# Feeding a dairy goat



## DustyBoot (Jan 10, 2018)

I know this must be about the 100th thread of this title, and I promise I've been reading everything I can find, but I want to check myself with some outside opinions if anyone is willing to offer thoughts.

I picked up Thelma yesterday from a couple who's going on the road in an RV so getting rid of their three goats. She's been loose with a buck and they estimate she's due March/April. Not real precise, but we'll work with it. We've only had goats since August, and those are Kiko crosses, so I'm far from a goat expert and I know dairy goats are a different ballgame anyway. We kind of expect the Kikos to fend for themselves with access to lots of forage, fresh water, and loose mineral. We lay eyes and/or hands on them multiple times a day, and if they start to lose condition we'll notice and do something about it, but they don't currently get any sort of extras and seem to be doing fine.

I assume Thelma is going to be different and would do best with regular feeding. My idea is that once she's able to be turned in with the other goats she'll forage with them and I'll bring her in morning and night for some feed and handling. I'd like to get a milking stand built pretty soon and start feeding her on there and handling her while she eats so that it's not new when I start milking. Does that sound like a reasonable plan? How much, ish, should I expect to feed her when she's out foraging during the day?

And on to the more immediate question. I know dairy goats are going to look bonier than meat goats, but she seems skinny to me, especially for being pregnant. As best you can tell from the picures, am I right? And if so, is she just a little skinny or oh-my-goodness-get-some-weight-on-her-now skinny?

Edited to add: they said she's three years old. She's been milked before so it won't be new to her, but it'll be new to me and I'll be new to her, so some acclimation seems appropriate.





Picture from when we first got her home yesterday.




Taken today.




Also today.




Slightly different angle today.

I've picked up goat feed from the feed store like they said they were feeding her, and I have hay available to her. I also got a small bag of calf manna to start adding to her feed in hopes of putting some weight on her. I don't want to do anything too drastic all at once, but I do want to make sure she's in good condition to kid in the spring.

Thanks for any input!


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## lalabugs (Jan 10, 2018)

@babsbag @Goat Whisperer @Latestarter @Southern by choice 

Have you had a fecal ran to rule out parasites? If not I would get a fecal done.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 10, 2018)

Yes, she is thin as you already know. But she has covering over her ribs, so she should bounce back pretty good. You are wise to not just start throwing things at her.
First thing I would do is have a fecal run to check parasite load.
All goats have parasites as you know because you already own goats. This way you can at least rule out or see if it is something contributing.
If the load is high I'd do a full course to get through all stages and see how she progresses. 
Meanwhile feeding good quality hay and starting slow with dairy goat feed.
If the parasite load is insignificant I would still deworm but at least you know that isn't the primary issue.
She could be both parasitic and mineral deficient. Do you know what her FAMACHA is?
Make sure your minerals contain adequate cobalt. If not get a cobalt block.
Is your region copper deficient? Selenium deficient?
Because she is pregnant that is a real concern.

Start dairy goat feed out slow, not too much at once. Hay! You don't need to give alfalfa but just really good hay, and keep it where she has access 24/7. Forage is good if you have good forage.

I would definitely draw blood and send out to check for CAE, CL, and Johnes. asap
Do you know what she is crossed with?
She definitely is part lamancha. She has a very nice wide rump. She is a pretty goat! 
I bet you get her in in top shape, and when she kids you are going to have some great milk!


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## DustyBoot (Jan 10, 2018)

I haven't had a fecal run -- I can look into the cost if it's going to be critical, but I did deworm her in anticipation of moving stress causing problems. Accompanied it with a dose of probios. I don't have a FAMACHA card to compare to yet (keep meaning to send in for it), but her eye membranes aren't pale. She has access to good hay, and today I took her out for 15 minutes in some green pasture. Didn't want to overdo it, since I don't think she was used to it.

I'll double check our minerals regarding cobalt. I did just order copper boluses to dose everyone -- my dad is buying our minerals (it's a shared operation) and he's opted for one that's lower in copper because it's less expensive. I'm seeing slight changes in coat condition that are making me think an occasional dose of copper would be a good thing. As regards Thelma here, she's a black goat but pretty reddish in the sun. It looks like we're pretty high in selenium in the soil here, but copper isn't great... and I haven't gotten as far as analyzing our water to figure out what minerals might be interfering with absorption of either of those. 

