I'm reading lots of books and they say that each Mature Doe needs non legume hay (all they can eat) and 3 lbs of supplemental grains (I use Dumor Show Quality feed which is expensive.) Then lactating or pregnant does eat up to 5lbs. The breeder was feeding much less than that and when I measured it out it was a huge quanitity, but the goats do seem hungry, so I've been increasing their feed to get them up to the stated levels. Are these levels correct? I have the dairy herd on an acre lot which they have eaten down and I'm carrying in their food to monitor milk quality (when I get that far.) They're eating freshly cut and baled timothy or bermuda/coastal mix (switching to all bermuda/coastal.) Am I doing this right? Help! I'm getting confused.............too late, I AM confused :haha: Karen and Kids
Well...with mine I feed free choice eastern grass hay to my dry does and even pregnent ones intill the pregnent ones need to start getting grain and alfalfa then they do get that. With my lactating does what I did is they got half a flake of alfalfa morning and night and then they got milked 2 times a day and each milking they got 1 1/2 pounds of grain so daily they got one flake of alfalfa and 3 pounds of grain. But thats how I do it...it also depends on where you live etc. I never give grain to dry does unless they are under a year of age or undersized and need some to grow/keep weight on. It will make them fat and hard to breed if they have grain where I live. You really need to talk to people in your area and see how they do things then see what works for you. Tons of people do it many different ways and they all work..but some work better for some people than others. Just so you know goats always eat what ever you put infront of them not matter what. They may act starving but if they are at a good weight and getting what they need then they are just playing you. I am sorry I couldn't be of more help! MotherClucker
I disagree when you say you didn't help me much. I thought this made a lot of sense. I'm calling the breeder to ask her these questions, just as you suggested. I didn't even think about the fact that each climate is different. Thanks, Karen
I am glad I could help. I learned most of what I know from a fellow breeder friend of mine who happens to live 15 minutes away from me. I even have worked on her farm for a while. Books are great and all but I personally prefer to go to a flesh and blood person who has breed goats for a long time and ask them my questions since they live in my area and know what the climite(sp) is like and all that stuff. MotherClucker ps: Can you believe I have only been into goats for a little over a year?
i fed dry does 1lb per day plus hay. milkers got 1 lb on the milk stand, twice a day, and group fed another lb each in the lot. didn't measure the hay....depended on how many goats i had at the time...about a flake a day per goat. they always act like they are starving. you should feel the ribs, but not bony...not so fat that you can see the roll, definitely, but not coat rack thin, either. they should look dairy, not meaty...make any sense at all???
My milking does get 3lb ea of grain daily and I give all my other does a lb of grain daily and they get a mixture of grass and alfalfa hay. I have believed that dairy goats should look like dairy cows with the sunken in sides...I have seen this with show dairy goats, they have the sunken in sides (I don't mean major on this, just slight).
