Gestation and Incubation Length Of Livestock

Laurabelle
Oct 28, 2020
2 min read

If you have decided to purchase a new species of livestock for breeding, you may want to research its gestation or incubation periods to figure out if it will be feasible for your family and lifestyle. Well, here is a list of common species of livestock and their lengths of pregnancy or incubation.

GOATS.

Goats are pregnant for approximately five months or 152 days.

CATTLE.

Cattle are pregnant for approximately nine months or 274 days.

PIGS.

Pigs are pregnant for approximately three months, three weeks, and three days; or, 115 days.

SHEEP.

Sheep are pregnant for approximately five months or 152 days.

ALPACAS.

Alpacas are pregnant for approximately 11 months or 335 days.

LLAMAS.

Llamas are pregnant for approximately 11 months and 10 days, or 345 days.

CHICKENS,

Chickens with fertile eggs will lay them after 34 hours of being fertilized. The eggs will hatch approximately 2/3 of a month, or 21 days, after being laid.

DONKEYS.

Donkeys are pregnant for approximately 12 months and 7 days, or 372 days.

HORSES.

Horses are pregnant for approximately 12 months or 365 days.

TURKEYS.

Turkeys with fertile eggs will lay them after 34 hours of being fertilized. The eggs will hatch approximately 1 month, or 28 days, after being laid.

GUINEAS.

Guineas with fertile eggs will lay them after 34 hours of being fertilized. The eggs will hatch approximately 1 month, or 28 days, after being laid.

DUCKS.

Ducks with fertilized eggs will lay them after 34 hours of being fertilized. The eggs will hatch approximately 1 month, or 28 days, after being laid.

GEESE.

Geese with fertilized eggs will lay them after 34 hours of being fertilized. The eggs will hatch approximately 1 month, or 29 days, after being laid.

RABBITS.

Rabbits are pregnant for approximately 1 month or 31 days.

Now, you know a little more about your new animal. Is the livestock feasible that you picked originally for you and your family, or did you find a better species that you would like to incorporate into your herd or flock? Either way, there is a large market for any of these animals and their products if you decided after trialing the animal that it was not what you expected. Enjoy!

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_sheep_reproduction

https://www.thealpacaplace.co.nz/articles/breeding-and-reproduction/gestation-table/

https://gestationperiods.com/llama-gestation-calculator

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-gestation-periods-for-chickens-like#:~:text=Animals%20that%20lay%20eggs%20have%20no%20gestation%20period%2C,hours%20before%20it%20is%20layed%20as%20an%20egg.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-incubate-hatch-chicken-eggs-just-21-days-from-egg-to-chicken.47696/

https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-turkey-poults

https://guinea-fowl.com/guineas/Artificial-incubation-of-guinea-eggs.html#:~:text=Guinea%20Fowl%20eggs%20typically%20take%2028%20days%20of,3%20times%20a%20day%20but%205%20is%20better.

https://morningchores.com/incubating-duck-eggs/#:~:text=Most%20domesticated%20duck%20breeds%20take%2028%20days.%20Muscovy,may%20not%20seem%20like%20a%20lot%20of%20time.

https://gestationperiods.com/goose-egg-incubation-calculator

https://gestationperiods.com/donkey-gestation-calculator

https://gestationperiods.com/rabbit-gestation-period-calculator