They told me she's an unregistered LaMancha -- no mention of a mix, but I'm not picky as long as she turns out to be a decent milker. The buck she's been with is supposedly registered, but I didn't ask for papers and didn't pay any more for her than I would have if she'd been open or running with an unregistered or mixed-breed buck. (Probably wouldn't have bought her open at this time of year, but point being, I wasn't gypped on the registration issue.)

I really like her personality (she follows me everywhere, loves the kids, and leads beautifully on a collar) and she seems like a basically sound goat. I'm not much of a judge of conformation yet, but I did notice the wide rear end and her udder seems like what it should be. She's bright eyed, lively, friendly, eating enthusiastically, and generally gives off an impression of good health. She does have a bit of white mucus going on when she sneezes, but she was in a pretty dusty environment so I'm inclined to just watch it for now.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 10, 2018)

She is a cross, no biggie. The ears give it away. 
Lamanchas are super sweet and quite affectionate... you will love her I'm sure.
Just my opinion but never go cheap on minerals. 
As far as FAMACHA you are required to take a course to be certified then you will receive a card. I do believe there may be online courses now.

As far as her milking, she will need really good dairy goat ration and good hay to produce well. 
I think she will end up being a great goat for you.

BTW a few years back I bred my Kiko doe to a Lamancha buck.  My plan was to put bucks in the freezer and does to keep and breed back to one of our Kiko Bucks or NZ.
We ended up selling the doe, we see her  about 2-3x year. She is wonderful. 
I wanted to milk my Kikos because they have so much fat, , they just don't have duration , crossing with the Lamancha would increase.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 10, 2018)

Purely for my education, what about the ears gives it away? I love learning things.  Couple of pictures that show her ears better in case it helps you point things out.

 

I had decided that I wanted a LaMancha because everything I've read is that they have great temperaments, aren't as obnoxious as Nubians, and produce good milk. So when this one turned up at a bargain price, I jumped.

I've taken an online FAMACHA course and passed the test, but I have to submit a video of me checking eye membranes on two goats and I keep forgetting to have someone take the video for me. So, I'm not officially certified yet.  But I do check regularly and everyone has always been a healthy pink. 

I'll make sure to find a good dairy ration before the spring -- right now I have what they were feeding her, but I'll figure out what to transition her to. And we'll keep up with the hay. I'm really excited about her. I love the Kikos, and they always come to be petted and loved on when I'm in the pasture, but this is MY goat. 

After this year we probably will breed her to our Kiko buck, and who knows, maybe we'll get a keeper doe I can try milking and see how it works out. Not sure yet about this year's kids -- if she has a doeling, we'll have to see how having one milk goat works out for us and decide if we want to keep a second.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 10, 2018)

The ears are Elf ears, hers are longer almost like shrek ears. 
Lamanchas have gopher ears.
Although on occassion a PB lamancha may have an elf ear, bucks would be disqualified. There is a limit on length of ear a doe can have.
I breed Lamanchas and Miniature Lamanchas so ears are particularly interesting to me.
Your doe has one parent that was an eared goat. 

I have a chart showing ears types *HERE*
This is an example of an elf ear- One of my miniature Lamanchas
 

These are two of our Lamancha does


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## DustyBoot (Jan 10, 2018)

Shrek ears... maybe I should have named her Fiona!  Actually, we were trying out Thelma (the name she came with) but I keep trying to call her Dottie. No idea why, but that's what comes out. So I think she may have a new name.

They do look longer than your goats' ears. I guess it's all a matter of perspective. Compared to my Kikos, she has hardly any ears at all so it wouldn't have occurred to me that they were too big. Good to know, though. If we wind up selling her kids this year I wouldn't want to call them full LaManchas if they aren't. 

Sellers said they were getting a gallon a day -- we'll see if that bears out or not, but the truth is that for five of us we don't need top production. If she's good natured, easy to handle, keeps well, and produces a reasonable amount of milk, we're all set. I'm pleased she's been milked before because it means at least one of us know what we're doing.

