Some interesting thoughts on feed and milking

[TRAILRIDER]

I just thought this was interesting. Last year before kidding I was feeding my girls the best I could. The 16% dairy goat feed with calf manna and BOSS added. Our home grown hay...sometimes alfalfa. The girls were beautiful ! Their coats gleamed, they all produced lovely healthy kids. All was good except the two best milkers became selenium deficient and had to have BoSe injections and one of the does did get mastitis so I had to pull her triplets for hand raising.
Now this time around I had more mouths to feed and was trying to be more economical. I mixed my own sweet feed, added oats, no calf manna, no BOSS. Their coats were not quite as shiny but still they looked good. Again they produced lovely kids. I didn't have to give BoSe to any of the does (but I did give to kids at birth) and the doe that had mastitis last year has a beautiful udder this year! Her udder is perfectly even side to side and has a great feel. I just started milking her (her kids are a month old) and her milk is wonderful.
Unfortunately I can't get the good quality ingredients to mix my own feed now at that price so I am back feeding 16% goat feed. But other than the doe I am milking, I don't feed much of it.
I am SO glad my doe did not get mastitis this year...I was worried that I would not be able to continue to breed her if it became a consistent issue.