What To Feed A Pregnant Goat

This is another topic that many people have differing opinions. But that is okay because different breeds of goats may need different care during pregnancy. Also the age of the goat and general heath will affect how you must feed your pregnant goats. Their diet should consist of high levels of nutrition but also keep in mind that you do not want your pregnant doe to be overly fat.

To start out I will remind you that it is vital for your doe to be in tip top shape when it is breeding season. Not too skinny and not too fat. When they are in great shape to start their pregnancy it is easier to keep them in good shape through out their pregnancy and kidding. Our does are out on good pasture for several months before we breed and then for the first few months of their pregnancy. Good pasture is great for pregnant does as they can pick and choose what they want to eat. Also be sure that your does do not have parasites during breeding season. Having parasites will just adds stress to their bodies and could result in early abortion. Plus some dewormers advise against giving it to does that are pregnant or in their first few months of pregnancy. Plan your breeding out so you know when you should be conditioning your does to get bred for the greatest success.

The last two months of pregnancy our does are in the barn because it is fall/winter and the pasture is not growing. We feed hay during this time. They have a constant supply of hay to munch on all day and night. The quality of hay should be nutritious enough that they do not have to eat too much to get the nutrition they need. If they do have to eat so much to get the nutrition they need it could result in prolapses. Not all prolapse are related to the type of feed/hay but it is something to consider if you see your pregnant doe prolapsing.

I have seen many people wondering if they need to feed their does grain at the end of their pregnancy. This is where I have seen so many differing opinions that it is confusing for first time goat owners. Goats do not need grain to survive if they are getting the nutrition they need from their hay. Second and third cuttings of hay are richer in calories and nutrients and lower in crude fiber then first cuttings. Therefore, most second and third cuttings are better hay for goats. This is something to consider when feeding and if you have to purchase hay just ask and be informed about the type and what cutting the hay came from. It would also depend on the type of hay that you are feeding. We do not feed grain until at least half of our does have kidded. We do this because grain in the last few weeks of pregnancy leads to larger kids and harder delivery for does. The last few weeks that a doe is pregnant is when the baby or babies are growing bigger. We want to make kidding as easy as possible for our does and there is also less of a chance that the baby/babies will get stuck from being too large and thus needing help.

We use grain to help boost the does' milk production. Doing this makes her want her kids to drink more and this helps the kids grow faster. It also helps the does get back into condition after giving birth. We do around a pound of grain per goat. But as stated above goats do not need grain to be healthy. So, the choice is yours as to whether your goats get grain or not. Read about what other people do and do your research as to what is best to feed your pregnant goats. But if you decide to change your goat's diet do it slowly over several days to not upset their digestive system as goats have a sensitive digestive system.