[ThreeHavens]

First question: Old girl shivering.

Gypsy does not have much of an undercoat, and it got cold FAST. She is my oldest doe, almost 8 years old, and very special.

This morning she ran up to get milked and get her grain, per norm. We noticed after looking at her up on the stand, she was "shivering", especially in her hindquarters. She has done this before in the winter, and actually I've seen her do it in the summer too. I'm thinking she has trouble regulating her temperature.

She snarfed up her breakfast, and I gave her a warm bowl of molasses water, which she slurped right up. All of my does get straight alfalfa, as much as they need.

I checked her eyelids, they are nice and pink.

Should I just get her a goatie coat?

Second question: Grain and pregnancy

How much grain do you usually give your girls throughout their pregnancy?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Sometimes my buck will shiver a bit in the morning, since he was clipped just a couple months ago for a show. I haven't gotten him a coat, because he is only a year old and should be fine snuggled up with another buck and two does You could get her a coat, or put extra straw in her shelter... I know you can tack chicken wire to the walls and stuff it full of straw, for a little extra insulation. Warm oatmeal is a good treat on a cold day, too.

For the grain, not sure on that one. I know for sure to avoid grain if at all possible in the last month of pregnancy, otherwise the kids can grow too large to deliver! Two of my Nigerians will get bred next month, and I will continue their grain ration as if they are getting milked because they are a bit too thin. My Boer doe will also get her regular grain, since I will be showing her starting June and don't want to get behind on her growth.

Hope this helps

 

[ThreeHavens]

Very helpful, thank you! Right now the plan for the doe's diets would be their alfalfa hay, minerals, and pregnancy herbs. I just want to be sure they come into milk nicely.

 

[ksalvagno]

I feed half a cup of grain once a day for my Nigerian.

I would go ahead and get her a coat. Sometimes they just need it.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Very helpful, thank you! Right now the plan for the doe's diets would be their alfalfa hay, minerals, and pregnancy herbs. I just want to be sure they come into milk nicely.

That should be plenty if she is at a good weight What herbs do you use during pregnancy?

 

[ThreeHavens]

I use Molly's herbal pregnancy tonic throughout the pregnancy, then Ewe-ter-N at labor to encourage a healthy delivery.

Thank you for the replies!

 

[WalshKidsGoats]

I usually only give grain to the pregnant does that need a little more weight on them before kidding. The amount I feed them depends on how much weight I want them to gain, usually about 1 cup. My fat so's just get alfalfa and their pregnancy herbs. Love Molly's pregnancy tonic!

 

[ThreeHavens]

Thanks, Veronica! Good to know. And they've freshened okay? How soon do you start giving grain after delivery?

 

[Scottyhorse]

I think you want to wait a couple weeks to prevent ketosis (over eating disease)

 

[mjs500doo]

I think you want to wait a couple weeks to prevent ketosis (over eating disease)

I've never heard of ketosis referred to over eating disease. In fact, we encourage fresh girls to eat. After kidding (or calving) we maintain a diet high in long stem forage, with complete grain. Work your way up. You see ketosis after the shock an stress of birth, when they go off feed for that time. The body tries to utilize its fat stores towards the end of gestation and when slipping into birthing time, there is leftover fat that can't be used. These are ketones, and actually are poisonous to their systems.

This is why when we dry off our girls, we pull grains. Towards the end of gestation most of us reintroduce grain slowly to help momma maintain proper fat stores and provide the energy to house the kid(s) or calf(ves), as well as prepare for lactation, and also to give her system time to adjust to lactating ration.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I've never heard of ketosis referred to over eating disease. In fact, we encourage fresh girls to eat. After kidding (or calving) we maintain a diet high in long stem forage, with complete grain. Work your way up. You see ketosis after the shock an stress of birth, when they go off feed for that time. The body tries to utilize its fat stores towards the end of gestation and when slipping into birthing time, there is leftover fat that can't be used. These are ketones, and actually are poisonous to their systems.

That is weird, because I am pretty sure that is what 'they' called it at a 4-H dash for cash thing.

 

[WalshKidsGoats]

They've all freshened just fine! No huge kids or anything like that. I start them on their milking rations as soon as they kid. Usually about ten days before they kid I start slowly increasing the amount of grain they get so it's not too sudden. And usually before they kid they are in the milk stand a lot anyway because I get so excited and have to keep checking on them!