Download the free goat kidding record sheet below in US Letter or A4. It is a two-page, fillable PDF: page one covers the doe, breeding dates, the expected kidding window, a dairy dry-off date and the kidding itself; page two records each kid's birth details and later weights. Type into it on a computer or print it at 100% scale and fill it in by hand. A matching spreadsheet template (CSV) is included for herd-wide records.
Download the record sheet
Fillable PDF, 2 pages, printer-friendly. Use one copy per doe per kidding.
What is on the sheet
Page 1: doe, breeding and kidding
| Section | Fields |
|---|---|
| Doe | Name or ID, breed, date of birth, tag or registration number, parity (kidding number), body condition score at breeding |
| Breeding | Buck name or ID, breeding date, time of service, method (hand mating, pasture exposure or AI), alternative breeding dates, first and last day of buck exposure, pregnancy check date, method and result |
| Due-date plan | Expected kidding date, normal window opening (day 145) and closing (day 155), planned dry-off date for dairy does, pre-kidding vaccine date from your vet, date to move to the kidding pen |
| Kidding | Actual kidding date, time of first kid, actual gestation length, kids born alive and dead, assistance level, time placenta passed, when the doe first ate and drank, udder notes, open notes |
Page 2: kids from this kidding
| Section | Fields (one row per kid, five rows) |
|---|---|
| Birth record | Kid ID or tag, sex, birth order, birth weight (lb or kg), presentation, whether assisted, time nursed or fed colostrum, whether the dam accepted the kid, notes |
| Growth record | Weight at 2 to 4 weeks, around 60 days and at weaning (each with date), feeding method (dam, bottle or both), health and growth notes |
| Outcome | Kids weaned, kids sold or retained, whether to keep the doe for breeding and why, notes for next season |
The sheet deliberately leaves out medication doses and treatment details. Keep those in a separate treatment log with product names, dates and withdrawal times as your veterinarian directs.
How to fill it in, step by step
- At breeding: record the buck, the method and the breeding date. If the buck ran with the doe, record the first and last day of exposure instead of guessing one date.
- Calculate the window: enter the breeding date in the goat gestation calculator and copy the expected kidding date and the day 145 and day 155 dates onto the sheet. For pasture exposure, calculate once from the first day and once from the last day.
- Dairy does: switch on "Dairy doe currently in milk" in the calculator and copy the planned dry-off date. Our dry-off guide explains how to use it.
- Pregnancy check: add the scan or blood test date, method and result. If a scan counted kids, note the count.
- At kidding: record the actual date and time, how many kids were born alive or dead, whether you or a veterinarian helped, and when the placenta passed.
- For each kid: fill in a row on page two while details are fresh: ID, sex, birth order, weight, presentation, assistance, when it nursed and whether the doe accepted it.
- Later weights: weigh kids at 2 to 4 weeks, around 60 days and at weaning, and write the date beside each weight.
- End of season: fill in the outcome box and any changes you want to make next year.
How to calculate actual gestation length
Count the days from the breeding date to the kidding date. The calculator's expected date gives you a quick check: if the estimate was 150 days and she kidded two days before that date, her actual gestation was 148 days.
Example: a doe hand-bred on October 1, 2026 has an expected kidding date of February 28, 2027 (150 days). If she kids on February 26, 2027, her actual gestation length is 148 days.
After two or three kiddings, each doe's own pattern is more useful than a breed average. A doe that consistently kids at 147 days can be watched earlier; a doe that always seems "late" may have an unreliable breeding record. If a doe does pass her window, our article on a goat past her due date explains what to check.
A filled-in example
Here is how one kidding might look on the sheet. The doe and numbers are illustrative, not data.
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Doe / breed / parity | "Clover," Nubian, third kidding, body condition 3 at breeding |
| Breeding method and dates | Pasture exposure with buck "Ranger," September 10 to October 5, 2026 |
| Expected kidding window | From first day: opens February 2, due February 7, closes February 12, 2027. From last day: opens February 27, due March 4, closes March 9, 2027 |
| Pregnancy check | Ultrasound November 20, 2026: pregnant, two kids seen |
| Actual kidding | February 26, 2027, 6:40 a.m.; 2 born alive, 0 dead; minor help with second kid |
| Actual gestation length | Between 144 days (from last exposure) and 169 days (from first); a range because the service date was not seen |
| Kid rows | Buckling, first born, 3.4 kg (7.5 lb), front feet first, not assisted, nursed by 7:15 a.m., accepted; doeling, second, 3.0 kg (6.6 lb), back feet first, assisted, nursed by 7:30 a.m., accepted |
The example shows the main weakness of pasture breeding records: the gestation length can only be given as a range. Adding a marking harness, or recording observed matings, narrows that range for next year.
