. Her vulva may have a darker pink colour and she may excrete mucus.

Answer 6

Goats that are only having one kid are often hard to tell whether they're pregnant or not. One way of telling is by looking at the vulva. It will start to become loose and soft in around the fourth month. The other way is by looking at the udder. In around the last few weeks of pregnancy, the udder will start "bagging up" or filling up with milk. If you place your hand in front of the doe's udder in the last two weeks of pregnancy, you may feel limbs or the kid/s moving around.

Another thing is fake pregnancy - it usually happens when a goat hasn't been mated or haven't conceived and they usually look like they are pregnant, but looking at the vulva will tell if the pregnancy is fake or not. Otherwise time will tell.

Goats have their own individual personalities, which may change, and usually do, when they are pregnant, especially at parturition. My goat was slightly more affectionate whike pregnant, whilst some others were more "wild".

Vets can also do pregnancy tests or ultrasound on goats. If youaren't doing any of this, then time will tell.

Answer 7

When the nanny goat's nipples are getting bigger, it'll sag and when you feel it, there will be a feeling of liquid in it. That's the milk that she's producing.

Answer 8

To the average owner, it's usually impossible until the udder starts to fill, which is usually 2-3 weeks before kidding. Some of us are successful with stethoscopes, but not always.

Answer 9

if your goat is hungry more then usual then it probably is. or you can always take it to a Vet to check.

Answer 10

There is not many ways to know if the goat is pregnant right away. A person will know for sure if a goat is pregnant when her stomach get larger and she starts having milk.