While not technically "twice at the same time," goats can experience a rare phenomenon called superfetation, which effectively results in a doe carrying kids conceived at different times within the same pregnancy.
Superfetation is when a female animal, already pregnant, ovulates and conceives again, leading to the presence of fetuses of different gestational ages in the uterus. This is uncommon in most species, including goats, but it has been documented.
Here's a breakdown of what's happening:
- Normal Goat Reproduction: Typically, after a goat becomes pregnant, hormonal changes prevent further ovulation.
- Superfetation Exception: In rare cases, a doe may experience a hormonal fluctuation that allows her to ovulate again a few weeks after becoming pregnant. If she is bred again during this secondary ovulation, she can conceive a second set of kids.
- Result: The doe would then be carrying two sets of kids, conceived at different times. When she gives birth, she will deliver all the kids, but some will be more mature than others due to the difference in gestational age. This means some kids will be born a few weeks prematurely.
Therefore, a goat cannot technically get pregnant "twice at the same time," because the second conception will happen a few weeks after the first. However, the result is a single pregnancy containing kids with different gestational ages.