Do you often run into kidding issues with your LaManchas? I'm a little nervous about having such a loose due date, although I'm hopeful that if I'm handling her daily I'll be able to monitor things and figure out when she's close.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 10, 2018)

Her condition and the fact you don't know when she is due does put her at higher risk.
In general no, lamanchas are like any goat- good health usually there is no problem.
I would definitely be giving some A, D, E gel and copper too.

You will want  to have some "jump start" on hand and thiamine (injectable) you can get thiamine from your vet. The kids could be really weak. If mom is thin and appears somewhat deficient then the kids are going to take from her, if she doesn't have much to give they all get the short end of the stick so to speak.

Thin does are at risk for both toxemia and hypocalcemia.

A gallon a day would be about average on just regular hay and a little feed.


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## goatgurl (Jan 10, 2018)

since I see you are in central texas see if any of the feed stores around you sell Big V feed out of McAlester, Ok.  they have a good dairy goat ration and I know that @Devonviolet  gets it down around sulpher springs.  I use it too and my goats do well on it too.  and I just happen to have lamanchas too.   you will love her personality
  she is a pretty girl and yes she is kind of thin but you've got time to get her in better shape.  just slow and easy to make sure she gets use to a new place and new people.  I never feed my goats alfalfa hay just a good grass hay and their dairy ration.  good luck with her.  and you never know after you start milking her you may want to venture into cheese making too.  might want to keep any doe kids she has so you can have a steady year long supply of milk.  and no I am not an enabler I just think every one needs more than 1 or 2 or maybe 3 milk goats.


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## babsbag (Jan 11, 2018)

@goatgurl  you sound like an enabler to me.  But aren't we all?


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

I'll make sure we get all that figured out in the near future, well before she's supposed to be due. Since she's not supposed to be due for at least a couple more months, I'm hoping we can get some weight on her, deal with any deficiencies, and reduce her risk at least somewhat. 

Goatgurl, I'll look into the feed! I got what I'm currently feeding her at TSC since I didn't want to change things suddenly, but I've been meaning to get to our feed store and see what they have. I am a little tempted to keep a doeling if she has one, if for no other reason than that it'd be hard to get her bred to a LaMancha buck again. We do intend to keep any promising doelings from our other does this year since we're in the process of growing our herd, so we'll see. Fortunately I don't have to decide now.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

By the way -- thank y'all for all of the feedback and information! I feel like I have a clue now.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

The localish livestock vet would charge $28 for a fecal, which isn't awful, but wouldn't take long to add up. On a whim I called up the more local small animal vet where I get heartworm meds for our LGDs and they run goat fecals for $10-15. It's a rural area so I imagine they do get the occasional small livestock. Probably not enough that I'd call them for something complicated, but it seems like running a fecal ought to be pretty straightforward.

Long-term, I'd like to get my own microscope and equipment and learn to do it myself, but good to have an affordable and convenient option in the meantime.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

DustyBoot said:


> The localish livestock vet would charge $28 for a fecal, which isn't awful, but wouldn't take long to add up. On a whim I called up the more local small animal vet where I get heartworm meds for our LGDs and they run goat fecals for $10-15. It's a rural area so I imagine they do get the occasional small livestock. Probably not enough that I'd call them for something complicated, but it seems like running a fecal ought to be pretty straightforward.
> 
> Long-term, I'd like to get my own microscope and equipment and learn to do it myself, but good to have an affordable and convenient option in the meantime.


The difference could be the type fecal run.
Straight fecal doesn't give you much info- straight fecal is the kind you use for dogs/cats... it just shows whether or not there are parasites.
For goats/sheep you want the McMasters method with EPG (Eggs Per Gram) counts. Anything other than that is just saying yes or no... no idea of load level.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

Hmm... I'll clarify before I take anything in, then. I will say that every time I've checked with the livestock vet for a price on anything it's been pretty high. I'm sure it's fair; they have to eat too. But the costs just aren't justifiable for me for anything I can learn to do myself or find a workaround for.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

If you have a scope get the Mc Masters slides - I recommend the hit. Had mine for years LOVE it! We keep our FAMACHA card in with the kit.

(get the green slide not opaque) here is a link to the kit
http://www.vetslides.com/product-page/paracount-epg-fecal-analysis-kit-greengrid-slides


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

I don't have a scope yet, but we homeschool the kids so it's a matter of when we buy one, not if. Given that we now have a use for it, I'm thinking sooner rather than later. The kit looks perfect! Is there a particular flotation solution you recommend?


