How Much to Feed Nigerian Dwarf in Milk

[margeaux]

Hi everyone! I just got my first ND doe in milk with her doeling a few weeks ago. The previous owner told me to mix one part textured feed (17/18%) with one part alfalfa pellets. She also said to add in BOSS but I wasn't sure the correct ratio.

She's about 50 lbs and has a lot of varied woodland forage. I have her on a grass and clover hay as well. Can someone tell me how much textured feed, alfalfa pellets, and BOSS to give daily?

I've read a lot of things warning against too much grain. But I'm wondering how much is too much? If she seems like she could put on a little weight and I want to boost milk production, what is a safe upper limit for grain?

Thanks!

 

[Latestarter]

Though the breeder told you what mix to give, she didn't give you any sort of amount? Are you milking her? I'd start out with ~2-3cups twice a day, then increase or decrease slowly to achieve the best body shape. JMHO. @OneFineAcre @Goat Whisperer @Green Acres Farm @animalmom <--all Nigie owners... There are many others.

 

[Southern by choice]

I would ask the breeder how much she was getting ....
Are you milking the doe or is the doe just on mom?
How fresh is the doe?
She may need to be dewormed as well... between kidding and milking and the move all these contribute to parasitic bloom.

 

[margeaux]

Thanks for the answers. The previous owner said to give her a scoop of the 'standard' scoops that they sell at tsc, up to the handle. I think she meant up to the 1 qt line. That's with the mix of grain and alfalfa pellets. Plus she would get some with the herd in the morning but probably no way to know how much, it was a big herd.

So she was likely getting a little over 2 cups of each once a day. I've been trying to give her that much but she gives me some trouble with milking so I add in some extra on some days. But it would be nice on both of us if I could give her more than that daily because it would help her deal with the milk stand better.

So would it be a good idea to increase that slowly? How many (much?) BOSS daily?

I'm milking her and she has one doeling on her. I don't seperate them at all yet because it's been very cold and I only have the two of them so I don't want to leave them without anyone to keep them warm. The doeling is about 5 weeks.

When I got her I had the vet run a fecal and they told me she had hookworm so I treated with ivermectin. The previous owner also dewormed her after kidding.

I also bought a microscope because I think it would be interesting to do my own fecal exams. For now I'm just planning on trying to see what I can find and still having the vet run them when needed until I feel confident in my 'diagnosis' abilities. So I think I'll have the vet run another one 3 weeks from the date I gave the ivermectin. Is that a good idea or unnecessary?

When I tried my own fecal, I did see maybe 12 eggs on the slide that could have been hookworm eggs (or haver pole?) so I'm wondering if the Ivermectin worked. Or maybe that amount is acceptable? I'm not confident in this yet, I have to read more and look at more pictures of eggs when I have time.


Thanks again!

 

[Latestarter]

IMHO, you are your goat's keeper... If you feel she's not doing as well as you'd like and believe a little more food would help, then give her a little more food. Just increase the amounts gradually. As for the BOSS, add a handful into one grain/pellet/cube/ feeding mix each day. Or a handful as a treat in the afternoon or when you visit with them. Use it as a training tool to get them to come to you when you want them to.

4 cups of grain/feed per day for a doe in milk is not enough IMHO. Especially if you are milking her in addition to her feeding her kid. I would do about twice that amount. Like 3-4 cups twice a day.

A follow up fecal is always a good idea to find out if your application worked or not. From what I've read, vets who aren't familiar with goats often under prescribe on the dosage because goats have a much higher metabolism. Even better that you do your own fecal analysis and then back up your findings with those of the vet to make sure you are in fact finding what's there.

 

[margeaux]

I think I will increase her feed gradually and give her extra alfalfa pellets during the day. She tends to fish around the alfalfa for the grain whe in milking so often times she doesn't eat her alfalfa.

The vet seems to be fairly knowledgable about goats. She gave me doseage recommendations that fit with information I've read online about goats and also the previous owners recommendations. So I feel confident I gave her the right amount of dewormed. But I will do a follow up fecal just in case!

Latestarter, do you mean 3-4 cups twice a day for a full size goat or Nigerian? And do you mean that much of a 1/2 and 1/2 alfalfa and grain mix, or of just straight grain? Thanks!

 

[Southern by choice]

How much is the doe milking?

 

[margeaux]

I get a little over a cup on a good day, most of it from the morning milking. That's if I get to her before the baby does in the morning. On a bad day it might be a quarter cup. I milk twice a day, hoping to keep production up.

I'm hesitant to separate mom and baby because I only have the two and its cold at night still. I was going to try taping her teats at night so they can still be together but baby can't nurse. Hope it works!

 

[Southern by choice]

It could be this is a food hog.

The amount you are getting and that she has a single IMO doesn't really warrant extra.
Some Nigies eat and eat and eat but don't put milk in the pail... they just get fat.

I would not mix the pellets. Some goats are persnickety. Give 2-3 cups of straight feed in the am leave out the alfalfa pellets.... 2 in the pm and see how she does.

 

[margeaux]

The thing is I can tell she has more milk to give that I'm not able to get out of her. I had to get a Henry milker hand pump milker to use on her because that's what she was used to and she wouldn't put up with me milking by hand for long. I feel like the milker only gets like half and then I try to milk by hand as long as she'll let me. I might try getting some hobbles. I think she's getting more used to being milked by hand but she'll kick over the pail so I have to milk one side at a time so I can protect the milk from getting stepped in.

So I think she's making more milk, I'm just not getting it. Maybe she's trying to hold it back for the baby?

At least right now she's definitely not fat but I'm gonna keep an eye out for her gaining too much. But maybe I'll give her the grain by itself during milking, like you suggested Southern by choice, and BOSS as a treat like Latestarter suggested. And maybe alfalfa pellets during the day. She doesn't seem to think the alfalfa is anything to get excited about so she'll probably still be hungry for grain if she has access to alfalfa more during the day.