Feeding Dairy goats

**mygoat** · #1 02/14/07, 07:43 PM

I know this is a subject that has been talked about alot. I did do a seach and can't find a previous thread on feeding dairy does.

Anywho, I have my first two dairy goats this year. I was thinking of grain feeding 1 lb, plus 1/4 lb for every qt of milk the doe gives. The doe will also get as much alfalfa pellets as it can eat while in the stand after it's grain is finished. does that sound approximately correct? Also, what do you all use for measuring out feed? I think I need to find a scale of some sort... I also need a milk scale, but don't want to pay as much as they ask for one! Gosh, they're expensive! IN jeffers they're almost 50.00, and the hanging scoop is 25! Does anyone have or know where I can get a scale like this? It doesn't necesarily need to be a hanging scale, could be digital, but I don't want to pay THAT much for a scale!

Thanks again everybody.

**mygoat** · #2 02/14/07, 10:22 PM

No one?

delphinium · #3 02/15/07, 04:51 AM

Would a digital baby (human) scale work for you?

crazygoatgirl · #4 02/15/07, 04:52 AM

email me I can help you out m-ssupply@m-ssupply.com

Corky · #5 02/15/07, 05:18 AM

Whatever you feed them, make the change gradually from what they have been getting. Don't dump a pound of new feed in their feeders.

Blossomgapfarm · #6 02/15/07, 09:40 AM

I got a digital scale at WalMart for less than $20. It hangs and has a hook on the end (it is really a fish scale for fishermen to weigh their catch), I can just hang my milk pail on it when finished milking and subtract out the weight of the pail. Try the sporting goods department of a local store.
Dawn

**mygoat** · #7 02/15/07, 02:06 PM

ooo good ideas everybody. I know I'll have to change the feed gradually... Starting one month before kidding I start increasing thier feed slowly till it's where it will be throughout lacatating... Though that's only for my non-milking minis, and know it'll be different from dairy goats. So, how much does everybody feed? LOL

**mygoat** · #8 02/15/07, 03:44 PM

A baby scale could work, just I think that they're really expensive... 200+ dollars where I've looked. The hanging digital scale sounds really good, and at a nice price.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #9 02/15/07, 04:01 PM

That sounds like a normal amount of grain. With a small herd you could easily tailor up or down more or less grain (we call it challenge feeding) until she is eating enough grain to stay in good shape but gives no more milk with it, so you then go down by 1/4 pound per day. The way to save money on graining, alfalfa pellets and your grass hay when pasture or browze is gone, is to make sure the grain is digestable, not by products. Vicki