# Am I Giving Her Too Much?



## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I have a milking Nigerian Dwarf Doe who I *think* is 6 years old, but I won't be sure till her papers get here Currently she has free choice alfalfa, she can graze on the pasture with the horses (15 acres) in the evening when it is cooler, and she gets about 2.5-3 cups of soaked beet pulp, and 1.5 cups of 8% sweet feed (all the feed store usually carries) twice a day. I have tried feeding her BOSS and she doesn't like it 

If it needs to be changed, how would you change it?

Thanks!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Unless she is in milk, I wouldn't bother with that much feed. You could totally cut out the beet pulp and I would reduce the goat ration to about 1 cup per day. Unless my girls are milking, they only get 1 cup of goat grain once a day. Naturally if she is underconditioned, you would want to feed her more.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

She is in milk  Nursing/weaning her last wether, and I am milking twice a day.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I would like to see a higher protein 16% at least. You dont need to soak the beat pulp


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Okay. I need to go to the feed store to get some more minerals so I will see if they have a 16% sweet feed there. 

The reason I soak the beet pulp is because it's in pellet form, and she won't eat it otherwise. Picky picky  

Are the amounts I am feeding her okay? I would like to get a couple more pounds on her, and hopefully increase milk production a bit.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

you will get better milk production and weight gain with a higher protein feed. how much milk is she producing? If just changing the protein isn't enough she may need closer to 2 cups per milking


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Well, I haven't milked her with a 12 hour fill yet so I don't really know, honestly. I'm just now getting into the whole milking thing and her last kid is still being weaned so I am not totally sure yet.... BUT I would guess from her completely full udder before she had her kids, and after last years kids went to their new home, I would say 1/3 gallon maybe. Maybe 1/2. I'll have to see at the end of August when I take her to a couple more shows. Unless my wether get's too big to squeeze through the fence... Then I will make him stay with the bucks. 

While we're here... How do you get rid of hay bellies on bucks? I am taking one of my younger bucks to one of the fairs. The bucks are on a dry lot and get grass hay and minerals. We have plenty of alfalfa to feed them, and I am THINKING that would be waaaay better than just plain grass hay, but I am afraid of them getting U.C...


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Just feed them a little grain to balance the extra calcium. Most UC cases are actually from to little calcium and to high phosphorous


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The beet pulp is low protein. It is good for adding some roughage and it does help with weight gain but alfalfa pellets and Calf Manna are higher protein.

The key for boys is the ratio between calcium and phosphorus. So as long as the ratio is 2 to 2.5 to 1 calcium to phosphorus, you are fine to feed alfalfa hay.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

So I can feed alfalfa AND grain to the bucks? How much of the grain per buck? One is a pygmy, (5 y/o) and one is a Nigerian Dwarf (8 m/o) And that will get rid of the hay belly for show?


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> The beet pulp is low protein. It is good for adding some roughage and it does help with weight gain but alfalfa pellets and Calf Manna are higher protein.
> 
> The key for boys is the ratio between calcium and phosphorus. So as long as the ratio is 2 to 2.5 to 1 calcium to phosphorus, you are fine to feed alfalfa hay.


Can't get alfalfa pellets, just hay. I can see what the price is on Calf Manna, though.

How do I make sure the ratio for the bucks is correct?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I don't show so I don't know much about getting rid of hay belly. If they are of good weight, I would be careful on how much grain you feed.

You have to look at everything they eat and figure out how much calcium and phosphorus is in each thing.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Currently they are just getting grass hay. I read somewhere on here you need to get the test levels of the hay from the grower? We buy from an old timer, and he doesn't test. Soooo are we just better off feeding all grass hay?


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Have Purina Noble Goat Chow for Dairy Goats on order for delivery next Friday at the feed store.


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