Lactating doe...super hungry or just a pig?

[Roll farms]

We have a rectangular feeder on the front of our stanchion that holds one generous scoop of feed...roughly 2-3 #.

We fill it before we milk Derri, Dazzle, and Foxy. Fill it again and Creampuff empties it ALONE...but she has lots of milk and small orifices, so it takes longer to milk her. She also outweighs those does by a good 75#.
Then it's filled again and Missy and Hillary empty it.
They don't give as much or weigh as much as Puff Mama does...but a bit more than the first 3.

At any point, if it's empty, the feeder gets thrown off, or they start kicking, or bellowing. It's like "OH HECK NO, the FEEDER IS EMPTY...FILL IT NOW!!!" and whichever human isn't milking makes a mad dash to fill it before the milker gets kicked / bucket spilled / all the other does start bellowing.

Cardinal rule of milking...Thous shalt NOT let the feed pan runneth empty.

Our "grain" is a mix of 12% sweet feed, ADM 36% dairy goat ration, BOSS, and corn...the ratio of corn is dependent on the season...more in winter, almost none in summer...all top dressed w/ mineral, which is also in free-choice feeders.
The skinny girls also get a 1/2 cup of calf manna on their grain.

We mix it in empty chest freezers. Keeps the rodents out and keeps me from having to handle 5 different bags every day.

 

[cmjust0]

At any point, if it's empty, the feeder gets thrown off, or they start kicking, or bellowing. It's like "OH HECK NO, the FEEDER IS EMPTY...FILL IT NOW!!!" and whichever human isn't milking makes a mad dash to fill it before the milker gets kicked / bucket spilled / all the other does start bellowing.

Cardinal rule of milking...Thous shalt NOT let the feed pan runneth empty.

A couple of times while my wife was milking, our buck jumped the gate into the barn and came running over to eat the milker's grain.. So my wife's milking like fighting fire while the doe's doing her level best to headbutt the buck while trapped in a stanchion.

Good times.

 

[dkluzier]

I agree with upping your ration of grain. Our nursing nubian/pygmy doe gets 1 1/2 cups of grain Twice a day. We offer free choice hay also.

My "grain" is a mix of about 3/4 cup Dumor sweet food, 1/2 cup BOSS and 1/4 cup cracked corn at this time of year.

 

[Mini-M Ranch]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I have already upped her grain (well, I have basically doubled it - I know it was too fast, but GOOD GRAVY! she was starving and CRYING to eat. Anyway, no scours yet, so I think she can take it. Now she is getting 2/3 C sweet grain and 1/3 C BOSS twice per day. She INHALED it and about a flake of alfalfa hay, and about a gallon of water yesterday. Poor dear, I WAS starving her. I just didn't realize it.

 

[cmjust0]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I have already upped her grain (well, I have basically doubled it - I know it was too fast, but GOOD GRAVY! she was starving and CRYING to eat. Anyway, no scours yet, so I think she can take it. Now she is getting 2/3 C sweet grain and 1/3 C BOSS twice per day. She INHALED it and about a flake of alfalfa hay, and about a gallon of water yesterday. Poor dear, I WAS starving her. I just didn't realize it.

Just out of curiosity....what's the protein and calcium content of BOSS, and how much does the total 1c ration weigh?

FWIW...most of our goats probably get varying amounts of grain everyday, as they kinda have to fight it out amongst themselves. We have two, sometimes three, that we're pulling to the side (secretly ) to feed extra grain, but otherwise, I literally have no way of knowing who got what on any given day. Could be a cup, could be a few pellets..

For most of the herd, grain is just a way to get them out of our faces long enough to work.. It's just a tool, really.

We don't have anybody in milk, though..

 

[Mini-M Ranch]

Sunflower seed kernels, dried Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 2,385 kJ (570 kcal)
Carbohydrates 18.76 g
Sugars 2.62 g
Dietary fiber 10.5 g
Fat 49.57 g
saturated 5.20 g
monounsaturated 9.46 g
polyunsaturated 32.74 g
Protein 22.78 g
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 2.29 mg (176%)
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.25 mg (17%)
Niacin (Vit. B3) 4.5 mg (30%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 6.75 mg (135%)
Vitamin B6 0.77 mg (59%)
Folate (Vit. B9) 227 μg (57%)
Vitamin C 1.4 mg (2%)
Vitamin E 34.50 mg (230%)
Calcium 116 mg (12%)
Iron 6.77 mg (54%)
Magnesium 354 mg (96%)
Manganese 2.02 mg (101%)
Phosphorus 705 mg (101%)
Potassium 689 mg (15%)
Sodium 3 mg (0%)
Zinc 5.06 mg (51%)

Source: USDA Nutrient database

 

[Roll farms]

I wonder if that's just for grey striped (what is usually sold for humans) or for Black Oil...? I believe I read that it's highest in calorie / fat value of the SS.

It makes up about 10% of our goat's diets...I also give it to the boys b/c I read it helps w/ urinary calculi....but the main reason I feed it is MAN, does it ever make those heifers shiny.

 

[Mini-M Ranch]

I think this is for the striped ones, because people don't usually eat the black oil ones, I guess. The amounts for the Black Oil Seeds should be more than what is shown here, but I couldn't find an analysis of the BOSS.

When we first got our goats, the doe that just kidded had REALLY dry, flaky skin. Her coat looked nice, but her skin was terrible. You could see it flaky off when you brushed her. We added just a bit of BOSS to their diet and it really cleared up her skin, and I think their hooves are stronger, too. It is an important part of our diet here. We give it to the chickens, too.

I need to research and see what else I can add to her feed to increase production. She is nursing all three kids, and I want to make sure she has enough milk since she is being so careful in making sure that they all get to nurse. I've heard oats are good to increase production, but I don't know how much and what kind of oats....sprouted, cut, rolled, cooked with butter and cinnamon (ok, jk on that).

 

[Roll farms]

I'd have mine w/ butter and honey...

But wait...you weren't askin' me.

 

[cmjust0]

I also give it to the boys b/c I read it helps w/ urinary calculi....

1:7 Cah ratio... Unless it acidifies the urine somehow, I'm not sure how those numbers could help with UC.

Not saying it doesn't!!...just kinda scratchin' my head a lilbit.