Under sized doe.

1151 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by MsScamp, Nov 19, 2013

RollingHillsNigerians

Discussion Starter · Oct 26, 2013

I just bought back a doe I had sold at not quite a year old. After a year or so away I get her back and she is about a year and 6 or 7 months and the size of a 6 or 7 MONTH old. She is TINY. I have her 1/2 sister who was born on the same day (March 24, 2012) and so much smaller than her. I don't think she was given the proper care she needed so did not grow like she could have. I am concerned with her size and would like advice on what I could to do help her catch up to her sister in size. I had planned on breeding her this year but after seeing her I am not sure I should. She is also a little on the boney side so is clearly underweight. Any advice?
I attached a pic for size comparison..

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janeen128

· #2 · Oct 26, 2013

First I would get a fecal and check for worms. Then I would get some calf manna and alfalfa pellets, and a little "high quality" sweet feed, mix it up and give it to her.

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Scottyhorse

· #3 · Oct 26, 2013

16% protein goat chow, calf manna, ground flax seed, do a fecal, include coccidia, good loose mineral, free choice alfalfa.

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MsScamp

· #4 · Oct 26, 2013 (Edited)

She definitely was not cared for or feed properly. I don't mean to rain on your parade but, given her age, it is unlikely she will ever reach her potential. Now, having said that, forget the sweet feed and go with a 16% good quality goat grower pellet - I think I would give her about a pound and monitor her for growth, not weight gain. Reason being is that if she gets too fat she will deposit fat in her udder and that will interfere with milking later on assuming she does catch up. Get a fecal done and make sure they check for coccidia. Treat for worms accordingly. Put her on a good grass/alfalfa hay if possible. It will aid in growth, but not contribute to getting too fat as much as straight alfalfa will. You might also want to add some beet pulp because it will help her convert feed to growth better. Remember, you're looking for growth - not weight.

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RollingHillsNigerians

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 19, 2013

I am a little late on this, but thank you all for your advice. It makes me sonmad knowing people can be so cruel and not take proper care of the animals they have tooken responsability of. To add the the stress I am 99.9% sure this doe is bred.. probably due in December or January. I probably don't want to feed her a diet such as the ones above with her carrying kids?

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MsScamp

· #6 · Nov 19, 2013 (Edited)

I hear you, and I don't understand it either. My does are usually on a good to excellent grass/alfalfa hay year round. I will substitute alfalfa pellets for part of their hay ration - a max of 2 lbs on the alfalfa pellets - if we are running low on hay. How far along is she? You can give her 1/2 to 1 lb of grower pellets (I would limit the protein to 14%) until she is 3-4 months along, then either wean her off until after she delivers or cut it down to 1/4 lb/day. Once she has delivered, switch her to a good quality straight alfalfa hay, monitor her condition and either add alfalfa pellets, a good 16% pellet, or some other type of good grain if necessary depending on her condition and the number of kids she is raising. The main thing is to continually monitor her condition and add or subtract as needed. You don't want her getting fat, but you don't want her to be sunken in or losing weight, either. Be careful of the protein content of any grain you feed. Something along the lines of oats, barley, or even a little corn (cracked - not whole or ground) will provide the energy she needs if your hay is not optimum. If your hay is an above average grass/alfalfa mix, she should be ok.

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