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

Yes, I also have a tutorial.
You will need a scope that has a mechanical stage.  You can get a good scope for around $125 (monocular)

*I had to break the articles up because it only allows so many pics- the solution mix is given
Basic info*- https://www.backyardherds.com/resources/understanding-famacha-fecal-analysis.56/
*Part 1*- https://www.backyardherds.com/resources/the-mcmasters-method-fecal-analysis.55/
*Part 2-*https://www.backyardherds.com/resources/mcmasters-method-fecal-analysis-part2.57/


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

I was looking at this one, which was recommended on one of the sites where I read a how-to: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BEK1WZW/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3E36IHU2IJZPR&colid=31BJYB3TQ56XB&psc=0 But I'm not opposed to spending a little more if there's a better one out there. Want it to be useful for this and for science labs through high school, so although we don't need the top of the line I also don't want to cheap out.

Picture at the bottom of the first article -- I actually just saw something like that in Dottie's poop this morning and was going to do some research to see if I could figure out what it was. Guess I'd better get moving on a fecal.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

The scope will meet your needs BUT  you will need to work with it.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

For the price difference, I can get the other one if it's going to work better. I'm going to do some quick research on what we'll need to get through high school science... oldest is in 4th grade so I haven't thought that far ahead yet!


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## lalabugs (Jan 11, 2018)

You can send in a fecal to http://www.midamericaagresearch.net/instructions.php

Who do you use to home school your children? My 5 are all home schooled, through K12. My oldest is in 8th grade. K12 sent a microscope last year for her. It's a basic microscope with no light. I do plan on buying a better microscope.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

The slides are thick and some scopes don't have range to support it, also some scopes mechanical stage is very limited.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

lalabugs said:


> You can send in a fecal to http://www.midamericaagresearch.net/instructions.php
> 
> Who do you use to home school your children? My 5 are all home schooled, through K12. My oldest is in 8th grade. K12 sent a microscope last year for her. It's a basic microscope with no light. I do plan on buying a better microscope.



No light?  I don't think I have ever seen a scope with no light.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 11, 2018)

Good to know about the slides and mechanical stage. Browsing school-quality microscopes and wondering now if this one might do the trick: https://microscopecentral.com/colle...monocular-compound-microscope-with-3d-stage-1  It's more expensive, but again, I'd rather buy one microscope that will work for everything than go cheap now and have to buy a second one later. It lists the dimensions of the stage, but I don't see anything about the thickness of the slides it will accommodate. Possibly I could call the company and ask.

I may try the mail-in fecal unless I end up ordering my own setup in the next day or two!

Regarding homeschooling, I've cobbled together a patchwork of what works best for the kids, me, and our lifestyle. Christian Light Education, REAL Science Odyssey, some Well-Trained Mind material, some Miquon, Five in a Row... not to mention some plain old DIY and a lot of reading. We're a little eclectic, but it works for us.


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## lalabugs (Jan 11, 2018)

It has a big crystal that reflects natural light.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 11, 2018)

lalabugs said:


> It has a big crystal that reflects natural light. View attachment 42186



This really isn't a quality instrument. May be fine for young ones but not for any advanced science classes.




DustyBoot said:


> Good to know about the slides and mechanical stage. Browsing school-quality microscopes and wondering now if this one might do the trick: https://microscopecentral.com/colle...monocular-compound-microscope-with-3d-stage-1  It's more expensive, but again, I'd rather buy one microscope that will work for everything than go cheap now and have to buy a second one later. It lists the dimensions of the stage, but I don't see anything about the thickness of the slides it will accommodate. Possibly I could call the company and ask.
> 
> I may try the mail-in fecal unless I end up ordering my own setup in the next day or two!
> 
> Regarding homeschooling, I've cobbled together a patchwork of what works best for the kids, me, and our lifestyle. Christian Light Education, REAL Science Odyssey, some Well-Trained Mind material, some Miquon, Five in a Row... not to mention some plain old DIY and a lot of reading. We're a little eclectic, but it works for us.


This looks great!


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## lalabugs (Jan 11, 2018)

It really is not a quality microscope. It has helped us learn how to do fecals. I also send out fecals. I do plan on purchasing a quality microscope.


