This document discusses the nutrient requirements of pregnant and lactating goats. It states that energy requirements increase throughout pregnancy and are highest during late gestation and early lactation. Protein requirements also rise during pregnancy and peak during early lactation. Adequate intake of energy, protein, minerals, vitamins and water are critical to support the does' needs and prevent health issues. The document provides charts showing the varying dry matter intake and nutrient levels needed at different stages of pregnancy and lactation.

1. Feeding the pregnant
and lactating doe
SUSAN SCHOENIAN (SHĀY NĒ ŬN)
SHEEP & GOAT SPECIAL I ST
UNIVERS I TY OF MARY LAND EXTENS ION
WESTERN MARY LAND RESEARCH & EDUCAT ION CENTER
S SCHOEN@UMD.EDU  WWW. SHEEPANDGOAT.COM  WWW.WORMX. INFO

2. Nutrient requirements of pregnant
and lactating does
Rations need to be balanced
for energy, protein, minerals
and vitamins.
Water is the most important
nutrient.
Roughage (long fiber) is
critical to good nutrition and
rumen health.

3. Energy
Energy is the nutrient required in the greatest
quantity.
It comes primarily from carbohydrates and fats
in the diet.
Energy is usually the most limiting nutrient.
Excess energy is stored as fat in the body.
Energy is expressed in different ways:
• TDN - total digestible nutrients
• ME - metabolizable energy
• DE - digestible energy
• NE - net energy
• DOM - digestible organic matter

4. Protein
Protein is required in smaller amounts that
energy.
Protein is more expensive than energy.
Excess protein is not stored in the body:
excess protein is broken down and used
as energy – which is expensive!
Protein is expressed in different ways:
• CP – crude protein
• MP – metabolizable protein
• DIP – rumen degraded intake protein
• UIP – undegraded intake protein

5. MINERALS
Major minerals: calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P),
salt (NaCl), and magnesium (Mg)
Trace minerals: selenium (Se), iodine (I),
copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), and
manganese (Mn).
VITAMINS
Rumen manufactures all B vitamins and
vitamin K
Body synthesizes vitamin C from carotene
Dietary requirement for vitamins A, D, and E

6. Water
Goat are one of the most efficient animals in their
use of water.
Water requirements (intake) are affected by age,
lactation, environmental temperature, water
content of forage consumed, amount of exercise,
stage of growth, and salt and mineral content of
diet.
Water requirements are highest for early lactating
does and during warm weather.
Goat grazing lush pastures consume less water than
those feeding on dry hay.
All goats should have free access to water.
Water should be clean, fresh, and non-stagnant.

7. Don’t take water for granted
Inadequate intake of water can reduce feed
intake, which can reduce productivity.
Animals consuming high moisture feedstuffs,
such as lush pasture, silage, or hydroponic
fodder, may not be able to consume enough dry
matter to meet their nutritional requirements
for growth or lactation.
Inadequate water intake can predispose animals
to certain diseases.
Water can be an unintended source of minerals.
Water can be a source of harmful bacteria and
other contaminants.

8. Nutrient requirements
Are generally for housed animals,
in good environmental conditions,
with minimal parasite burdens.
◦ Activity increases nutrient
requirements.
◦ Wind, temperature, and moisture
increase nutrient requirements.
◦ Sub-clinical parasitism increases
nutrient requirements, especially
protein.

9. Energy requirements of does
Energy requirements are affected by stage
and level of production.
Energy requirements increase throughout
pregnancy and are highest during late
gestation.
Inadequate intake of energy during late
gestation can result in pregnancy toxemia
(or ketosis) and/or the birth of small, weak
kids with increased mortality.
Overfeeding during late gestation can lead
to dystocia (difficult births), due to oversized
fetuses and increased abdominal fat.
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
2.51
DMI TDN
2.75
3.15
1.32
1.45
1.67
53%
53%
53%
MAINTENANCE BREEDING EARLY
GESTATION
3.34
3.85
2.22
2.05
63%
53%
LATE GESTATION EARLY
LACTATION
Dry matter intake (DMI) and energy (TDN) requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe raising twins (lbs./day)

