# will feeding alfalfa too close to term cause milk fever



## newbygoatmama (Oct 19, 2012)

I have read a couple of article discussing that if you feed alfalfa to your pregnant does to close to the time of kidding it can cause milk fever with in a few days before and after kidding they say to take them off of alfalfa a few days before kidding to prevent this i just wanted to know what you guys think and your experiences on this matter whether you have done this or not had issues with it etc thanks in advance for your replies


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Ive never heard of alfalfa causing milk fever, our Boers get it yr round.


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## shibby7 (Feb 20, 2012)

Same here!


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## KarmakeeFarm (Jun 3, 2012)

Never heard of that either-and I feed good horse quality alflalfa to mine all year round!


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## newbygoatmama (Oct 19, 2012)

k what a relief i read it in several books and it was in goat wisdom so i was a lil worried but i will just stick to the alfalfa then thanks


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I think it's dang if you do and dang if you don't.

meaning not having the right balance of calcium in the animal will cause milk fever. That goes both ways. Too much or too little.

right now the does are using up lots of calcium on the babies and then later on milk. They need a lot and their bodies will grab it from all reserves including the bones. 

So to know how much is too much you'd have to know how much calcium your does are absorbing and what they need. Calcium absorbtion can be blocked from lack of minerals and VitD too.

I've got to say I - like most have never had an issue with feeding alfalfa in any form to prego and milking does. Not sure of the calcium content on my alfalfa or the pellets. But I do supplement with calcium in the last 24hrs leading up to kidding.

HTH,


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

No, Alfalfa doesn't cause Milk fever, Alfalfa is really good for them, late term.


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## KarmakeeFarm (Jun 3, 2012)

LilBeats-how do you give them extra calcium? Shots? or something else?


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

calcium drench but I've read folks on this forum give tumms. Never thought of that but now I can try it 

i've heard that if the kidding has slowed down (stalled) that calcium will help get it going again. so I drench my girls when I think they are getting close. Figure it couldn't hurt.


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## newbygoatmama (Oct 19, 2012)

thanks all that helps alot you can never be too careful but sometimes it makes you crazy:dazed: its funny all my husband can call me is the crazy goat lady lately cuz as it gets closer the more time i spend researching and he has all the confidence that i know what i am doing and sees no reason for me to be in a panic hes just always to calm for me lol


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Thought I posted this before but its not here. 

I think it can definitely cause problems if the goat isnt used to it. In my case, I thought I was doing the right thing and gave my girls lucerne (alfalfa) two weeks before and after kidding, and I had an absolute train wreck. Milk fever, oedema, and I've crippled one of my girls for life. They are now not getting any lucerne and I am too scared to introduce it again. 

I think the difference is that you guys feed lucerne all year round, whereas I feed oaten hay all year.


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## desertlily (Jul 22, 2011)

Ha! Ha! Good luck giving your doe Tums! Mine thought I was trying to feed her poison! Although I know some will eat them, so I hope yours cooperate! I plan on having some calcium gluconate on hand just in case - it can be given sub cutaneously if needed. I also figured I could crush up the Tums and drench her with that if needed, and she was able to be drenched.

I've never had to deal with toxemia or milk fever, but I've heard horror stories, so I'd rather be over prepared, and watch her like a hawk!


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## shibby7 (Feb 20, 2012)

desertlily - mine don't like the tums either! And I found they don't mix too good crushed up with warm water. I keep MFO Solution on hand now.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

For an older doe that looks to be carrying a big load, or has had kidding problems the year befor I increase their calcium the last couple weeks before kidding. Low calcium causes weak contractions and the kids may not get into position. I use the Magic mixture, 1 part mollasses, corn oil annd corn syrup. Drench an adult doe(Boer) 4 or 5 ounces one time a day for few days. 
And I give them Calcium Gluconate 23% injections, sub-q, 15 cc at a time. for a couple days before kidding. Or I put some in the drench. 

We don't feed a lot of alalfa before they start kidding, Although when the first part of the group has started kidding, they then get some alfalfa hay about 2 lbs each per day, mixed with their grass hay. I spread it out well so everyone gets some. We put all our does together that are due to get, so some does may not be due for another month or more. I have not seen any problems with these does getting alfalfa hay before they kid.
Start out very very slowly, it can and will cause bloat if they aren't used to such rich hay. 

Shredded Beet plup is also a good source of calcium


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## desertlily (Jul 22, 2011)

shibby7 - what is MFO Solution?


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## shibby7 (Feb 20, 2012)

http://www.jefferspet.com/mfo-solution/camid/LIV/cp/A2-C5/ I had never heard of it before until a cattle midwife gave me a bottle of it for one of my does, I won't be without it now.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I feed my alfalfa all the time, w/ free choice minerals of course. As for labor slowing down and calcium, when we had cattle we'd give a calcium/magnesium drench- I'd think it would be similar with goats.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Mine get alfalfa year round. Dairy goats need more alfalfa/calcium than meat goats because of the larger amount of milk they produce. Alfalfa is very good for goats, if they are used to it. You must introduce it slowly though as it is easier to bloat goats on alfalfa. You also want to not use freshly baled alfalfa as it needs to cure about 30 days to reduce the chance of it causing bloat.

My goats love tums, they will practically maul me to get their share. I give them the fruit flavored ones but have also given the peppermint.


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## desertlily (Jul 22, 2011)

Shibby7 - Awesome! Thank you! I had actually bought all those supplements separately and ground them all up and put them in baggies to have them ready - a lot of work! I didn't have any idea this was available!


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