Milk Goat - crash course needed!

[Wildsky]

How exciting! Strange things can make me giggle, too, and it is so fun!

I hope I am misunderstanding you on something, though, but I am a bit concerned about the amount of food she is getting....a big jug of horse food, and many handfuls of scratch, and free access to greenery that she is not used to. Um.....be careful.....my tendency is to be overly cautious with food the first few days of a new arrival, expecially while they are under stress, then gradually get them used to the new foods. So I like to almost eliminate grains, and not much for greens for any animal not used to pasture.

Watch her poo closely, and walk the probiotics to her if she is not doing pellets tomorrow.

Don't mean to poop on your parade, but...time to lock up the grain barrels!

Thanks Free, I will keep a rein on it, I get joy from feeding things!

We took some cut up apples out this evening, she didn't seem to know what they were, but once she got a bite and my hubby held it for her, she ate at least a half an apple!

I'll keep an eye on her, she's got hip and back bones sticking out, I just feel badly for her.

 

[Blackbird]

The more I look at her, the more I think 3/4 Alpine, 1/4 Nubian, but it's just a guess.

Her production will probably increase when she settles in. She was probably going to wean her kids soon, or was in the process, but if you keep milking twice a day it will go back up. A good diet will help too.

I have a doe that freshened the first of June, no kids on her, being milked twice a day, and she doesn't even give me a CUP! I get a couple squirts and she's done. Good conformation and lines, so I'm keeping her daughter, but she's outta here. I have to drag her out just to get her on the stand. Little nasty.

If she had her fill of hay before you let her onto fresh grass it's usually enough to prevent any bloat. I guess I don't know anything about horse feed so I'm no help there.

 

[freemotion]

You know how horses can colic and founder with sudden feed changes or too much food? Goats can have fatal reactions to food, too. Slow down....you will catch her up. Dairy goats almost always look skinny, and especially skinny around weaning time, since those big kids suck all the nutrients right out of mama. Relax. She will catch up! You have all the time in the world, and the whole food growing season is still ahead.

I worked my dairy does UP to a double handful of grain twice a day. Max. Sprouting increases nutrient values and bioavailability. I started doing this for an older mare who couldn't maintain weight. A pound a day of soaked whole oats turned her right around, and was a huge decrease in her grain ration (Poulin Senior.) When I got Mya, she was starved and fragile and too close to death. And pregnant. It was very hard to ramp her up slowly! But it was the only safe way. She did great, as you know, and gave me lots of great milk in large amounts for a year, and went into her last pregnancy nice and healthy.

So trust me on this one. She will be fine! Very little grain tomorrow, and limit the grazing. Hay will keep her and is good for her rumen. Gradually increase the other stuff. Be sure that your dd does not feed her scratch that you don't know about. I understand getting joy from feeding, believe me! I spend much time with all my concoctions for my critters!

 

[Wildsky]

You know how horses can colic and founder with sudden feed changes or too much food? Goats can have fatal reactions to food, too. Slow down....you will catch her up. Dairy goats almost always look skinny, and especially skinny around weaning time, since those big kids suck all the nutrients right out of mama. Relax. She will catch up! You have all the time in the world, and the whole food growing season is still ahead.

I worked my dairy does UP to a double handful of grain twice a day. Max. Sprouting increases nutrient values and bioavailability. I started doing this for an older mare who couldn't maintain weight. A pound a day of soaked whole oats turned her right around, and was a huge decrease in her grain ration (Poulin Senior.) When I got Mya, she was starved and fragile and too close to death. And pregnant. It was very hard to ramp her up slowly! But it was the only safe way. She did great, as you know, and gave me lots of great milk in large amounts for a year, and went into her last pregnancy nice and healthy.

So trust me on this one. She will be fine! Very little grain tomorrow, and limit the grazing. Hay will keep her and is good for her rumen. Gradually increase the other stuff. Be sure that your dd does not feed her scratch that you don't know about. I understand getting joy from feeding, believe me! I spend much time with all my concoctions for my critters!

I will limit it tightly tomorrow, for th emost part I just wanted to keep her busy eating while we messed with the milk machinery!