10. The number of offspring also affects the nutrient
requirements of the pregnant and lactating doe.
LATE GESTATION EARLY LACTATION
2.40
2.20
2.00
1.80
1.60
1.96
2.22
2.35
SINGLE TWINS TRIPLETS OR MORE
2.40
2.20
2.00
1.80
1.60
1.80
2.05
2.13
SINGLE TWINS TRIPLETS OR MORE
Energy (TDN) requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe, lbs./day

11. Dairy does have higher nutritional
requirements than non-dairy does.
2.10
1.90
1.70
1.50
1.30
1.10
0.90
0.70
0.50
0.72
Dairy Non-dairy
0.79
0.87
1.12
1.38
2.05
0.60
0.66
0.76
1.01
0.93
MAINTENANCE BREEDING EARLY GESTATION LATE GESTATION EARLY LACTATION PARLOR MILKING
Energy (TDN) requirements of a 132-lb. doe, lbs./day

12. Protein requirements of does
Protein requirements are also
affected by stage and level of
production.
Protein requirements increase
throughout pregnancy and peak
during early lactation.
Protein requirements (%) are
increased if intake of energy is
inadequate.
0.18
0.20
0.31
0.45 0.46
0.50
0.45
0.40
0.35
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
7.2%
7.3%
9.8%
13.5% 11.9%
Maintenance Breeding Early gestation Late gestation Lactation
Crude protein (CP) requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe raising twins (lbs./day)

13. Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) requirements
Calcium and phosphorus requirements
are substantially higher during
pregnancy and are highest during
lactation.
Milk fever
hypocalcemia, low blood Ca
 Can occur during late gestation
(periparturient) or lactation
(lactational).
 Can be caused by not enough
(periparturient) or too much Ca
(lactational) in late gestation diet .
 Is more common in dairy goats.
10.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
CALCIUM PHOSPHORUS
2.1
1.7
2.2
1.8
6.3
3.7
6.1
3.5
9.2
5.6
Maintenance Breeding Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation
Calcium and phosphorus requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe raising twins (g/day)

14. Life cycle feeding of does
Late
lactation
Weaning
Maintenance
Breeding
Early
lactation
Late gestation
Early
gestation

15. All feeding is based on weight.
ANIMALS FEED

16. You need to know what your animals weigh.
 Scale (recommended)
 Weigh tapes for dairy goats
(commercially available)
 Predict weight from equation developed by Langston
University: heart girth, body condition score, and sex.
 Predict weight from equation in Langston University’s
Nutrient Calculator (online): heart girth, body
condition score, sex, and genotype

17. You need to know how much you are feeding
and how much your animals are eating.
$5.00 per bale
50 lb. bales
$200/ton
$3.00 per bale
30 lb. bales
$200/ton
$30 per bale
500 lb. bale
$120/ton
Don’t forget about waste.

18. Dry matter (DM)
All feeds contain some water:
dry matter (DM) + water
Dry matter is the portion of the feed that is left
after the water has been removed.
Nutrients are contained in the dry matter
portion of feeds.
Dry matter varies considerably among feeds,
from 90% water for lush pastures to 10% water
for cereal grains and most hays.
All requirements are based on dry matter.
Feeds need to be compared on a dry matter
basis.
Dry matter Remove water Dry matter
Water Add water
As-fed
Heavy weight
Diluted
DM basis
Light weight
Concentrated

19. Percentage vs. amount
Nutrients are usually described in terms
of percentage.
But animals require amounts of nutrients
not percentages; percentages are a tool
to balance rations.
Nutrient requirements (%) are based
on a certain (assumed) dry matter
consumption, e.g. 4 lbs. DM: 3 lbs.
of hay + 1 lb. of grain.
◦  DM intake  % nutrient
◦  DM intake  % nutrient

20. Feeding the pregnant and lactating doe
PREGNANT (LATE) LACTATING (EARLY)
• 70 percent of fetal growth is occurring.
• Mammary tissue is developing.
• Rumen capacity is decreasing.
• Activity decreases.
• Nursing kids place high demand on doe.
• She not be able to consume enough feed due
to meet demands of lactation.
• Will likely lose weight/body condition.
• Compromised immunity to parasites.

