Feeding Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats – What Gets Fed
- Feeding Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats Hay. There are two main types of hay, leguminous (nitrogen fixing) and grass hay. ...
- Feeding Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats Forage. Access to outside vegetation can reduce the amount of hay that it’s necessary to feed goats and the exercise is good for them.
- Goat Mineral. Goats need minerals and vitamins but the amount that they get from their hay ration can vary tremendously depending upon where the hay was grown.
- Water. Access to a continuous source of clean, fresh water is very important for goats. They’re actually rather particular about their water.
- Extras. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is another item that many goat owner’s offer free choice to their goats.
- Feeding Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats – Who Gets What. Although all goats basically need the same foods, each goat requires differing amounts of hay, mineral, water, and grain depending upon ...
- Mature Does. Lactating does need higher protein levels and benefit from legume hays and a higher protein (14 – 18%) goat feed.
- Bucks and Wethers. To maintain condition and avoid issues with urinary calculi, bucks and wethers should be fed a diet low in protein and calcium with a specific ratio of ...
- Growing Kids. Goat kids should receive goat milk for the first eight to ten weeks until they are weaned. ...
How much hay per day for Nigerian Dwarf goats?
- A friend – Never keep just one goat, or at the very least keep them with a horse, cow, or sheep.
- Milk or hay – depending on how old they are.
- Water – fresh water is very important for their health.
- Clean living area – Poop is normal so don’t go crazy, but remember they are babies and their immune systems are just getting started.
Why should you raise Nigerian Dwarf goats?
- These miniature goats are adorable and friendly in nature.
- The Nigerian Dwarf goats are very easy to blend with other livestock and usually share pastures peacefully with other animals such as sheep, cattle, horses, and other goats.
- The Nigerian Dwarf goats can live in smaller spaces than standard size goats.
How to raise and care for Nigerian Dwarf goats?
- Watch Out For Collars. Most new goat owners know that collars can be a problem for goats. ...
- Fencing Issues (Even for short Nigerian Dwarf Goats!) The saying goes that if a cat can get through your fence, so can your goat. ...
- Manure Removal. ...
- Picky, picky goats. ...
Can you milk a Nigerian Dwarf goat?
You can milk a Nigerian dwarf goat quite easily with the manual method of milking. This will only involve a few easy steps such as deciding on a convenient pumping method without involving any kind of tugging and managing with a well-practiced finger technique like the one we have discussed.
What is the best feed for Nigerian Dwarf goats?
Nigerian dwarf goats are best to be fed with hay and forage. They need a high-quality hay, such as alfalfa. Their feeding also depends on age and gender. Regardless, Nigerian dwarf goats need to have access to fresh and clean water all the time.
How much grain should I feed my Nigerian Dwarf goat?
Nigerian dwarfs and pygmies only need about 1/2 cup each per day while standard sized goats need about twice that much. Bucks and wethers should not have grain after about six months of age, and does only need grain at the very end of pregnancy and while in milk.
What do Nigerian Dwarf goats need?
As with all goats, Nigerian Dwarf goats do not require much in the way of care. They can thrive with simple housing, fresh water, and a balanced goat feed. Providing them with plenty of room to graze on good grass and brush also makes for a better herd.
What fruits and vegetables can Nigerian Dwarf goats eat?
Tasty Treats Feed only small portions during each snack time. Goats also enjoy munching on healthy fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, pears, peaches, bananas, grapes, carrots, lettuce, celery, pumpkin, squash, and spinach.
Do goats need grain everyday?
Feed grain to your goats sparingly; adults will only need 1 ½ pound a day as an absolute maximum. Kids require significantly less - around ½ a cup will do the trick. Most goats gain the majority of nutrition from foraging, where adequate pasture is available. Foraging forms the bulk of the diet.
Do goats need a salt block?
Salt is essential to good goat health. Goat salt comes in salt and mineral blocks or loose salt. Unlike wild goats, domesticated goats cannot wander and find the salt they need in their natural environments. Salt blocks or loose minerals are a necessary supplement for goats.
How many flakes of hay does a goat need?
Goats require about two pounds of chaffhaye for every 100 pounds of body weight. A 50-pound bag of chaffhaye equals about one 90-pound hay bale. Goats also can be fed grain or grain pellets.
