# Feeding Pregnant and Nursing Does



## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

As it comes closer to kidding season here on the farm, I was curious as to how other people fed their pregnant does and nursing does differently in order to keep them well conditioned. In the past we have had some does who had no issues and some who really struggled to keep their weight on when they are nursing kids. On the flip side I don't want to over do it either. We have done a lot of selling the old and in with the new so these does are new to us and haven't kidded here yet, meaning I'm overly vigilant and slightly paranoid but also very excited as these are likely the best does we have ever owned . We still have five weeks which is definitely a later start for us but the way the temperatures have been here I'm okay with it. Babies born in the subzero temps always makes me crazy.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I give all my does free choice alfalfa and a small amount of grain. Plus whatever mineral supplements.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm just south of you. We have free choice clover/grass hay, and use a 16% medicated, pelleted feed. Usually we add in beet pulp and alfalfa pellets. We had toxemia issues last year, so I am very anxious this year as our first doe is due in 3 weeks. 
We are doing the hay, feed, and a custom sweet mix. They normally get 1/2lb. pellets & 3/4cup of a custom sweet mix, but with the bitter cold temps we are giving them more. We also have a mineral/protein molasses tub, and just added in some alfalfa hay.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Basically free choice alfalfa (enough that they eat it all by next feeding to cut out waste) and protein tubs. Some of mine do let kids drag them down a bit but I find that those does are actually the ones that are growing the best kids so I consider those ones to be my best does since they give it all to the kids. As long as they don’t land flat on their face with weight I leave them be. If they need a little help I’ll give them some grain but really that’s far and few between. My does put their weight on fairly fast after I wean their kids so I just keep a eye on things.
Grain wise they get a cattle grain from tractor supply called stocker grower and a small amount of calf manna depending on how much extras they really do need


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

HoosierShadow said:


> I'm just south of you. We have free choice clover/grass hay, and use a 16% medicated, pelleted feed. Usually we add in beet pulp and alfalfa pellets. We had toxemia issues last year, so I am very anxious this year as our first doe is due in 3 weeks.
> We are doing the hay, feed, and a custom sweet mix. They normally get 1/2lb. pellets & 3/4cup of a custom sweet mix, but with the bitter cold temps we are giving them more. We also have a mineral/protein molasses tub, and just added in some alfalfa hay.


Ours get hay and pelleted feed as well as their mineral tub. Do you use beet pulp shreds or pellets and how much? I've been looking into either that or the calf manna as a supplement.

Jessica- do you feed the 1/4-1/2 lb that the bag says for the calf manna? Have you noticed that it does make a difference?

Part of the problem is that our does generally kid out december-february and we allow the kids to nurse for about 12 weeks. That leads us up to May in some cases and the local shows start in June so we want to keep them as healthy and not too thin as possible without over conditioning them.


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