# what do I feed my Milking goat?



## Hannah (Oct 17, 2010)

I am new to goats and we are getting a milking doe today,but she is not in milk. We had planed on having some boer goats first so we bought meat goat food.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If she's not pregnant or producing, providing her with browse, good quality hay and a loose goat mineral will do well. Find out when she was last wormed and also ask if there have ever been any issues with parasites.

Any mix of clover, alfalfa, timothy or orchard grass will be fine...typical "horse hay".
If you have a Tractor Supply near you, they carry alot of the basics for goats, I get Manna Pro goat mineral there as well as the feed I use with my herd.

Welcome to TGS!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

hay - a 16% feed (only needs a handful or two until pregnant) and a goat loose mineral


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## Goatie Mama (Oct 27, 2010)

So what do you feed when they're pregnant?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Goatie Mama said:


> So what do you feed when they're pregnant?


With my mini girls, they get an 18% goat feed DURING lactation, once I dry them off they get no grain until they are 2 months pregnant, then they get 1 cup of 18% with an alfalfa hay, 6 weeks before they are due, I decrease the grain by half as this is when the kids do the most growing, I don't want too big of kids at birth, once the does freshen I increase the amount gradually til they are getting 3-4 cups a day to keep up milk production.


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## Goatie Mama (Oct 27, 2010)

Hmm...I've had these girls since the beginning of September and just found out that they are all pregnant. :shrug: I've been feeding a scoop and a half goat feed, a half scoop of oats and a quarter scoop of beet pulp to the lot of five of them. (Two are pygmy boys and three are pregnant French Alpines) During the day they eat the horses' hay and browse in the fields and woods. Do I need a new plan? Everyone always acts like they're starving but they are all plump and healthy looking. This is more complex than taking care of horses.....


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I feed grain separately to get each used to the milkstand and to be sure that each are getting the amount they need..no more and no less. I do think that all goats will act like they are starved, regardless of the amount they get....mine just have to hear me coming home from work and they're at the gate expecting dinner.


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