What should you not feed goats?
What Should You Not Feed Your Goats?Avocado.Azaleas.Chocolate.Plants with oxalates such as kale.Any nightshade vegetable.Holly trees or bushes.Lilacs.Lily of the valley.More items...
What grain is best for goats?
One cup of grain is sufficient for adult goats, while ½ cup of grain is ideal for kids (baby goats). However, pregnant goats and those kept for milking can eat up to 2 cups a day, as they need the extra protein and fat. The best type of grain to feed goats is wheat, barley, and oats.
Will Nigerian Dwarf goats eat grass?
What do they eat? Goats eat primarily hay or pasture. They love variety so they'll eat up your trees, bushes, & weeds before they'll nibble on the grass.
Do you have to milk Nigerian Dwarf goats?
It's important to note that Nigerian Dwarf goats do need to be milked daily, but with just a bit of work, you can quickly produce rich milk that can be consumed either on its own or in the form of other milk products.
How much pasture does a Nigerian dwarf goat need?
Provide 3 to 5 pounds (1.4 to 2.3 kg) of hay per day for each goat. Nigerian dwarf goats do well on an equal mix of leguminous hay and grass hay. Grass hay includes timothy and orchard grass and is lower in protein.
How much water do Nigerian dwarf goats need?
The amount of water that your Nigerian Dwarfs need depend on the age and size of the goat. Typically, goats need two to three gallons of water daily. More in the summertime and lactating does especially need water to aid in their milk production.
How to supply goats with minerals?
You can supply your goats with the trace minerals that they need through a loose mineral mix placed in a feeder. Though salt and mineral blocks are available, the tongue of your goat isn’t as hard as that of a cow’s tongue which means that your goat will not be getting enough minerals whilst licking the block.
What is grain in goat milk?
Grain is a dietary supplement that will help maximise the milk production of your does. Though grain isn’t an essential part of your goat’s feeding programme (they can happily live on forage and hay) it can supply additional minerals and vitamins to your lactating does.
How much protein should a newborn goat eat?
When it comes to eating your baby Nigerian Dwarf goat should consume a daily ration of 10-20% of their body weight. When growing, kids need protein, but the protein should be at a reduced level until your kid is at least 6 months old. If you prefer to hand raise your Nigerian Dwarf goats you can consider bottle feeding them.
How to make goat forage?
It is a bagged forage that you can make yourself. Cut fresh alfalfa or grass and then mix it with molasses ( which makes the feed more palatable to your herd whilst also providing your goats with iron and sugars). Place everything in vacuum-packed bags which seals the freshness of the crop inside the bag.
Why does my goat need water?
Secondly, water aids your goat’s digestion as the rumen needs water to help it break down the fibre consumed by the goat. A lack of water can lead to digestive issues. Finally, your goat may inadvertently collect toxins in its body through its foraging.
Why are my goats weak?
Goats who are deficient in iron can become weak or anaemic. A lack of manganese in your goat’s diet can lead to birthing issues such as kids being stillborn and young goats with slow growth rates. If your animals aren’t getting enough calcium and phosphorous make your goats susceptible to milk fever and rickets.
Bottle Feeding Nigerian Dwarf Kids
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What To Feed Nigerian Dwarf Goat Kids
The first step in how to bottle feed a Nigerian Dwarf goat kid is what to feed it. Now that may sound silly since obviously, they drink milk like any baby, but let’s go over exactly what you to bottle feed a Nigerian Dwarf goat kid.
How Often To Feed Nigerian Dwarf Kids
The day the Nigerian Dwarf goat kid is born it will need several small meals. We feed our bottle babies every four hours or when they get fussy. Don’t worry if the kid doesn’t eat much more than a couple of ounces for the first several meals. After that first day of feeding colostrum, you can move to a feeding schedule with a milk replacer or milk.
How To Wean A Nigerian Dwarf Goat Kid
To wean your Nigerian Dwarf goat kids you can just stop giving them a bottle altogether. Or you can take a more gradual approach and give them a half bottle for a few days before removing a certain time of day from the schedule. This is the method I prefer to use.
