The buck should not be released with does for mating until he is at least one year old, and then with no more than 15 does. The ratios of buck to does can be increased to 1:30 for a two-year-old buck. Factors to consider in determining the proper ratio include:
  1. Age: as the age increases from one to five years, the number of does
      may be increased from 15 to 40 does.
  2. Nutritional status: as the condition of the buck declines, the number of
     does should be reduced.
  3. Pasture size: as this increases, decrease the number of does per buck.
  4. Number of bucks: if a large number of does are to be bred (more than
     100), competition between bucks for estrous does will require that buck
      to doe ratio be reduced (i.e.: one buck for 30 does in a 30 doe herd, but
      four bucks for 100 does for a 1:25 buck-to-doe ratio).
  5. Individual behavior: bucks that mate a female and do not seek other
     does will obviously stay with one when in a group of estrous does.
  6. Mating system: more does can be mated by a single buck with hand
     mating vs. pasture mating.
  7. Other factors that may reduce the buck-to-doe ratio include high heat
    and humidity and poor health.

As the number of does to be bred increases, one should expect the buck to spend more time breeding and less time eating. If his condition declines severely enough, a decrease in both sperm production and sexual behavior can be expected, resulting in a reduction in pregnant does and kids born. If the nutritional program for the herd appears inadequate for the buck, he should be supplemented during the breeding season. The buck should be observed daily to evaluate his breeding performance.  Remember, a buck, by breeding 40 does that average twins, can influence 80 kids. His care is therefore important to the reproductive performance of the entire doe herd.

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