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Feeding Preggos
A not politically correct title for an article
describing our feeding of pregnant young does
by
Keith Smith

The scope of this article does not include specific nutritional requirements but references the "commercially available" feed that we use for all of our goats.
Please remember when you read this article that KLS Boer Goats is raising Boer breeding stock - aged open does who are not fat, just in good condition, normally are in the 185-225 pound range (by actual scales, not a weight tape). You will have to take into consideration your breed, the size of the doe, and the availability of browse or graze.

We've finally settled on the following (took us 6 years but...):
First we have set a minimum breeding age - 10 months and minimum breeding weight - 100 pounds.
Next we have chosen a 17% pelletized complete feed (Purina Show Goat - product #55F5) which is fed to all of our goats - kids, does and bucks.

    Here is how we feed the does:
  • 1 week - 5 months old - free choice feed, free choice broam hay, occasional green alfalfa hay.
  • 5 months - - 1-1/2 pound feed split into two meals, AM & PM - free choice hay
  • for 1 month before breeding - 2 pound feed split into two meals, AM & PM - free choice hay
  • after breeding till kidding - 2-1/2 pounds feed split into two meals, AM & PM - free choice hay
  • after kidding till weaning - same feed, less broam, more alfalfa.
  • drying up (3-7 days) - free choice broam only - water offered 3 times/day then water removed from pen.
  • open adult does - 1-1/2 pound feed split into two meals, AM & PM - free choice hay
We've found that we can't feed free choice alfalfa - they turn into rolly-pollies in about three days.

These are all approximations because we can't always divide the girls up the way they need to be so that every one gets exactly their share of feed. That's where I envy the dairy folks - total control over feeding of each individual animal - but then the animal also has total control over your schedule.

We had a couple this year that had a very hard time recovering from having kids - took them forever to look like more than skeletons. One of these girls hasn't cycled at all this year - the only time she pays attention to a buck is to look picked on when he snorts into her feed.

Keith
boergoats.com
Keith & Lucinda Smith
Fort Worth, TX, USA
http://www.boergoats.com
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