Just looking for some suggestions on how to feed a pregnant doe during her last month of pregnancy. I've heard and tried a few different ways over the last two years that I've had goats, and have had a few problems after birth. Right now, I have one doe who just kidded and is recovering slowly. I have another who is due in a month, and I want to know of ways to decrease the risk of milk fever and such post-birth problems. I'm hoping my second one will end up better than the first. When do you feed grain? That's my big question. I've dried off the second doe a month ago, giving her plenty of time to rest, and I have pretty decent alfalfa for her. How can I improve? I've heard the last few weeks of pregnancy are very crucial as far as what the babies are getting through mom's food. Thanks - Danielle

-- Danielle (thiessens@att.net), April 09, 2002

Answers

Whether or not you feed grain depends on your goats. I feed all mine grain while they are pregnant, particularly in the last month and a half. Bred doelings get grain the whole time. I've heard horror stories about this causing problems- but here is the way I see it: the doe needs extra nutrition at this time to put a little fat reserve on her back,- not a lot- so that she can milk well. They usually have twins or triplets, and I want the kids to be strong and healthy, because mine are raised out in the barn with their dams. If my does gave me singles most of the time, I would NOT feed grain for fear of huge single kids, but these are uncommon, instead we get good sized twins. My does always have a hard time keeping in good flesh once they freshen, so I try to use the last month or so to give them a head start on their production. They do need plenty of fiber, first cutting alfalfa or alfalfa grass mix is better than second or third cutting at this time. Bred doelings get as much grain as the older does, because they are still growing as well as making kids and gettting set for a lactation.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 09, 2002.

Ditto waht rebekah mentioned, i do the same because the doe really needs all the extra help to be in good shape for kidding. We usually increase their grain about 2 months before kidding. I tried yrs ago the method of not feeding grain til 2 months prior to kidding, but like Rebekah said its hard to put weight on a good milker.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), April 09, 2002.

Pretty much the same as Rebekkah. When we dry up our does we do not stop graining them, since they are very pregnant. Grain is fed for condition and amount of milk, so obviously if they are not milking they are already getting that much less grain, if they have a good amount of flesh over their ribs than they would get less grain. Like Rebekkah we also want the does freshening with a good amount of meat on their bones, since they milk it off so quickly. If we breed anything around 100 pounds, she gets grain the whole time she is bred. We don't have the luxury of really good alfalfa hay, we can purchase it, but we can't keep it with our humidity, so this puts us at a disadvantage raising our kids, we have to grain. Milk fever is caused by the doe not having enough stored calcium in her system. Mineral defficencies including copper, zinc coated water troughs, over feeding molassas can all cause rumen upset, cause problems with absorption of calcium, and cause rumen acidosis. If you don't have any idea what the calcium to phosphrus ratio of your grain mix is, than match your management to someone who does in your area. Having healthy does after kidding really starts before she is bred. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (Nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 09, 2002.

Thanks so much, you guys. It makes a lot of sense now why my first doe isn't doing too well after kidding. Last year, I fed her grain pretty much all the way through her pregnancy. That was when I didn't know much about goats, and I was using a different feed than I do now. I wasn't sure if what I had fed her was alright because one of her two bucks died from some digestional problem (I think that's what it was...). So, this year, I tried something different. I dried her off two months prior to kidding, and cut out the grain (a friend of mine suggested this). About one week before she kidded, I fed her grain again. She kidded last Wednesday and Sunday we noticed she was laying low a lot and when she did get up, she was very uncertain on her legs. It got so bad last night, I had to milk her on the ground - she wouldn't jump onto the milking table. She eats great (grain and alfalfa) though. After calling our local "goat lady" we got some advice and I gave her molassas water today. Got her out a little, made her walk around - exercise some. I think she's coming out of it. We may start giving her Muti B vitamins...come to think of it, her kids are a little smaller looking this year than last year, but it's sure hard to remember that - they grow so fast...Got a little distracted here! I'm going to start my second doe on grain. I hope she'll do alright. She's such a little thing (half Pygmy, half Nubian - It's called Kinder, but I think she's more Pygmy. She's practically all udder when she's milking!). It's hard to know...you're right though, I've heard horror stories of does not being able to push out their kids because they where overfed grain during pregnancy. I suppose it all depends on the particular goat. Gotta go bottle-feed my little guys now - I can hear 'em calling for me :o)

-- Danielle (thiessens@att.net), April 09, 2002.

Danielle your doe has milk fever, not low blood sugar. The molassas water is fine but she needs readibly absorbable calcium NOW! Big feed stores carry CMPK and your vet will have all sorts of stuff for milk fever in cattle! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (Nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 10, 2002.