My hubby is really good with her, when he was milking, I was talking softly to her, and every so often she turned her head around to look at him, but she didn't kick or anything, just looked at him! (I think she has a crush!)

Hubby is going to the feed store tomorrow, if there is anything you think I might need - please let me know, and I'll ask him to pick it up!!!

 

[freemotion]

I use alfalfa pellets (1/2 to 1 pound can per goat, depending on their eating speed vs my milking speed!) and beet pulp (I soak it, about 1.5 cups for two goats). These two items are safe to feed and don't have the same impact as grain. I add my double handful of sprouted barley (you could add the grain you choose) and stir it all up. They don't like the beet pulp as much, so it slows them down, which is the whole point! Ginger is not as thrilled with the alfalfa pellets, either, so I give her less or I will sit all day waiting for her to finish.

I sit on a five gallon pail when I milk and I keep it filled with alfalfa pellets so I always have some nearby in case I need some extra. Like if I hear a noise that I MUST investigate and the goat is still hoovering her food....or like this morning, my dad showed up unannounced while I was milking Ginger and he opened the overhead garage door without warning.....Ginger almost fell off the stand and I just about fell off my bucket!

If your dd now has the idea that she can feed handfuls of feed to the goat, you can let her feed the alfalfa pellets safely without the danger of losing track of how much she is getting. Those little handfuls can add up fast and before you know it, they are getting pounds more than they should! I watched a neighbor's five year old get up before anyone else, go outside without anyone knowing, and pull out a half a sack of grain and was about to dump it for the goats when I yelled at her. I yelled at her a lot. She would beat the goats with a brush or anything else she had in her hand, too. Thank goodness they moved!

Oh, I am in no way comparing your dd to that little....er.....child.... next door!

 

[Wildsky]

No worries, my kids don't do odd ball things like that. And they're (both kids of mine) are super gentle with the animals.

I had an odd look at how different they are when the neighbor lady brought Molly this morning, her kids were chasing my ducks around, and the ducks were running just as fast. (it didn't go on long, don't worry their mother did tell them to stop) but at that same time, my son walked up to one of the ducks, and crouched down and gently hugged the duck and its not because the ducks know him, he's just very gentle soft hearted kid.

My daughter is a little more of a fiesty one, but she never chases the animals or pulls feathers or anything crazy, and they know there is a feeding schedule.
I generally let the kids feed the treats, and they dish out the scratch at night (half that jug, its about a gallon size - 15 chickens, 6 ducks, 6 guineas) I do let them take an extra handful to offer the baby chicks, because the kids get such a kick out of the chicks eating out their hands. (the little chicks are about 7 weeks old and get chased away from the scratch thrown around at normal time)

ANyhoo, I know you can never know anyone's kid on a forum, but mine wouldn't just feed the animals, same way I know they wouldn't do other crazy stuff (well until their teens anyway )

 

[Wildsky]

The more I look at her, the more I think 3/4 Alpine, 1/4 Nubian, but it's just a guess.

Her production will probably increase when she settles in. She was probably going to wean her kids soon, or was in the process, but if you keep milking twice a day it will go back up. A good diet will help too.

I'm hoping so, yeah her babies are 3 months old, and were eating grain and hay and stuff, so she had probably slowed down milk production already.

I'm amazed you can tell the difference in the goats! Its awesome!

 

[freemotion]

OK, you just HAVE to get that 200 Cheese Recipes book so we can compare notes! H23 has it, and Patandchickens!

Calling all goat owners! Order the book!

 

[Wildsky]

OK, you just HAVE to get that 200 Cheese Recipes book so we can compare notes! H23 has it, and Patandchickens!

Calling all goat owners! Order the book!

I'll check it out, if I can get enough milk I'm going to try a batch of Feta. I'm such a cheese freak I'd love to try others... my kids would be RIGHT behind me!

 

[TanksHill]

What is it about kids who don't grow up around animals? I think that's just one more reason to raise a family on a farm. Children who are exposed to animals are just... more caring, respectful and ..... better balanced. I have had boy scouts, friends and neighbors over. Never fail they chase the chickens, swing sticks at them and think it's ok.

Most of the time my kids are indifferent to the birds. They are just part of the landscape. But yet appreciate and help tend them.

It's interesting.

g