# Pregnancy feeding and care input :)



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Hey, all! I was wondering what you think of my pregnant girls' care. Do you think it's okay? Would you add to it?

AM -- Shared grain. 2 months away from delivery, I will start giving them raspberry daily.

PM -- 2 cups of alfalfa pellets each.

FREE CHOICE -- Minerals, fresh water twice a day, high quality grass hay.

SUPPLEMENTAL -- Kop Sel, an herbal copper and selenium supplement.

OTHER CARE -- Hoof trimming whenever needed (until last month of pregnancy), close monitoring of overall condition, including eyelids, droppings, activity, etc. 

WHEN CONTRACTIONS START -- Ewe-Ter-N, to encourage strong contractions and quick delivery.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds good. Everyone has to figure out what works best fir them.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks, Karen, just want to make sure I'm not depriving my girls of anything that will assist them along their pregnancy and delivery.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

What is the average weight on your does Dannielle? I want to look at something for you.
Are you feeding feed or mixed grains?


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

What a great thread ! So much to learn !


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## Niginewbie (Oct 28, 2013)

I have one pregnant Nigerian doe so I've been interested in this topic. Have you used the raspberry leaf before? Did you notice a big difference? What is the dosage? I'm also curious as to how much grain you give and do you cut it down in the last month? This is my first time with a pregnant goat and her first time being pregnant. Any and all advice is appreciated!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

goathiker said:


> What is the average weight on your does Dannielle? I want to look at something for you.
> Are you feeding feed or mixed grains?


Average weight is 60 (smallest), and 80 (largest).

I am mixing my own grain, a recipe I got from Fir Meadow Farm. I also soak it 24 hours before giving it to them, in a bit of water and ACV for increased digestibility.



Niginewbie said:


> I have one pregnant Nigerian doe so I've been interested in this topic. Have you used the raspberry leaf before? Did you notice a big difference? What is the dosage? I'm also curious as to how much grain you give and do you cut it down in the last month? This is my first time with a pregnant goat and her first time being pregnant. Any and all advice is appreciated!


I haven't yet, but someone else has and noticed a big difference. I've known several who have ... worth a try, IMO! I know it's good for pregnant humans as well.

Right now I am giving about a half cup between the four pregnant girls. I don't intend to give more, I intend to slowly increase once kids are born to work up to the time when the kids will be ready to separate and I'll be milking again.  Just my current game plan!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

More detail please , I'm interested


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

For the last 2 months of pregnancy, I would bring their alfalfa pellets up to 1% of their body weight. That would be 10 ounces for your smaller does and 13 ounces for the larger girls. 

The rest looks great...


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## Niginewbie (Oct 28, 2013)

Goathiker- that's good to know. Does that stay the same through milking/nursing? How much grain do they need during that time?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Trickyroo said:


> More detail please , I'm interested


More detail about the grain?



goathiker said:


> For the last 2 months of pregnancy, I would bring their alfalfa pellets up to 1% of their body weight. That would be 10 ounces for your smaller does and 13 ounces for the larger girls.
> 
> The rest looks great...


Thank you, Jill!I just calculated, should 2 cups alfalfa pellets each cover that? They are getting that now, every night.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You know, I really never weigh my girl's grain. I mix up a big bucket and put it in the stanchion. They eat as much as they want while I milk. These are natural grains though, not feed with sweeteners, flavorings, and chemicals. They seem to self regulate well and eat just what keeps them in condition. 

I feed more alfalfa pellets than hay here. They get what they will clean up everyday and just a little hay to provide more fiber. 

Mine are full-sized goats Alpine/Nubian crosses and one pure Alpine. The crossbreds have been fed this way since I bought them as kids 3 years ago. The pure Alpine was bought this summer as a yearling. Her body did need to adjust to the natural way I feed. Watching her learn to browse was just funny...For the longest time all she would eat was flowers and rosehips. She is starting to look more like one of my goats now. Her hair is still not as soft and shiny as I would like but, I think her new summer coat will be right. She has lost an incredible amount of internal fat that just made her look coarse.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

My alfalfa pellets weigh 5 ounces per cup. So that does cover the smallest does. Your bigger girls may need another 1/2 cup or so.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Does anyone leave alfalfa pellets out free choice ? I heard of that but how in the world could you monitor what they eat and keep them from getting obese ? Would they eventually regulate themselves after getting used to having it available throughout the day ? Would that be a good thing to do ? I could just imagine how many bags of alfalfa pellets one would go through if they were owned by 17-20 goats of various sizes , lol.. If I could cut down on hay , that would be wonderful. Still give hay of course , but just not as much. I found a nice grass hay today. The bucks love it  I add beet pulp pellets to their diet during the cold months. I don't remember my bucks liking them as much as they do this year. So much to learn about feeding these addictive animals !