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## Latestarter (Jan 11, 2018)

Since you're planning on using it for home schooling and science, perhaps a little more for a binocular scope with computer hook up capabilities so you can hook it to a lap top and display what you're trying to show the kids. Easier for all to see exactly what you're trying to show them and then they can look and you'll be able to see what they're looking at. Just a thought. I'm not home schooling but it's what I've been looking to purchase as my eyes aren't as good as they once were.  This is the model I've pretty much settled on as best price with best function: http://www.microscopenet.com/omax-4...microscope-with-mechanical-stage-p-11079.html


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## DustyBoot (Jan 12, 2018)

Ooooh... if the budget stretches that far, that one is appealing. I'll talk to my husband about what we can do. He always loves it when something like a bargain-priced goat results in me wanting to spend multiples of what I paid for her on other things.  (... says the woman with all the lumber and hardware to build a milking stand in the back of her minivan.) I've been wanting the microscope anyway, but still. 

Dottie is looking good. Eating enthusiastically, and I've been taking her out to where she can get a little fresh green stuff for about 15 minutes a day to let her system adjust gradually. She seems to like it, and I don't even have to put a lead rope on her because she just follows me everywhere. Her poop is a little soft; mushed-together pellets instead of individual pellets. But definitely not runny or sick-looking. I'm giving her ProBios daily until everything looks normal. She's chewing cud, drinking water, eating hay, running to greet me when I go outside, and generally doing healthy goat things.

Just for kicks, I got a picture of the working end of things today. The ground is uneven so she's standing a little funny.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 12, 2018)

Can't wait to see how her udder comes in.
She has beautiful teats!
Nice high escutcheon and wide.
Looks like she will have a good medial.
Hard to see the placement of the side attchments.

I have a feeling she was a hard working doe. Looks like you really have a nice doe to work with!


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## DustyBoot (Jan 12, 2018)

I'm glad it looks good! I'd been looking at lots of pictures of dairy goats trying to get a feel for what good ones should look like, but I still have a lot to learn. 

I'm really loving her personality. I like the Kikos and they're friendly and good-natured. But Dottie here is just plain sweet. I'm beginning to understand how dairy goats could be addicting.


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## Devonviolet (Jan 12, 2018)

Congratulations on your new doe.  You have gotten some great advice from excellent, experienced goat owners.  With a little bit of effort, you should have yourself a nice dairy goat there. 

As @goatgurl told you, I live near Sulphur Springs. I was getting the Big V Dairy Goat Ration from a local feed store.  The price was a bit higher than what goatgurl pays, and it got to be a pain getting it from them, as they never seemed to have it in stock when we needed it, and then we would have to wait for it, until they place another order from OK. I don't think anyone else bought it from them.  So, eventually, we started buying a very similar, Dairy Goat Sweet Production feed, from our local co-op.  We also give our does a Dairy Goat pellet and some alfalfa pellets, and of course all the coastal hay they want, as well as free choice minerals.  

We are in an area that is low in copper, so we make sure we give free choice minerals that are high in copper (1750ppm). And we give separate free choice baking soda (to minimize potential for bloat) and kelp granules, for micro minerals. Our girls are both very healthy.  

We have two LaMancha does (which I got from goatgurl ) , one of which is a first freshener and the other a second freshener.  I only milk once a day, and between them, I was getting almost 1-3/4 gallons a day.  My Ruby (2nd freshener) was giving me about 13-14 cups and Falina was giving me about 10 cups. Right now, they have slowed production and I am getting somewhere between 10-14 cup a day, from both of them.

We also have Ruby's doeling (Angelica) from last Spring's kidding. Ruby and Falina were bred this past November, but we held off on breeding Angelica until next Fall, when she is 17 or 18 months old.  Since Angelica is not bred, we do not give her the Sweet Production feed. She gets some Dairy goat pellets and alfalfa pellets, but mostly eats hay and leaves.  She loves apple leaves!  When the weather turned cold, I started pulling a few leaves, at a time, off the fruit trees, and the girls eat them like they are candy.   

I've also learned Ruby and Falina love orange and grapefruit rinds, and eat them like they are candy! Angelica . . . Not so much!  It's hilarious!  Whenever I offer her some, she runs away, shaking her head like, OMG I can't believe you expect me to eat that disgusting stuff!!!!    

