I would also like to know where this idea of "fattening up" a female for breeding season comes from; I would think the key goal would just be good body condition and not breeding too often. I'd like to see how much fat a breeding wild female has vs domestic. This thread does make me feel better about the fact I feed my female (9 years and the only one out of growing) on a 3 to 5 week schedule, with a break from food for 2-3 months each winter. And she's gained weight over the years even though I'm not breeding her or feeding her to breed her.