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Mine are pretty much free choice Laura. They don't eat nearly as much as you would think. My 10 go through 120lbs a week and one bale of hay a week. There is so much less waste. They eat every bite of what they are offered.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

You feed your boys the same too ? I wish I could borrow you for a while Jill. Just until I learn everything , lolol. Sort of like a live in mentor if you will


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Yep, I feed my boys the same as well. Just looked at calcium map and your area is the same as mine see?


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Your amazing Jill  Im going to take a better look at that map tomorrow with my glasses on and brain fresh , lol. 
If I would only apply myself , I would learn something 
I thought the alfalfa pellets wouldn't be good for bucks in general.
Ugh , im so freakin confused now , lolol.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

No, the alfalfa pellets are good for bucks. In our area, they may actually protect them from UC, adding much needed calcium to their diet. In other areas higher in calcium, they are probably not needed/not beneficial.

My boys only get grass hay and alfalfa pellets. The three of them get four cups in the AM, and four in the PM. I will cut that once they are out of rut, but during rut they need it. They also get free-choice hay, minerals, water, same as the ladies.

Thank you so much for the info, Jill!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Good info thanks 

Jill , you have to change your avatar , its too freakin funny , :ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

But then I'd have to use this one...


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Jill, you have a stalker!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Man , when i need a giggle , I look at Jill's avatar , :ROFL:
Priceless :grin:

Im going over every thread about pre kidding. Im getting close with my girls.
I really want to start feeding alfalfa pellets free choice. How much should i start with ? Im afraid they would gulp it down and get themselves sick.
But , I have seen the girls who are pregnant leave their buckets with some pellets still uneaten. So , that gave me encouragement that they will be able to pace themselves. Could they overeat and become obese from alfalfa pellets ?

Having Mocha pregnant last year seems so long ago and so easy compared to having all the does I have this year due. I look at them and start sweating !
I have a few people in mind that I would like to go pick up and bring here for the month a April. You guys know who you are too :laugh: I would have all of you here , but they are in driving distance :grin:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I would just raise the amount slowly -- my girls will even leave Alfalfa pellets over if they get full, and they're piggies :laugh: Gladly the pregger girls are staying in shape. Patti and Leona, who are not pregnant, are a little bit chubby :laugh: :laugh: 

Laura, everyone who lives nearby should just move together for the kidding season, so we can all take turns, share vets, and give each other moral support.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Your right Danielle  I think we should have a place to bring all the pregnant does , lol. Could you imagine the site ! A herd of goats who look like they swallowed watermelons ! They would be like the walking dead , but with pregnant goats instead  We could have night , day , noon , morning shifts for all and a huge vat of coffee , lol. 
It would be a preggo camp for goats and assorted animals , lolol. 

I betcha that if someone looked into creating something like this , they would have a nice little business , lol.
:thinking::thinking::thinking:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Good idea!! The goat pregnancy support camp. :laugh:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I think if a person lived close to a city that allows small goats like Seattle etc. They could do pretty well with a goat "camp". You know taking care of peoples animals while they are on vacation and such but, set up like a vacation camp for city animals.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

We might be on to something here guys :laugh:


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Hey Jill , how would I start my herd on having alfalfa pellets free 
choice ?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Just keep adding a little more every day until they start leaving some. Then you can go to free choice all the time. They really won't over eat on them anyway.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

I have been doing , on a smaller scale with just five of them and have noticed they do walk away and leave some. Im excited to try this with all of them. Im looking forward to less hay waste. Im beyond overwhelmed at the mess under the ice that is melting ! I can't stand looking at it anymore , but so much more has to melt before i can start cleaning up the pens. Its driving me insane :hair:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Oh, I know. The one day things thawed here, I picked up all that nasty, wasted hay.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Should I give my girls a dose of selenium gel now, or closer to kidding?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would probably do the gel 2 to 4 weeks prior to kidding


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Sounds like now, then!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I always feel like I'm overlooking something big that will magically make the kidding go perfectly, but I don't think such a magical potion exists. :laugh: Ah well, I'm trying my best! Now to practice my breathing until Bee and Ginger kid ... in, out, in, out ...


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Me too ! As long as I have my brown paper bag with me , I should do fine , lolol.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I am actually on an anxiety herbal mix :laugh: It has been a God send, literally. Dr. Christopher's Relax-Eze. I'm going to go through a lot of the stuff when Bee is in labor. :laugh: :rofl:


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Im taking notes here Danielle


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

We should all have Relax-eze at kidding time...dosage increasing for everyday overdue 


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

I agree :ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

And if your married , double the dose :hammer::hammer::hammer:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

It helps, for sure!


