What I'm feeding my Nigerian Dwarf Goats

[Livinwright Farm]

If you bucks are being used for breeding I would just give hay

I don't endorse anyone keeping a buck chubby, BUT, I was reading a site recently that made a lot of sense.
It stated that if you want to increase your odds of bucklings, then get your doe to slightly over conditioned and your buck to slightly under conditioned... the doe's body will be less receptive to the female sperm and the male sperm will be "in prime condition".
Like wise, if you are aiming for doelings, then get your doe to slighty under conditioned, and your buck slightly to moderately over conditioned... The doe's body will be more receptive to the female sperm and the male sperm die off quickly when they are "fatty".
The reason why this makes sense, is that this is the way it is with people. If a male is over weight, odds are higher that his wife will have a daughter. However, if he is slim and in good condition, odds are higher that his wife will have a son.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

If you bucks are being used for breeding I would just give hay

I don't endorse anyone keeping a buck chubby, BUT, I was reading a site recently that made a lot of sense.
It stated that if you want to increase your odds of bucklings, then get your doe to slightly over conditioned and your buck to slightly under conditioned... the doe's body will be less receptive to the female sperm and the male sperm will be "in prime condition".
Like wise, if you are aiming for doelings, then get your doe to slighty under conditioned, and your buck slightly to moderately over conditioned... The doe's body will be more receptive to the female sperm and the male sperm die off quickly when they are "fatty".
The reason why this makes sense, is that this is the way it is with people. If a male is over weight, odds are higher that his wife will have a daughter. However, if he is slim and in good condition, odds are higher that his wife will have a son.

That is so funny.

I have 2 boys and my husband has been asking for a daughter and I told him we would most likely get another son. I heard something sort of similar (like don't let your husband eat any meat during the time of trying to conceive (so more X sperm would be made, less Y sperm) - but that would never work with mine - he's a big meat eater).

I'm going to worry about my goats having babies first before I even consider another one.

I've adjusted my feeding for my goats again.

Now they are just on pasture and hay (with the occasional supplement of my feed mixture (combined the Noble Goat feed pellets, the black oil sunflower seeds and the shredded beet pulp into 1 garbage can) that I give each goat 1/2 cup when raining (because they don't browse in the rain, they just stay in the barn (or covered roof for the bucks) and eat all the hay in the feeders).

I want to try and keep them on just pasture and just hay, unless one of the bucks starts to look skinny (if I can see his hip bones).

I'll increase the pregnant does feed during the last month of pregnancy to 2 cups of feed a day.

They need to graze down the pasture areas. The grass and weeds are very high and dense. The goats get lost in the pasture. It's like they are walking through 'green snow up to their belly". Their legs disappear in the grass it's so tall.

Even when I cut back on all their feed (I felt like I was feeding them 4X as much as they needed), they just ate more pasture or hay to compensate. None of the pregnant does are skinny. I was just very concerned that their babies would be too big for them to give birth being young and first time goat moms.

Thanks !!

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Thanks
We just finished expanding their pen and it is on a new spot with lots of brush in the pen. Ofcourse, we don't think it will take them long to clear out the brush on their own. Rufus and Bella are much calmer in the new pen.

I am thinking about working them off of the medicated feed as I have been reading alot about resistent strains of parasites from too much meds. I will take the advise of slowly working them off so as to not upset their systems.

Rufus has adjusted best to his new home taking everything in stride. Bella has lost weight. I would like to see her get some of the weight back. Think it is due to the stress of new home as she is very skittish. I do not know what feed brand she was on originally either.

I am interested in organic methods as I keep my chickens as organic as possible.

On the BOSS, are you giving them with the shells or without shells?

Yes, I give the black oil sunflower seeds with the shells on too.

Now my goats are on just pasture and hay. I only supplement with the "feed mixture" (- a combination of all the 3 foods) when it's rainy and I feel they aren't browsing.

Sorry to hear that Bella is losing weight. This doesn't sound good. Maybe try and find out what she food she was on. Or try lots of food that she likes.

I hear sometimes with a worm problem, they lose weight (loss of condition). Are you using a dewormer ? I use Molly's herbals (formula 1 and 2) and just sprinkle it over their food once a week. I use a half tablespoon dose for Nigerians. The "worms" don't like the herbs and they get expelled. I have 2 friends that use it too and no one has any problems. My other friend uses the whole 1 tablespoon dose and follows the schedule she suggests (formula 1, 3 days in a row, then formula 2 for 7 weeks). I do mine a little differently.

Hope she's going to get fatter with more foods you can offer: hay, feed pellets, alfalfa pellets, shredded beet pulp (I hear some give oats too).

Good luck and keep us posted !!

 

[EM Squared Farms]

I don't know if you technically should do this, but it works!! lol

Yes, bribery is a very useful goat management tool.

Love your pic !! A goat with a perfect white spot !

I had one clownfish that was special like that. Too bad I sold it. I should have hung onto it it was so rare. I did see one on the internet once. I wonder if it was my little baby fish.

It had a perfect white spot like that in addition to it's normal stripes.

Very cool !

(I want a goat with a perfectly round white spot !)

Do you ever get any babies with the same marking ?