Feeding and nutrition of pregnant and lactating goats, kids, young goats and bucks

Question 1

Yearly cycle: 4 points to mention

Answer 1

• 1 cycle takes 1 year: dry period of 3.5 mnths and lactating for 8.5 mnths
• Gestation length
• Weaning age
• Repro

Question 2

Length of gestation

Answer 2

153 days or 5 mnths

Question 3

Age of weaning

Answer 3

60-90 days

Question 4

Repro: (5)

Answer 4

1. Goats in Eu are inseminated in the Autumn
2. They lactate for 1.5 mnths after- from their prev pregnancy
3. They thens top lactating/dry off for 3 mnths
4. Give birth in spring and then lactate for 8.5 mnths
5. Inseminated 7 mnths after the onset of lactation

Question 5

Nutrition of dairy goats (3)

Answer 5

NEm

MP

Fibre

Question 6

NEm of dairy goats

Answer 6

10.2 MJ per day

Question 7

MP of dairy goats

Answer 7

53g/day

Question 8

Fibre of dairy goats

Answer 8

greater than or equal to 18%

*undigested acc to the internet

*handy to know it is the same figure for sheep

Question 9

Nutrition during lactation (6)

Answer 9

1. NEl
2. Ca
3. P
4. High water
5. Vits: D,E,A
6. Mins: Cu, I

Question 10

NEl during lactation

Answer 10

17-19 MJ/ day

Question 11

Ca and P during lactation

Answer 11

Ca: 18.8g

P: 8.7g

Question 12

Timeline to discuss of pregnancy, lactation and drying-off (6)

Answer 12

• First 3 mnths of preg
• Last 2 wks of preg
• Before kidding
• First 3 wks of lactation
• Last 2 mnths of drying off
• 2 wks after drying off

Question 13

First 3 mnths of preg

Answer 13

Low requirement

Question 14

Last 2 weeks of preg

Answer 14

Decr DM

Question 15

Before kidding

Answer 15

Mix 0.15kg of conc with wheat bran 50%

Question 16

First 3 wks of lactation

Answer 16

0.9kg of conc

Question 17

Last 2 mnths of drying off

Answer 17

incr DM to +20-25% to provide for fetal growth

Question 18

2 wks after drying off

Answer 18

prep for milking!

Pasture

Hay

0.3kg of conc

Question 19

Kids

Answer 19

Bucks: slaughtered at 1-2 mnths and fed milk or milk replacers

Females: are reared for their milk, by autumn should have reached 50-55% of their adult BW

Question 20

Feeding kids: timeline and feeding

Answer 20

• birth-4/5 days: COLOSTRUM
• 4/5 days- 10 days: MILK REPLACER
• 10 days - weaning: MILK REPLACR + HAY + CONC
• Weaning
• After weaning

Question 21

Weaning

Answer 21

at 60-90 days

12 kg

Daily BWG 100-150g

Question 22

After weaning

Answer 22

Starter kid conc: up to 2 wks after weaning

Grower kid conc: up to 4 mnths

Question 23

DM intake at the different ages

Answer 23

• 10 wks: 0.7kg
• 3 mnths: 0.9-1kg
• 5-7 mnths: 1.3-1.5kg

Question 24

Ration (5)

Answer 24

• Meadow hay: 0.2-0.4kg
• Conc: 0.2-0.4kg
• Green forages
• Pasture
• Silage

Question 25

Breeding bocks

Answer 25

NB to cover NEm

1 mnth before and after mating- +50% NEm with 0.8-1kg of oat

Question 26

Feeding systems (4)

Answer 26

1. Grazing
2. Based on hay
3. Based on silage
4. Based on meadow grass

Question 27

Feeding sytems: based on hay

Answer 27

• 1.3kg of meadow hay
• 5.5kg of sugar beet
• 0.3kg of soybean
• 0.2kg of oat

Question 28

Feeding systems: based on silage

Answer 28

• 5kg of silage
• 0.5kg of alfalfa
• 0.6kg of sugar beet
• 0.3kg of soybean

*sass

Question 29

Feeding systems: based on fresh meadow grass

Answer 29

• 13kg of green grass
• 0.45kg maize corn
• 0.15kg of field pea