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Care for Does

Dry Does: When not in milk or late pregnancy, most of our does do just fine on pasture without any grain. We check body condition scores and FAMACHA regularly. If any dry doe is on the low end of those scores, we run fecals. We deworm as needed to reduce wormer resistance. If the doe is thin but otherwise healthy, we feed Tucker Milling Goat Grower, about a quart-scoop (half for nigerians) per day until BCS is optimal. Hooves are trimmed around once a month, copper boluses are given twice per year, and minerals are available full-time.

Late Pregnancy: One month prior to kidding, we begin our pre-kidding regime. This includes a good hoof trimming, CD&T boosters, and a dose of Replamin Plus and selenium & vitamin E paste. Each doe gets a scoop (half for nigerians) of Tucker Milling Goat Grower each night until kidding - some does eat it all, others don't. Does are put into a kidding stall at day 150 (145 for nigerians) and monitored via cameras until after kidding. All labors are attended, if possible.

After-Kidding: Does receive a bucket of molasses water and grain immediately after kidding. We do not deworm after kidding unless body condition begins to decline and a fecal warrants it. For most does, little care is needed after kidding.

Milking Does: While does are lactating, their bodies require much more fuel. We give Tucker Milling Dairy to all of our milking does on the stand, as much as they can eat. During the day in Spring and Summer, does are free to graze their pastures. In Winter, we feed grass hay twice a day, as much as they eat. Our nubian does get two scoops of Alfalfa pellets every night to help keep their calcium levels up and keep them in good condition. In Alabama, Alfalfa hay is hard to find without spending a fortune, so feeding pellets is what works for us. We have been experimenting with feeding our milkers perennial peanut hay as an alfalfa replacement to boost lactation, and they seem to be doing well on it. Minerals are available at all times.

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