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## Bertnut2 (Feb 9, 2014)

I have a pregnant Nigerian (at least I hope she is) and doing the right feeding regimen is utmost in my mind. I haven't even had my goats ( 2 Nigerians) a year yet so I am a very new goat momma. I LOVE them like children and want the best. My question ( well my first one :0) ) what is the raspberry leaf? Is that good for pregnant goats or all the time? And right now I feed a grass hay but should I start adding some alfalfa hay also? If alfalfa pellets are just good, where do I get them? I haven't seen them at my Tractor Supply. 
Right now my food regimen is 3 cups of grain in the am ( split between the 2) and same in the pm. Free choice of hay, loose minerals, baking soda, and fresh water. Is this ok? Should I change ( slowly) to alfalfa in the pm? 
Also my grain composition is 50/50 Dumor sweet feed /goat pellets with BOSS mixed in. I've just recently changed this from all sweet feed since I've read so much on here about not giving so much sweet feed and the importance of BOSS. 
Sorry this is so long but it seemed the perfect thread for all my questions. 


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Betnut2, Raspberry is good for pregnant goats through all stages of pregnancy.  Yes, the grass hay is good, but they will need alfalfa for calcium. Alfalfa hay is better, but I couldn't find it so I am using Alfalfa pellets.

I would give them a bit less grain then that. Switching over to alfalfa may be a great idea. A bit of BOSS is great for selenium, but don't go overboard or they may have issues. Everything in moderation.


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## Bertnut2 (Feb 9, 2014)

Thank you so much. I will look for these pellets. The Tractor Supply sells an Alfalfa bale of hay but I wasn't sure if that is what u should buy. So onto my next question, my goat that is pregnant is my younger girl by a month but has always been a little bit bigger. Now she seems to be thriving and the older girl seems off. She has that fish tail I read in another thread and her coat seems thinner and not as nice and she's very dandruffy all the sudden. 
This has only happened in the last month and it has me worried. I took fecal samples of both to the vet yesterday because I was thinking worms but as I saw the "fish tail" reference in the other thread someone said copper deficiency. (I think) Is it possible for one to have an issue and not the other? 


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Copper deficiency makes a goat more prone to worms, so it's possible you have both. I'd copper bolus and wait for that fecal.


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## Bertnut2 (Feb 9, 2014)

Where can I buy copper bolus? Is there a specific kind? And should I do both to be safe? 


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## Aplyn (Feb 10, 2014)

This is the one thing that scares me on if i am feeding correctly, Bethany will kid anyday as i do not know her date she was bred, the guy said she will kid april but has an udder well over 6 weeks now, and this past two days i noticed it is getting bigger.
, 
my question is, i feed her 1/2 cup of grain with a small handful of Alfalfa pellets once a day and also give here cut up carrots and a bit of cut up apples, she has free feed hay out at all times as well as water at all times, i bring her nice lukewarm buckets every morning and every evening.I leave out baking soda for her, the only thing i have not done yet was get the loose minerals as we do not have any for goats in our area and thats and hour out from here, but i did by loose minerals for cattle, but not sure on giving this to her because they say if i already give a feed with another feed that contains added selenium. so i did not give it to her because her other feed has this, she does have a mineral salt block out that she licks away at.

Am i feeding ok for a alpine goat to not have large kids?
Its scary!!

I have attached the grain that they gave to feed a pregnant goat and the minerals that they sold me, also the minerals i wanted to leave out free choice but it seems that because its made for cows and their wieght, i cannot figure out what i am to leave out free feed for her size,
I wish i could just buy the minerals for goats only here in Canada somewhere and ship it to me. 
Anyone have a clue where to buy this in Canada online? please do let me know. Thank you for reading this long post


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## Aplyn (Feb 10, 2014)

Aplyn said:


> This is the one thing that scares me on if i am feeding correctly, Bethany will kid anyday as i do not know her date she was bred, the guy said she will kid april but has an udder well over 6 weeks now, and this past two days i noticed it is getting bigger.
> ,
> my question is, i feed her 1/2 cup of grain with a small handful of Alfalfa pellets once a day and also give here cut up carrots and a bit of cut up apples, she has free feed hay out at all times as well as water at all times, i bring her nice lukewarm buckets every morning and every evening.I leave out baking soda for her, the only thing i have not done yet was get the loose minerals as we do not have any for goats in our area and thats and hour out from here, but i did by loose minerals for cattle, but not sure on giving this to her because they say if i already give a feed with another feed that contains added selenium. so i did not give it to her because her other feed has this, she does have a mineral salt block out that she licks away at.
> 
> ...


Its not a grain that i feed sorry its pellet form that she gets, its the yellow paper i attached on here, also wanted to mention that when i asked them for loose minerals they said the block is all she needs and gets everything in there for her, but once i said that its too hard for a goat and she can't bite it, as its made really for cattle, they than suggested the cattle minerals to me, i bought the bag but did not give it, as after reading it and it said ot to feed with another feed that contains selenium in it...and both have it in there!!


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