# feeding my pregnant nubian doe



## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

So after my other doe died, I'm a little nervous about my other one.

She (if she is pregnant) is due to kid in April. I want to make sure she is getting all she needs but not more than she needs.

She gets about 2 cups of 16% dairy goat grain, and a healthy slab of hay, twice a day.

She seems perfectly healthy, but of course so did my other doe before she died. She has gotten some minerals, but nothing else.

Any ideas? Am I ok? Just on a whim I gave her 20ccs of a karo/molasses drench I'm giving one of my sheep yesterday and she went crazy for it.

She doesn't seem particularly fat, but of course goats always look fat.

Thanks


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

sounds like she is getting fed well.

Do you have loose minerals available 24/7? What do her eyelids look like? has she been wormed if needed?


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

This is good to know because I keep hearing that you shouldn't feed grain til the last couple of weeks of pregnancy, but...My doe was always on the thin side so I have been feeding a cup in the morning and a cup in the evening all along. Now she is about two months pregnant (nubian also) and I worry about feeding grain. I don't want her babies to get too big being this is her first pregnancy but I also want to feed her properly. I have also read that the last month the grain should be upped to slowly to milking rations which would be about 6lbs. Besides the feed she also gets alfalfa free feed, salt blocks, loose minerals and occasional treats of bread or triscuits. I am already seeing her belly grow and I have been taking weekly measurements of her belly since her breeding. She has gained 3.5 inches in about 8 weeks. I was something fun to do plus it reassured me that the breeding took.


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## Jimily (Feb 4, 2010)

Hello all,
For our mommy-to-be Nubians we have been following the feeding levels described in the experiment summed up on the maxine kinne website with great success in our Nubians for the past two kidding seasons ever since reading the article and following the technique.

I only have one other herd to site as an example. The other herd here on the property is Boer and they feed them the same amount of feed no matter what day it is which I think is a pound of med pellets and corn per doe plus hay. I have seen them having more issues over the years with prolapse, tears, more tangled presentations and stillborns from being so huge at birth (theory) whereas our girls haven't needed our help with problems, or had problems. The smaller Boer moms also seem to have less issues than the bull sized mommies.

The article is here: http://kinne.net/drostudy.htm

It's a good read if you haven't already seen it. So far, and as far as we can tell, it's working for us. Hopefully that's helping, that or being really really lucky! 
Take care,
Jimily


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