I'm at my wit's end with one of my favorite doe. She's a 3 y/o Alpine, one of my best. She kidded as a FF last year with triplets, milked well, kept weight on, showed well, looked amazing. This year ever since freshening I've struggled to keep weight on her. I've tried everything and she still comes into the barn every milking looking like I starve her She gets 2 cups of Calf Manna and 2.5 of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds dressed with molasses and Healthy Coat(high fat supplement) every day and as much as she'll eat each milking of my regular milking doe feed mix(1/3 alfalfa pellets, Blue Seal 20% and Performance Feed 16%). She has 18% Blue Seal sweet feed out during the day, and free choice alfalfa/grass hay mix. She wasn't eating much for a while, but I wormed her multiple times and her appetite seems to be fine now and she's not anemic at all. Her weight does not affect her milk production, she still puts out quite a bit every day. But I cannot get her to put on weight, and it's driving me insane!! Any ideas or advice would be appreciated. This is a picture of her from last year after winning her first champion leg
Do you have a picture of her now? How much is she producing? Have you taken into consideration all mineral imbalances that can cause ravenous appetite but no weight gain? There are a few... How much does she consume at milking time? I have read that too high of protein can actually cause weight loss, but have no experience with that, or know if there is any truth to it. http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/proteinwhathappe.html
I can get a picture. She milks around 10 lbs a day. I haven't...so maybe she's deficient in something? She is due for a copper bolus this month. She has not been tested for Johnes, but I doubt that's the problem. She's in no way sickly just can't keep up with her production. Interesting. I wonder if a higher fat and lower protein diet would be beneficial.
I've tried lots of different supplements but I'm thinking something must be off in her basic diet or mineral intake or something.
If that in the original post means 2.5 CUPS of BOSS, I would not increase fat anymore. I would actually cut the BOSS down to just a few tablespoons, and probably cut out the healthy coat supplement as well.
With that diet her intestines are probably completely clogged with fat and the super high protein is burning her out. She needs a radical diet change.
I would suggest a good whole grain diet. Something that looks like this. 4 parts whole oats 2 parts rolled barley 1/2 part feed or split peas Alfalfa hay or pellets to make up 3/4 of her roughage intake. Pine or Fir branches if you can get them.
