feeding the pregnant and lactating doe

Feeding the pregnant and lactating doeSUSAN SCHOENIAN (SHĀY NĒ ŬN)SHEEP & GOAT SPECIALISTUNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSIONWESTERN MARYLAND RESEARCH & EDUCATION [email protected] WWW.SHEEPANDGOAT.COM WWW.WORMX. INFO

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dry matter intake (DMI) and energy (TDN) requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe raising twins (lbs./day)

Maintenance Breeding Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

2.51

2.75

3.15

3.34

3.85

1.321.45

1.67

2.222.05

DMI TDN

53%53%

53%

63%53%

The number of offspring also affects the nutrient requirements of the pregnant and lactating doe.

LATE GESTATION EARLY LACTATION

Single Twins Triplets or more1.60

1.80

2.00

2.20

2.40

1.96

2.22

2.35

Single Twins Triplets or more1.60

1.80

2.00

2.20

2.40

1.80

2.05

2.13

Energy (TDN) requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe, lbs./day

Dairy does have higher nutritional requirements than non-dairy does.

Maintenance Breeding Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation Parlor milking0.50

0.70

0.90

1.10

1.30

1.50

1.70

1.90

2.10

0.720.79

0.87

1.12

1.38

2.05

0.600.66

0.76

1.010.93

Dairy Non-dairy

Energy (TDN) requirements of a 132-lb. doe, lbs./day

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.

Crude protein (CP) requirements of a 132-lb, non-dairy doe raising twins (lbs./day)

Maintenance Breeding Early gestation Late gestation Lactation0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

0.45

0.50

0.180.20

0.31

0.45 0.46

7.2%7.3%

9.8%

13.5% 11.9%

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.

Calcium Phosphorus1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

2.11.7

2.21.8

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)

Life cycle feeding of does

Late lactation

Weaning

Maintenance

Breeding

Early gestation

Late gestation

Early lactation

All feeding is based on weight.

ANIMALS FEED

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

You need to know how much you are feeding and how much your animals are eating.

$5.00 per bale50 lb. bales$200/ton

$3.00 per bale30 lb. bales$200/ton

$30 per bale500 lb. bale$120/ton

Don’t forget about waste.

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-fedHeavy weight

Diluted

DM basisLight weight

Concentrated

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

Feeding the pregnant and lactating doePREGNANT (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.

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 ExtensionMeat Goat Ration Evaluator (spreadsheet)http://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets/UMEMeatGoatRation.xlsx

3. Langston University online Nutrient Calculatorshttp://www.luresext.edu/goats/research/nutr_calc.htm (built-in)

Forage quality testingPLANT

Representative sample of forage

Use a bale corer

If it is pasture, watch to see what the animals are grazing.

Many labshttp://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

Nutrient requirements

Doing the math1. 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

More math1. 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

Pearson squareAn easy way to balance a ration with two ingredients for one nutrient

Barley

Protein pellet 36

11

16%

5

20

25

25 = 80% Barley

25 = 20% pellet

4 parts barley1 part pellet

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.

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

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

feeding the pregnant and lactating doe

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