I began learning to make cheese last Summer.  I started with Chévre, and progressed to Mozzarella.  Once you get the knack of it, Mozzarella is easy, and we just love it.  We discovered if you add 1 tsp of Wright's smoke flavoring per pound (made with one gallon of milk), it gives it a mild smoky flavor. YUM!

Since goat milk is naturally homogenized, it isn't easy to get much cream, for making butter and cream.  So, I bit the bullet and bought a 100L/Hr cream separator on eBay.  So, when we have several gallons saved up, we warm them up to 100 degrees F, and run them through the separator.  It is so much fun to make butter and whipped cream in my Kitchenaid stand mixer.   

I also make Kefir, so we have a yummy natural probiotic.  It tastes much like buttermilk.  When drunk on a regular basis, it builds up good bacteria in the gut. The immune system resides in the gut, and when you have a healthy gut, you have better chance of fighting infections, like colds and flu.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 13, 2018)

Devonviolet has you ready to get more goats and start a dairy!  I LOVE IT! 

There is one thing that I know many people do and you hear about it often...


Devonviolet said:


> we give separate free choice baking soda (to minimize potential for bloat)


We have never given it, and there really isn't a good reason to.
The goat makes it's own sodium bicarbonate so giving it may cause the goat more issues... much depends on feeding practices.

Attached is an article from the Alabama Farmers Co-op
http://www.alafarmnews.com/index.php/battling-bloat


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## Devonviolet (Jan 13, 2018)

Southern by choice said:


> We have never given it, and there really isn't a good reason to.
> The goat makes it's own sodium bicarbonate so giving it may cause the goat more issues... much depends on feeding practices.


I had read that it was good to give them baking soda, to prevent bloat. But never was sure we needed it.  I figured, "Better safe than sorry."  DH takes care of the free choice stuff, and I never think to check levels' when I am in the goat shed. But, I don't think they really eat it.  They do eat some loose minerals and kelp granuals, though. 

Thanks for chiming in on the baking soda issue, SBC.  I read the article you recommended, and it makes sense.  We will stop giving our girls baking soda, and will also be cutting back on the alfalfa pellets, only giving them as a treat now and then. Falina doesn't seem to really care for them anyway.  So we had already cut her's back.


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## DustyBoot (Jan 13, 2018)

I'll start looking at what options our local feed stores have. Right now she's getting food from TSC because that's what she was being fed before, and it gives me some time to pick something good to transition her to. I may be back with questions depending on what I find! 

I'm excited about trying cheese, and I used to make a lot of yogurt but only had store-bought milk. I'm looking forward to trying our own goat milk yogurt! I'll have to look into my options for getting cream... I'd really like butter, but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't work out. 

Today we built our milking stand (mostly following these instructions: http://www.hobbyfarms.com/goat-stanchion-construct-simple-goats/). Fed Dottie her dinner on it, brushed her, and trimmed her hooves. I'm no expert on goat hooves, but they were pretty overgrown. The sides had folded over underneath her feet so I had to work the clipper blade under it to clip it off. Did what I could for today and I'll check them again soon and regularly and see if we can get them into good shape a bit at a time. I should probably put the Kikos on the stand and check their hooves too, just to be sure.


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## Goatkid51 (Jan 17, 2018)

She seems like she'll be a really nice doe!  She's a bit thin, but not horribly so for a dairy goat.  In my experience, simple is best.  Most goats that die were killed with kindness (i.e., got overfed way too much too fast).  Get a fecal done on her first, most likely she'll have some parasites.  Before you do anything else, get rid of the other critters, or all the grain your feeding her is mostly just feeding them!  That said, also check her coat carefully for lice, those are possible as well and will also drain her reserves quickly.  If you worm with Ivermectin, it should take care of those.  If not, you can use CRV-80D from Tractor Supply or a similar place.  It is a spray, and it's pyrethrin based (which is an extract from chrysanthemum flowers), so you just start at the tail and run your hand against her coat, following it with spray all the way up her top line to her head, making sure the spray is getting under her coat to her skin.  The lice will primarily be along her topline and on top of her head.  You can repeat that in a week.  It's a nice, safe option for lice (I like it better than the powder, they tend to breathe that in and get very irritated in their lungs, I know I do!).

