Getting the does bred
Most of the time it's as easy as bringing a doe to a buck or inseminating her artificially at the right time and waiting for the kids to arrive five months later. The key phrase here is "at the right time."
Goats are "seasonally polyestrous," meaning they come in heat several times during a distinct breeding season. In temperate climates on the northern hemisphere a doe will cycle approximately from August through January, with individual variations. In tropical regions the seasonality is less pronounced, whereas the season will be shorter in the far north.
Her heats (estrus) last from a few hours to three days, and repeat about every three weeks (18-21 days), until conception or end of season.
For successful breeding, it behooves the owner to know each doe's idiosyncrasies and to work around them. This often amounts to careful observation, as well as trial and error.
There is no point inseminating a doe on the first indication of heat when she regularly cycles for three days, since ovulation generally occurs toward the end of estrus. She can conceive with an early natural breeding, but most likely won't with artificial insemination. Likewise, a doe that only stands for the buck for two hours during her cycle, is a poor candidate for AI.
Signs of estrus also vary greatly between individuals and from cycle to cycle. Early in the season, heats are often silent, i.e., the doe may show little more than a slight vaginal discharge one morning. Later on in the year, she may be blatting all day, standing by the buck pen, or otherwise making a nuisance of herself. One of my most quiet does used to let the whole neighborhood know of her sexual desires. Much to everyone's chagrin, she was also a show doe and would get bred late in the season....
Vaginal discharge (from clear to increasingly cloudy and stringy) and reddening and swelling of the vulva (external genitals) are common signs of estrus, along with calling, tail flagging (straight out to upright, in contrast to down when swishing flies), fighting among does, mounting other does or being mounted, and a drop in lactation due to lower feed intake. Not all of these are present in all does all of the time – again, know your doe!
One anomaly never mentioned in trade literature is that of single, one-week intervals. Most often, these occur after a doe has been serviced by a buck. She returns to season a week later, and most owners don't recognize this as being a normal heat. If not rebred at this time, her next heat will follow four weeks (instead of three) from the first breeding date. Generally, if rebred on that "one-weeker," the doe will conceive.
This is not to be confused with cystic ovaries, a condition where the doe appears to be in heat repeatedly once a week, but never conceives. Suspects for cystic ovaries should be examined by a veterinarian; if caught early and treated, they will often be able to be bred that year.
Any doe that has been serviced or bred artificially needs to be watched closely throughout pregnancy. If she resorbs her kids for some reason, she may come in heat at some odd time – for example, eight weeks after breeding.
With a little effort and careful observation, a healthy doe should have not trouble getting settled. And if there are problems, by monitoring your does you may well be able to correct any abnormal conditions before the end of the season.