The gestation period in goats (gestation) lasts an average of 5 months (140-160 days). The best period for mating is from September to March. This is the time of increased sexual heat in females. If mating has occurred, then gestation should be expected, as evidenced by an increase in the udder, weight gain, and changes in behavior. Now is the time for owners to think about what they need to feed a pregnant goat correctly so that a miscarriage does not occur and there are no complications at the time of lambing.
What to feed a goat in the first half of pregnancy
Suspension is divided into two periods:
- first – 3 months from mating and intended insemination;
- the second – 60 days before lambing.
The first period is characterized by hormonal changes in the goat’s body and differentiation of tissues and organs of the offspring. The diet at this time should not change much compared to usual.
It is important to consider that it continues milking a goat or not. Dairy goats need more feed to support milk production.
In late summer and early autumn, the diet of pregnant goats consists of the following components:
- green mass - eaten by animals on pasture or grass cutting of legumes, cereal grasses;
- compound feed – 800 grams per day;
- grain mixtures (dry and steamed);
- branch food
The last type of food - branches - needs to be prepared for the goats in large quantities. Dry thin branches of birch, alder, aspen with green leaves in a straightened state or hanging them in a barn. Juniper branches can be harvested at any time of the year - it contains essential oils that are beneficial for animals.
With the onset of winter, the green mass is replaced with hay and silage, and root vegetables are introduced into the diet, with the exception of beets, since it increases milk production and can cause miscarriage. Approximate diet for a mature dairy goat with a milk yield of 2 liters of milk per day:
- cereal grass hay (meadow) – 400 grams;
- legume grass hay – 400 grams;
- barley straw – 300 grams;
- corn silage – 2 kilograms;
- grain (barley, oats) – 200 grams;
- sunflower meal – 200 grams;
- vitamin and mineral supplement (premix).
For proper development of bone tissue in goat kids in the womb, vitamin and mineral supplements should be included in the diet. They can be purchased ready-made or prepared as a mixture of feed chalk, bone meal, and crushed eggshells.
Diet in the second half
Starting from the fourth month, the offspring begins to actively grow; the goat’s uterus quickly increases in size and compresses the scar, significantly reducing its volume. Therefore, the grain and feed components of the diet are gradually reduced and completely stopped 21 days before lambing. Rye and wheat grain can provoke increased growth of the offspring, which will seriously complicate lambing.
The composition of feed in the period from 60 to 30 days before lambing is presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Composition of feed for pregnant goats 60-30 days before lambing.
| No. | Feed element | % |
| 1 | Barley grain | 30 |
| 2 | Oat grain | 13 |
| 3 | Feed wheat grain | 12 |
| 4 | Wheat bran | 20 |
| 5 | Sunflower meal | 3,0 |
| 6 | Cotton meal | 8,0 |
| 7 | Feed yeast | 3,0 |
| 8 | Herbal meal | 7,0 |
| 9 | Phosphate | 2,0 |
| 10 | Table salt | 1,0 |
| 11 | Vitamin and mineral supplement | 1,0 |
The volume of bran is gradually increased. This component of feed is well absorbed and easily digested in the body of goats. The composition of feed 30 days before lambing is presented in Table 2.
Table 2. Composition of feed for pregnant goats 30 days before lambing.
| No. | Feed element | grams |
| 1 | Mixed grass hay | 2000 |
| 2 | Compound feed | 300 |
| 3 | Crushed vegetables (carrots, boiled potatoes, fodder beets, apples) | 500 |
| 4 | Branch feed | 300 |
Features of feeding goats before lambing
If pregnancy proceeds normally in the spring, goats can be released for walking and pasture feed. It is important to avoid ascents and descents when moving animals.A week before lambing, they give bran, crushed vegetables, and grass meal made from legumes or hay is useful. Over the course of a few days, up to 50 grams of sugar per day is added to the water to increase the energy value of the feed without increasing its weight.
Feeding after lambing
As soon as the kids appear, the goat is given water with sugar. After 1.5 hours they also give sweet water and fresh hay. Watering the animal is continued every 3-4 hours. For four days, brewed bran is given 2-4 times a day. Starting from the fifth day, hay, crushed root vegetables, and young twigs are added to the diet. Bran also continues to be given.
While the goat feeds the kids with milk, its diet is supported with vitamins, minerals, root vegetables, and fresh food. When the kids are weaned, the animal can be switched to regular feed.
What to give goats
After birth, the mother is given the opportunity to lick the kids, the umbilical cord is tied, and a small amount of colostrum is expressed. It should not be given to kids because it contains a high concentration of dangerous bacteria. After this, the kids can be allowed close to their mother to feed with colostrum. Milk feeding can be continued for up to 1 month, and then fresh grass, hay and liquid grain porridge can be added to the goat’s feed.
What should you not give?
During pregnancy, a goat should not be fed low-quality food or dirty root vegetables. By the second half of harvest, sour silage is eliminated, as it increases fermentation processes in the intestines. Feeding rotten or frozen food can lead to miscarriages and serious poisoning.
Watering goats should be done with water at room temperature. To do this, in winter it is necessary to provide for heating water for animals, and bring it into a heated room in advance.Responsible treatment of animals will ensure their health and high productivity!
