# Question about feeding after kidding



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

This is our first round with babies and I have a question about feeding. I took most of the grain away when the weather started getting warmer and only gave Casey a small amount in addition to alfalfa hay. She was out browsing all day until she kidded. My question is, I have not given her grain since she kidded but she has free choice alfalfa available at all times plus I give her BOSS and goat balancer pellets mixed together about a 1:2 ratio with boss being the bigger part. She has free choice minerals and baking soda. Should I be giving her grain since she is now kidded and nursing? I don't like giving grain in the warm weather I'm afraid of it fermenting in their tummies...my friend had two goats do that and she said it was worse than dealing with bloat....is there something else I should be giving her? She has a lot of milk, babies are thriving. Oh I also gave her nutridrench after she was done kidding as well as the babies each got a squirt to get them going.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I feed grain all year round and especially after kidding since they need that to produce milk and stay in good condition - never had it ferment in their stomach because they are ruminants.


----------



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

ok im heading to TSC today and I'll get more feed. I was getting the purina goat chow but i think I am going to get the noble goat feed and mix with the sweet feed for horses and add in the boss. she is eating a good amount of alfalfa. Thanks for the info!


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Our goats browse all day too, and although we've not had goats long, we do give them grain, and they have access to two big hay rolls that have a mixture in them. Our empty does only get 1 cup of grain each right now, our 4 1/2 mo old buckling gets 2 cups, and our pregnant girls get between 1 1/2-2 cups. After our girls kid, we'll kick the feed up a notch, but not much unless everyone is not thriving. But again, we have a grassy area, a wooded area for them to browse through - my husband has been clearing out some of the woodeded area so we can hopefully grow some grass in it next year -so they are in treelimb/underbrush heaven LOL

If your doe and kids are doing fine, I wouldn't get too worried, but I'm sure she'll thank you for some grain


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I grain my mini's year round too...regardless of browse or hay, My mama's get 1 1/2-2 cups of 16-18% goat feed(Blue Seal Caprine Challenger)2 X a day from the day they deliver until I dry them off....yes, I milk my nigi/pygmy crosses and I only back off the amount when they start to slack in production. Never had a problem with feeding grain year round in the 10 years I've had them.


----------



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone! I went to TSC and unfortunately they only had Dumor as they were out of the Noble. So, I mixed with BOSS and some sweet feed. The Dumor is good for lactating does or so it says on the bag, I haven't used this before. I gave her a cup and a half last night along with her alfalfa. She has a pen that she can graze in and we do put them out into pasture with the sheep, but right now with her babies, she refuses to go out with them to the meadow. So, she hangs out in her normal area. I had to put Allis out with the sheep because she was being so pushy when the babies were born. We spend time with her and give her treats and tell her she is a good girl. This weekend we will bring Casey and the babies out to the meadow and supervise as the babies will be a week old on Saturday. I started giving Allis the same mix and she picked out all the boss and left the rest.....picky!!


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

The best thing you can do for her is just put her on a 16% Mare & Foal horse feed, a little BOSS and some crimped oats. That will bring your protein percentage up to around 17-18%. Only a little, maybe a cup. If she seems to be losing weight, give her more.


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The Dumor is a good feed, the sweet mix is my second choice when my TSC doesn't have my usual brand in stock.
You have sheep with the goats? Be careful that the sheep don't get the grain you use for the goats as it does have added copper...and also try and get a good mineral that has copper in it for the goats that the sheep can't access, sheep are extremely copper sensitive.


----------



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

We have sheep but no, they are not kept together except when out in the meadow. At feeding time Allis goes into her stall to feed, the sheep do not have access to where the goats are grained and their minerals are. Allis has been out in the day with the sheep, we live on a 17 acre farm. At night I put her in the shearing barn. I am hoping to let casey and her babies out into the field for a little bit tomorrow to see how Allis reacts. She has loose minerals and baking soda free choice in the shearing area that the sheep cannot access freely, but Allis is so small that she can get in and out.


----------



## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

The best thing you can do for a doe after kidding is feed grain. She is making milk and much gets taken from her durring and after a pregnancy. A good protein tub is good too. Smartlick is what we use here and the birthing does and goats blowing winter coats hit it hard. It has been great though the girls did not have any issues maintaining weight this kidding season at all.


----------



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

I did get a bag of sweet mix and put it with the dumor and boss, mixed it all in a big storage container and mixed it up good. I had already been adding oats, and put a little molasses in her water right after she finished kidding. She drank almost all of it. Thanks for all of your help!


----------

