Animal Breeding Guides: The Full Cycle, Species by Species
Breeding is a cycle, not an event. These guides walk the whole loop for each species: heat detection, mating, pregnancy care, birth, newborn care, and weaning, with the right calculator for every stage.
The Six Stages Every Breeder Manages
- Heat detection: knowing the window, which ranges from 48 hours in goats to 3 weeks of signs in mares.
- Breeding: natural cover or AI, with the exact date recorded.
- Pregnancy: confirmation, feeding by stage, and the milestones.
- Birth prep: kit, pen, and monitoring from roughly day 90 percent of gestation.
- Delivery: normal presentations, and the thresholds that mean call the vet.
- Newborn care and weaning: colostrum, weights, and the rebreeding decision.
Guides by Species
Goat Breeding Guide
Heat cycles, breeding timing, the 150 days, kidding prep and weaning, with a month chart.
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Sheep Breeding Guide
Joining season, ram ratios, flushing, the 147 days, and lambing prep, with a month chart.
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Cattle Breeding Guide
Heifer readiness, bull ratios, AI or natural cover, and spring vs fall calving planning.
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Dog Breeding Guide
Heat detection, progesterone timing, the 63 days, whelping prep and puppy care.
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Cat Breeding Guide
Induced ovulation, heat cycles, the 65 days, and queening from prep to weaning.
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Horse Breeding Guide
Mare seasonality, covering or AI, the 340 days, foaling watch and foal heat.
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Start Anywhere in the Cycle
Kanika
Researched and reviewed by Kanika, founder of GestationCalc. All gestation data is verified against primary veterinary and agricultural sources before publication.
Last reviewed: September 26, 2026