What is a Nigerian dwarf goat?
Nigerian Dwarf goats are compact, docile, and productive little animals… . Because they are smaller than standard goats, and have a friendly disposition, they are easier to manage and live with, making them popular as pets. But they are also low-maintenance dairy goats, giving a surprising amount of high-quality, ...
How much does a Nigerian dwarf goat cost?
The cost for registered Nigerian Dwarf breeding stock is $200-$500 per goat, depending on their availability and bloodline. Wethers to be sold as pets are generally available for as little as $50-$100.
How long does it take for a Nigerian dwarf goat to produce milk?
Nigerian Dwarf goats produce milk for about 300 days per freshening, and breed throughout the year, rather than seasonally. This makes their polyestrous nature favorable. If you want a steady supply of delicious, high-quality goat milk, you only need a couple does, and to stagger their breeding.
What is the difference between a Nigerian dwarf goat and a Nigerian pygmy goat?
The primary difference between Nigerian Dwarf goats and Nigerian Pygmy goats are their body proportions. Nigerian Pygmy goats tend to have stocky, barrel-like bodies, a bit like normal-sized goats with short legs.
Why are Nigerian dwarf goats so popular?
Like all goats, Nigerian Dwarf goats are useful in pastures to clear weeds and underbrush and improve grass for grazing animals. Their docile nature makes them easy to keep with grazing animals and not require special care or quarters.
How high should a fence be for a Nigerian dwarf goat?
Fences should be about 4 feet high since Nigerian Dwarf goats can't jump higher than that. Goats will lean, stand, rub, and chew on fencing, particularly if they have smaller pasture, or if there seems to be attractive forage on the other side, so posts should be no further than 8 feet apart.
What do you use for goat bedding?
You may use hay or straw as bedding. Due to their miniature size, these goats require only a 1/3 space of what large goats require. A dry floor is better than a wooden floor because when wet, a wooden floor can be slippery and cause hoof related problems to your goats. Nigerian dwarf goat fence – tips for best fencing.
How to care for a Nigerian dwarf goat?
Some other things that are handy to have on hand when caring for Nigerian Dwarf baby goats: 1 Collar & leash – not entirely necessary and many people choose not to put a collar on their goat kids, but it does make moving them easier. 2 Hoof trimmers – hooves will need to be trimmed regularly (once a month or so). 3 Brush – this helps you get your goats used to being handled and they love a good brushing. 4 Goat Electrolytes – you can find a recipe online or purchase some at the store.
How to care for a baby goat?
Water is another really important part of caring for baby goats, goats need access to fresh clean water all of the time. Just be mindful of the vessel that you use to hold it. Use a shallow bowl to give you Nigerian Dwarf kids water, this way if they do fall in they can easily get back out and won’t be drowned.
How tall should a fence be for a baby goat?
Make sure your fence is at least 4 feet tall. Some other things that are handy to have on hand when caring for Nigerian Dwarf baby goats: Collar & leash – not entirely necessary and many people choose not to put a collar on their goat kids, but it does make moving them easier.
How long does a baby goat need colostrum?
For the first few days, your baby goat is going to need colostrum, if for whatever reason it can’t get it from its mother you can purchase colostrum at your Tractor Supply. It will need this for the first couple of days of its life. This is really important because without the colostrum the baby goat will not survive.
Can a bottle baby goat eat dog food?
Our bottle baby learned to eat it by watching our older girl eat. It’s so important to remember that Nigerian Dwarf goats are not dogs, you can not just go to the store and buy a bag of “goat food” and expect it to be enough for them to survive. In fact, doing this can kill your baby goats.
Can you give baby goats probiotics?
This will help to activate their rumen, if you feel it’s necessary you can also give your baby goats probiotics to help prevent bloat and get their rumen going with good bacteria production. Introducing hay when caring for baby Nigerian Dwarf goats is where having older goats is so helpful.
Can a mom reject a baby goat?
Unfortionetly things happen, a mom will sometimes reject a kid, or a goat kid may be orphaned causing us to have to step in. Or you maybe you brought home a bottle baby. In this situation caring for Nigerian Dwarf baby goats become a little more complicated. Just like human babies, a baby goat requires feedings around the clock.
