Kid size?

[steff bugielski]

I have 13 kids ranging from 3 weeks to 5 weeks. I am feeding them 2x aday with 14% grain. hay and water all day. Can I rely on a weight tape for keeping track of size? In the past I simply picked them up but since I have the tape. They measure mostly 19-23 lbs. One or two skinny ones are about 15lbs.
Does that sound as if they are on track. These are nubian/alpine/boer mixes for the most part with a few all nubians. They will be sold for meat at about 3 1/2 months old.
Steff

[manygoatsnmore]

Do a quick experiment with them. Weight tape them, then weigh them on the scale. How do the numbers match up?

[moosemaniac]

3 to 5 weeks should still be milk fed shouldn't they?

Ruth

[steff bugielski]

They get seperated at night and get grain avail. 24/7. Then spend the day with mom.

" then weigh them on the scale. How do the numbers match up?"

If I had a scale I would not have asked the question.LOL
Steff

[moosemaniac]

My weight tape has been pretty close to accurate.

Ruth

[manygoatsnmore]

Originally Posted by steff bugielski

They get seperated at night and get grain avail. 24/7. Then spend the day with mom.

" then weigh them on the scale. How do the numbers match up?"

If I had a scale I would not have asked the question.LOL
Steff

LOL, okay, I see your point! Doh!

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

When you add up the grain they are eating do you make a profit on them when sold at 3 months? Do you need the milk for sales is the reason you are taking them off mom? Taking them off mom permanently after colostrum gives you more in milk sales from just that one milking for 3 months than you could ever make selling the kids at 3 months.

With Nubians even though kids can be from 2 to 9 pounds, we guestimate everyone at 8 pounds, we want a minimum of 10 pounds a month, it's done with milk, milk is the key to growthy kids. Need to feed them less milk than use alfalfa, the next best form of calcium and protein. Grain is supposed to be about finishing, building that nice layer of fat over an already grown kid. Vicki

[steff bugielski]

Yes Vicki I really would have too much milk this time of year if I seperated them totally. And not enough to satisfy my regulars if they were left on all the time. I sell each 3 month old for $75 at Easter time. You are right, I figured one year that if each baby drinks an average of 1 quart a day over the three months , at $8 a gallon I actually loose money on them. But must have babies to have milk. I think of it as an expense like everything else. My milk sales triple over the summer so for now it works fine. If I do the cheese thing, legally, I might need the milk all year.
So at 2 months 17 -19 lbs is a good weight. I will slowly switch them over to the alfalfa instead of grain. It is really just to get them used to eating at this point. They only nibble at it.
Thanks
Steff