Will Vit. E or Selenium(sp) hurt my does if I ...

[deafgoatlady]

I am trying to oragnize my book that I learned my lesson or learn from people's experince that works for me too.. Well I do know that in Missouri where I live is okay.. But Will it hurt me to give the does that are pregnant the vit. e before they kidded???? I am just wondering.. I do give them minerals and brome mix hay for right now. Should I start feed them grain now or not?? Becuz they are due by the week of valentine's day AND the end of Feb and sometime in March??? Let me know... I am trying to see if it will work out or not. I just tried this year to give my girls no grain while they are not in milk and they are bred but they have minerals and baking soda and brome mix hay and pasture.... Becuz some people dont do that. So I was wondering if it is a bad idea or not? Becuz Right now My hubby just laid off from work for the winter time.. Should I give them grain once a day right now then a month before they kidded to give them twice a day ???? I know it is too much questions. But sorry..

[HazyDay]

bump! (I wanna know also!)

[LomahAcres]

First, I am still new with goats (just 4 years) so double check before taking my advice. Plus, many people do things differently.

We dry our does off when they have 60 days of pregnancy left, they all are getting grain, but very very low amounts, (about 1/2 - 1 cup a day), some heavy does may get cut entirely. If they are filled out ok, and not growing 1 - 2-year-olds, you can wait until the last 2 - 3 weeks of pregnancy to start them on grain. Start low (1/2 - 1 cup a day) and work up to about 1 - 3 lbs by their due date.

The main thing I would do is to start now (last 60 days), switching your girls over to alfalfa hay (or pellets), as they will need the calcium and protein from it for growing babies.

We give selenium with Vit E in it (injectable) once at 5 weeks before kidding, and again at 3 weeks before kidding. I do believe Molly (fiascofarm) gives vit E powder daily starting the last 5 weeks of pregnancy.

Hope this helps some, we also have does due, starting Feb 11th through March. Can't wait for kidding!

[tioga12]

It would be a good idea to give the BoSe a couple of weeks before kiddding. Don't forget to give it to the kids when they are born also.
Pregnant does don't need much grain, and you don't need to give it twice a day until they are in milk (after freshening). Some people start giving a couple of handfuls a day beginning in the final weeks of pregnancy, gradually increasing with freshening so that they are ready for milking rations when the time comes.
I like to give ours some grain daily to keep them in good condition and give them added energy through the extreme winter climate here. Seven of our does are still growing (10 months-18 months) so I wouldn't leave them with just hay and minerals anyway. But they are quite healthy and only get about 1/2 cup each per day. (Grain, alfalfa pellets, BOSS, beet pulp, and minerals combined). They don't need much!

[cathleenc]

I've been trying to squeeze the contents of a Vitamin capsule into our does' feed 1x a day, per Fiasco Farms. Funny, the older doe will eat the capsule whole - no problem. The younger won't touch it whole or eat what ever it's squeezed onto.

The younger doe's kids both died with 4 days of birth last year (under previous owner) and the vet thought it was a vitamin E or selenium deficiency. Trying to address those concerns. (BoSe injections, too).