Why these fields are worth recording
The layout follows what extension record systems ask for, trimmed to what fits on a readable page.
- Days of gestation, birth weight, birth type and rearing type all appear on Washington State University Extension's individual goat record, alongside weaning weights and dates.
- Birth weight, weaning weight, age at weaning, sex, birth and rearing type, and dam age are needed to calculate the adjusted 90-day weaning weights described by Penn State Extension for comparing kids fairly.
- Litter weight weaned combines fertility, litter size, kid survival, mothering and milk. University of Maryland Extension notes that does with the heaviest litter weights at weaning usually return the most profit.
- Kidding ease, mothering and udder notes support culling decisions. Maryland's guidance lists does with hard or lumpy udders, and does that have not kidded by 24 months of age, among the animals to consider removing.
For what a normal birth weight and growth rate look like by breed and litter size, see our goat kid weight chart. Use it as a reference, and let your own records show what is normal for your herd.
Official ID and legal record keeping (US)
The record sheet has a field for tag or registration numbers, but it is not an official movement record. Under the federal scrapie program described by USDA, goats moving interstate for purposes other than slaughter generally need official identification, and a record must be made when official ID is applied or a goat is acquired or disposed of. USDA states those records must be kept for five years after the animal dies or leaves your ownership.
Exceptions and state rules vary, so check with your state veterinarian's office or call USDA at 866-USDA-TAG for current requirements. Breed registries also have their own rules for birth dates, identification and registration timing.
Printing and filling tips
- Print at 100% or "Actual size," not "Fit to page," so boxes stay the intended size.
- Choose the matching file: US Letter for 8.5 x 11 in paper, A4 for 210 x 297 mm paper.
- To type into the fields, open the PDF in a PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or a desktop browser, then save a copy. Some phone viewers display the sheet but do not support form fields; download the file and open it in a PDF app, or print it.
- Use one copy per doe per kidding and keep them together in a binder or folder by doe.
- Write in pencil in the barn if you print it, and copy details to the fillable version or spreadsheet later.
Using the spreadsheet template
The CSV file opens in Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice or Numbers. Its columns match the sheet, with one row per kid; repeat the doe's details on each row for her kids. That layout makes it easy to sort and filter, for example to compare gestation lengths by doe, birth weights by litter size or weaning weights by buck.
Records that pay off next season
- Gestation length per doe tightens next year's kidding watch.
- Assistance and presentation notes flag does and bucks linked to difficult kiddings.
- Dam acceptance and colostrum timing show which does need closer supervision at kidding.
- Growth weights reveal kids that fall behind before it becomes obvious by eye.
- Dry-off date and next lactation help dairy keepers judge whether the dry period is working.
FAQs
What should a goat kidding record include?
At minimum: doe and buck IDs, breeding date or exposure dates, expected kidding window, actual kidding date and gestation length, number of kids born alive and dead, assistance, and each kid's sex, birth weight and ID. Later weights and weaning details make the record far more useful.
How do I calculate my goat's actual gestation length?
Count the days from the breeding date to the kidding date. For example, a doe bred October 1, 2026 that kids February 26, 2027 had a 148-day gestation. With pasture breeding, you can only give a range unless the service date was observed.
Can I fill in the record sheet on my phone?
It depends on the PDF viewer. Many desktop readers and browsers support the form fields; some phone viewers only display the file. If fields do not respond, open the PDF in a dedicated PDF app or print it.
Should I use one sheet per doe or one herd log?
Use both if you can. One sheet per doe per kidding keeps all the details together at the barn, and a herd spreadsheet (such as the CSV template) makes it easy to compare does, bucks and seasons at the end of the year.
How long should I keep goat records?
Keep breeding and kidding records for as long as the doe and her offspring are in your herd, since they inform future breeding decisions. For official ID records in the US, USDA states they must be kept for five years after the animal dies or leaves your ownership.
Sources
- Penn State Extension: Selecting meat goats using performance data
- University of Maryland Extension Small Ruminant Program: Evaluating meat goat breeding stock
- USDA APHIS: What's new in goat ID (federal scrapie program flyer)
- Washington State University Extension: Individual Goat Record (FS1001).
- Dairy Goat Extension: Records templates
Calculate the dates for page one
Enter the breeding date to get the expected kidding date, the 145-155 day window and, for dairy does, a planned dry-off date.
Open the calculator