Feed mama

Redeemed98 · #1 03/19/12, 06:20 PM

I have finally gotten a handle on our new babies. The mother is rejecting one so we are feeding her. Thanks to everyone who posts in here as the info available is priceless.

Now I have been feeding whole oats, alfalfa pellets, hay available and a little rice bran. I am wondering if anyone can direct me as to how I should be feeding the mama using what I already feed if possible. Thanks

Backfourty,MI. · #2 03/19/12, 06:36 PM

First off everyone will need to know what kind of goat the momma is, Full size, mini, dairy breed, etc.?
Also how many babies & are you milking her also?

One more thing, Did we see pictures of the babies yet?

Redeemed98 · #3 03/21/12, 07:39 PM

Sorry, I've had a hard to e getting connected to the site for some reason. She is a Nubian and she is feeding one baby and I am milking her some to feed the little gal that she is rejecting.
I have to figure out how to post some pics but I do have some.

Minelson · #4 03/21/12, 07:52 PM

Great! You need to go to an offsite picture place like photo shop or shutterfly. Then you upload the pictures there. Then you copy and paste over here. I like using the little yellow box with the pyramid looking thing in the tool bar. Just back space to erase the htpp:// and paste right there.

good luck!@ What amount of your mixture are you feeding mama?

Redeemed98 · #5 03/22/12, 08:16 AM

I have been feeding her free choice of alfalfa pellets and hay, and then feeding her whole oats when I milk her. It's probably about 2 quarts per feeding. I giver her just a little rice bran with her oats.

Backfourty,MI. · #6 03/22/12, 09:03 AM

The free choice alfafa pellets & free choice hay is good. How much oats? You don't want her to loose condition so I would stick with some kind of grain since she is still technically feeding 2 kids. Are you milking her for home use too?

Alice In TX/MO · #7 03/22/12, 09:12 AM

2 Quarts?? Per milking??? That is a lot of feed. I don't feed my heavy milkers that much.

You'd be better off getting some Purina Noble Goat Dairy Parlor. You can mix a little oats in with it. I do, just for me, I don't think the goats care. Plus some Black Oil Sunflower seeds.

southerngurl · #8 03/22/12, 12:43 PM

Do you mean you get two quarts of milk or feed two quarts of oats? I would feed about half that. My nubians get nothing but browse, alfalfa pellets/hay, oats, BOSS or rice bran, minerals and water. You can see them on my website, they do great with this. I do also copper bolus. Never had a case of hypocalcemia or ketosis or anything like that feeding this. I adjust the oats to what the goat needs to keep weight on. Alfalfa and browse make your milk, grain keeps the doe from losing too much weight. Fat keeps a healthy coat and skin, plus provides selenium and vitamin E from BOSS and tons of other nutrients. Minerals try to make up for what's lacking in our unsustainably farmed grain and forages we buy, and hopefully counter imbalances in your particular food sources.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 03/22/12, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

2 Quarts?? Per milking??? That is a lot of feed. I don't feed my heavy milkers that much.

You'd be better off getting some Purina Noble Goat Dairy Parlor. You can mix a little oats in with it. I do, just for me, I don't think the goats care. Plus some Black Oil Sunflower seeds.

I thought they meant they were getting 2 quarts of milk a day. I hope they are not feeding her 2 quarts of oats each feeding or I misunderstood.

Redeemed98 · #10 03/22/12, 08:09 PM

I went and measured my scoop and I have been feeding about 1.5 quarts of whole oats.
I used to feed noble goat when I first got them but she got to where she would not eat it for some reason.

I have not started to milk for home use yet, I have just been milking out enough to keep the little girl she rejected fed and leave some for the little boy.
I've only been getting out about 12 to 14 oz per milking 2 to 3 times a day.

I took a few pics today when I went out and found them sitting on top of a hay bale.

http://goatsinhay.shutterfly.com/

SpiderLegs · #11 03/22/12, 08:30 PM

Any Pictures of the Doe?

Depending on her condition, I would or would not change the amount you are feeding. My milkers get about 3 qts a day on the stand, some get more if they are heavy milkers. I feed more barley than oats, Louise at Six M Galaxy told me her milkers do better condition wise on it.

Redeemed98 · #12 03/22/12, 08:34 PM

Thanks, I will try to post a pic of the doe tomorrow.