How to Feed LaMancha Goats

LaMancha goats are medium-sized dairy goats. A LaMancha goat is usually calm, quiet and well-mannered. These dairy goats are known for their straight faces and small, nearly non-existent ears. They produce large volumes of milk with relatively high butterfat content. Proper nutrition of these goats is vital to maintaining quality milk production. The wrong combination of feed, too little food or even too much food can affect the goat's health as well as its dairy output.

Things You'll Need

  • Grain
  • Hay
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide plenty of fresh water at all times. Keeping LaMancha goats well hydrated is necessary to promoting their overall health and maintaining a high level of milk production.

    • 2

      Put goats out to pasture as often as possible. The ideal pasture for goats contains shrubs and small trees in addition to grass, as roughage like this is necessary to a LaMancha goat's diet.

    • 3

      Feed grain in the morning. Feed your LaMancha goats grain designed specifically for dairy goats. If your local feed store does not carry goat feed, use 12-16 percent coarse grain for horses or cattle. The amount of grain you feed should change based on what goat you are feeding. For example, LaMancha goats that are neither pregnant nor nursing should receive only about a cup of grain per day. Give pregnant goats a pound of grain once a day, and feed milking goats 2 to 3 pounds of grain daily.

    • 4

      Provide hay once or twice a day. Either weedy, grass-based hay or alfalfa hay works for LaMancha goats. During the summer, feed your goats one flake of hay per day. In the winter months, feed a flake of hay in the morning and another in the evening. Goats tend to waste hay, so don't assume that leftover hay in the stall means you're feeding too much.