- 80% hay, goats like straight alfalfa hay, a blend of alfalfa & Bermuda, alfalfa & timothy but you can feed your baby goats straight hay (these come in bales, check ...
- 15% forage (pasture/weeds/grassy areas), again because of their size they won’t need as much space to forage in.
- 5% grain (it comes in 40 lb. bags, check your local feed stores or order here.)
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.
Do pregnant goats need anything special?
So, do my goats need grain during pregnancy? It depends. (Yes, that's usually my answer to everything.) Assuming that you have a good quality, high protein alfalfa or peanut hay available, and your goats don't look underweight, then they probably don't need grain.
How long are Nigerian dwarf goats pregnant?
145 -150 daysIt's important to figure out roughly when your doe should kid so you can be prepared. I have Nigerians who have an average gestation period of 145 -150 days. This handy calculator calculates for 145 days. If you have a full sized goat you'll need to adjust accordingly.
How much grain should I feed my pregnant goat?
Start grain gradually (just a handful a day) until your does are eating up to a half-pound of grain a day (depending on the goat size and breed) or half to two-thirds of their normal milking ration by the time they kid, in addition to hay.
How do I keep my pregnant goat healthy?
Don't stress her out 2-3 weeks post-breeding. Feed high quality hay and/or alfalfa. Provide free choice minerals. Confirm pregnancy with blood test or ultrasound....Two months before kidding:Dry doe off if in milk.Optional: dry treat with intra-mammary infusion.Adjust feed/hay amounts if over or under weight.
What do you give a pregnant goat?
Feeding should consist of medium quality hay, good pasture, and free choice goat mineral – they don't need grain at this stage if they're not being milked. Since we were milking, ours got grain twice daily but we slowly decreased this to a very small portion once daily as we dried them off (quit milking).
What do you give a goat before kidding?
Giving each doe a CDT (2 cc's) and BoSe (2 cc's) shot 4 weeks prior to kidding. Also, deworming (see deworming chart HERE) to combat the buildup of internal parasites that usually occurs just prior to kidding.
Do pregnant goats need alfalfa?
Milk formation requires protein. Alfalfa is the only hay with enough protein to meet the needs of a lactating doe. However, the producer must carefully and slowly increase the protein intake of a pregnant doe, gradually adding appropriate feed to her diet as her pregnancy progresses.
What vitamins do pregnant goats need?
One mineral that is especially important to pregnant does is selenium. Check with your county extension agent to find out if the soil in your area is selenium deficient. If it is, you will have to supplement your doe (and the kids, for that matter) with additional selenium beyond their usual mineral supplement.
What is the best feed for lactating goats?
If milk production is important, feed maximum amounts of high quality hay balanced with a grain ration containing enough protein, minerals and vitamins to support production and animal health (Table 2). Grass or legume hays are equally acceptable.
Can you feed goats when pregnant?
Risks in pregnancy In order to protect their own health and that of their unborn child, women who are, or who may be, pregnant should be advised to avoid close contact with livestock animals. This is because infectious organisms may be present in birth fluids of animals, particularly sheep, cattle and goats.
How do you prepare a pregnant goat?
Here are seven things to do to prepare yourself for kidding season.Feed Your Pregnant Doe Well. If you have a bred doe, make sure she's well-nourished before and after her delivery. ... Assemble a Kidding Kit. ... Be On Kid Watch. ... Kid-Proof the Goat Pen. ... Handle Your Kids. ... Recognize Baby Goat Diseases. ... Get Connected.
Do female goats Need grain?
Grain/Seeds – (0-10% of their diet) Goats don't need grain to survive, in fact, they can live happily on pasture or hay, or a combination of both, but grains can help provide extra vitamins & minerals, as well as 12-16% extra protein.
How Much to Feed Pregnant and Lactating Goats - dummies
Nutritional Needs For Kidding & Lactating Goats - Hobby Farms
What are the stages of goat pregnancy?
Basically, there are three stages of goat pregnancy care to consider: 1) breeding, 2) early gestation, and 3) late gestation.
How long does it take for a goat to get pregnant?
The average miniature goat gestation period is 145 days (there is a goat gestation calculator HERE) and the first 3 ½ months are considered the early gestation period. During this time, the embryo (s) grow slowly, and there are usually few observable changes in a doe.
Do you need a vet for a molasses wormer?
For these conditions, having molasses and propylene glycol on hand is critical, but a Vet will also likely be necessary. At four weeks prior to kidding, it’s recommended that the does be vaccinated with CD&T, given BoSe (in areas with Selenium deficiency), and some breeders vaccinate or treat to prevent abortions.
Can you deworm before kidding?
Worm loads tend to increase rapidly in does just prior to kidding, so deworming just before kidding can minimize parasite problems for both the does and kids . The prospect of having milk and cute little kids bouncing around again this spring is very exciting, but also a little scary.
How to know if a goat is about to kid?
5. Signs doe is about to kid: The two main things I watch for are ligaments and udder. Right before kidding their udder will "swell". Get very tight and almost shiny. It will look as if their udder is about to burst. Kidding will be shortly. The other is ligaments. There are two ligaments that you can feel right behind a goats tail on both sides. It is best to practice feeling for the ligaments a week or so before kidding so you get good at locating if you have never done this before. You can also feel non-bred does to see the difference. When you can no longer feel those ligaments, and your fingers essentially can wrap around the does spine, that doe will be kidding within 12 hours. This is when I put the does in their kidding pen as to not keep them in too long and stress them out. You will also see the plug come out and notice more discharge within a week or so of kidding.
What is milk fever in a doe?
We keep this on hand at all time. A doe can develop something called Milk Fever (Hypocalcemia). This is a condition that is caused by a high need of calcium in a doe but her not receiving enough. This is most a concern at the end of pregnancy and within the first 3 weeks after kidding. We keep our bred does on alfalfa pellets (high calcium) throughout pregnancy and give as soon as they kid also. It is higher risk in a doe with multiple kids, an older doe, a doe that is already low in calcium. Injectable Calcium Gluconate is used if your doe has milk fever to get her calcium that is more readily available for her body to use. More info can be found here.
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.
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 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.