21. How to feed pregnant and lactating does:
Match nutrient requirements to available feedstuffs (at the least cost)
NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS (2007) FEED INVENTORY / COMPOSITION
1. Forage test results
Should test forages, by-products, and
alternative feeds
2. Feed tags
3. Book values
◦ Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants
◦ Fact sheets
◦ Ration balancing programs
1. Nutrient requirements of Small Ruminants
http://www.nap.edu
2. University of Maryland Extension
Meat Goat Ration Evaluator (spreadsheet)
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets/
UMEMeatGoatRation.xlsx
3. Langston University online Nutrient Calculators
http://www.luresext.edu/goats/research/
nutr_calc.htm (built-in)

22. Forage quality testing
PLANT
Representative sample of forage
Use a bale corer
If it is pasture, watch to see what the animals
are grazing.
Many labs
http://foragetesting.org
ANIMAL (FECAL SAMPLE)
NRS fecal analysis
Determines the quality of the diet (forage)
that the animal consumed in prior 36 hours:
energy, protein, fecal N, fecal P
Grazingland Animal Nutrition Lab
http://cnrit.tamu.edu/ganlab/index.php

23. Nutrient requirements

25. Doing the math
1. Look up requirements for 132-lb doe late gestation (twins)
According to table, she requires 2.2 lbs. of TDN and 0.433 lbs. of CP
2. You are feeding her 3 lbs. of hay (58% TDN, 10% protein)
3. She wastes 10% = 2.7 lbs.
4. Convert to DM: 2.7 x 0.90 = 2.43 lbs. of dry matter
5. How much TDN does hay provide: 2.43 lbs. x 0.58 = 1.41 lbs.
6. How much more TDN does she need: 2.2 - 1.4 = 0.8
7. Feed corn (88% TDN, 9% CP) to provide more TDN: 0.8  0.88 = .90 lbs. corn
8. Convert corn to as fed: 0.90  0.90 = 1 lb. corn
9. Feed 3 lbs. of hay + 1 lb. of corn

26. More math
1. How much protein does 3 lbs. of hay and 1 lb. of corn provide
Hay: 2.43 x 0.10 = 0.243 lbs.
Corn: 0.9 x 0.09 = 0.081 lbs.
Total: 0.324 lbs.
Difference: 0.433 - 0.324 = 0.109 lbs.
2. How much protein supplement (36% CP) do you need to feed?
0.109  0.36 = 0.30 lbs.
Convert to as fed: 0.30  0.90 = 0.33 lb.
3. Feed 3 lbs. of hay + 2/3 lb. corn + 1/3 lb. supplement
4. Also need to check Ca and P

27. Pearson square
An easy way to balance a ration with two ingredients for one nutrient
Barley
11
Protein pellet 36
16%
20
5
25
 25 = 80% Barley
 25 = 20% pellet
4 parts barley
1 part pellet

28. Body condition scoring
One of the most useful management tools that a goat producer has.
Use to assess health, market readiness, and nutrition.
Should be done throughout the year.

29. Body condition scoring
One of the most useful management tools that a goat producer has.
Use to assess health, market readiness, and nutrition.
Should be done throughout the year.

30. Body condition scoring
Is used to determine how fat or thin an animal
is.
Cannot be determined by simply looking at an
animal.
Is accomplished by feeling for the amount of
fat and muscle over the back, ribs, and loin.
Can use scale of 1-5 (sheep) or 1-9 (cattle)
1=emaciated, 3=average, 5=obese

32. Langston University resources on body
condition scoring
Card
(similar to FAMACHA© card)
Factsheet
YouTube video

33. Thank you for your attention.
Do you have any questions or comments?