Feed Question...plz

[janceejan]

We are about a month before kidding with Troubles. Our county is in extreme drought condition and has been for several months. The farm report this am said the protein count on forage material was at 1 percent. Currently all my goats are on forage and a roll of sudan hay. Should I start supplementing her - Troubles - with grain to increase her protein before she kids? We use Friona Hi-Pro White tag Complete Goat Feed, it shows to be at no less than 14% protein.

Is that enough protein?

[homebirtha]

Yes. You should start giving grain the last 50 days of pregnancy. You might want to supplement with alfalfa pellets too since your hay is going to be so deficient.

[witchysharon]

Late gestation calls for 18% protein, so to increase the protein in the goat feed you are using, a small amount of calf manna (24% protein) could be added to the grain ration.

[Sweet Goats]

I agree with all that, I also use Calf manna. I am sure you know be cafeful, the calf manna causes my goats to have diarrhea really bad. So I have to introduce it ever so slowly, slower then anything else I introduce.

[TexCountryWoman]

I'm in central texas, SEVERE DROUGHT too. can't light matches outside cen tex counties, Red Flad warning. no grass, little hay. almost no water. bad, bad. bad....(picture me crawling through the desert with buzzards circling...pretty much the truth)

I need to sell about half our livestock...or give away before things get worse. (donkeys for alfalfa pellets anyone?) (goats for sale or trade)

I am feeding my goats coastal hay, the browse is gone.
they get ALFALFA pellets with that and are doing great...no goat chow of any kind...i don't like it for them
about 6 weeks before kidding, i start feeding a bit of race horse oats and corn chops with the alfalfa pellets and coastal......the goats stay healthy and my kids look great.....it's hard to feed my large livestock as well as my goats and i am worried. did have a claf last week, smaller than i like, cow with less milk than usual, another calf coming this week....this is not good....Diane R.

[Teacupliz]

I start feeding grain about 6 wks before the does kid. start off small and build slowly. I feed once a day (mornings) the first few weeks then start a second feed about 3wks before they kid. I feed a 16% dairy blend. I feed hay free choice hay also. ''Liz