Once you've addressed her parasites (internal and external), start her on grain.  Bring it up gradually, like you would for anything else.  You can also sprinkle it with probiotics for the first several days if you like to help get her gut bacteria adjusted to the new feed.  Also make sure she has loose mineral free choice, a really good one with plenty of copper.  I like RightChoice Onyx, or Purina Mills for goats.  Beyond that, make sure she has all the good grass hay she will eat and turnout/browse if you have that right now (I don't, we're buried in snow!)

She is also beginning to fill her udder with milk it looks like, so I'd start adding in some good alfalfa with your hay, to make sure she'll have enough calcium.  You don't want to up the calcium too soon, or that will actually cause them not to absorb it when they need it during lactation (had that problem!), but as she's starting to produce milk, now would be the time to start working it in.  She doesn't need tons of it, up to a pound a day is enough if she's getting a balanced goat feed and a good mineral.  Hay already contains quite a bit.

Lastly, you can also add in a bit of extra protein if you like, to help her support both herself and kids since she's a bit underweight.  The best way I've found to do this is add 1/4lb of whole roasted soybeans or Calf Manna, but not until AFTER she kids, as it will encourage the kids to grow extra big in the last trimester and make birthing more difficult.

So, get rid of parasites, good loose mineral at all times, begin a regular graining schedule getting up to 1-2lb daily until kidding (to reduce risk of oversized kids), free choice quality grass hay with either about 20% of it containing alfalfa or adding about 1-2 square bale flakes (about a lb) daily.  Add probiotics in the beginning if you like, or better yet, just use a good balanced goat feed that has some in it.  I would use a grower/milker feed.  Once she kids, you can add a little extra protein, just don't overdo it.

Beyond that, just get her on your regular schedule with your other does, and I'm sure she'll do great!  Good luck!


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## DustyBoot (Jan 18, 2018)

It's hard to tell for sure, but I think she's starting to put on a little weight (I think I feel a bit more padding on her spine, nothing dramatic). And she got a copper bolus last week... seems like it should be too early to make a difference, but even my husband commented today that the hair right along her spine is looking darker and nicer. She seems to be settling in well and staying healthy, and that seems promising after more than a week here.
I've been trying to find out what my local options are for quality dairy goat feed. I've found two that are supposedly carried in feed stores nearby. I need to go by in person and verify that they carry these specific products, but I thought I'd ask for a lesson in reading labels and see what y'all think of the options I've found. 
Here's one: http://westfeeds.com/product-category/sheep-goats/
And here's the other: https://handhfeed.com/feeds-we-make/goat-and-sheep-feed-rations/
There may well be more if I keep looking. I also have access to whatever is sold at the average Tractor Supply. 

Going to type up some uneducated first impressions on the foods to see if I'm thinking along the right lines or not. Corrections and feedback very much appreciated!

West Feeds LaCuesta Milk Goat Pellet
Salt seems pretty high on the ingredient list. I don't know what's an appropriate level, but the max for this food is substantially higher than the other. Protein is nice at 16%. There are a couple of "ferrous" ingredients, and I'm wondering if that means I should be wary of iron creating issues with copper -- especially if it's possibly she's starting out deficient.

H&H Dairy Goat Feed
Protein is a little lower. Kelp is a lot higher on the list, and that seems to be something I run across frequently as a good thing to feed. Salt is lower than the other, but molasses is up there in ingredients and I don't know how good that is or if it matters at that quantity. I see iron in the ingredient list, so possibly the same issue with copper. What looks like probiotics could be helpful in keeping the gut balanced. I assume the diatomaceous earth is intended to help control parasites. I'm skeptical that it actually works, but I haven't heard that it's harmful either.


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## DustyBoot (Feb 3, 2018)

Update: she kidded yesterday! I'm going to go start a kidding thread -- didn't expect to need one for at least another month!


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## Southern by choice (Feb 3, 2018)

Just so we are clear... it is good you are putting up a kidding thread!
Because ya can't go around sayin' She kidded and not have pics! 
Against all of what is good and decent!


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## Latestarter (Feb 4, 2018)

Congrats!


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## DustyBoot (Feb 4, 2018)

I know better than that! Pics are up! Babies are adorable -- one has huge ears and the other has tiny. If only they could average them out...


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