How to Feed Nubian Doeling Goats

Though its name is derived from a region in North Africa, the Nubian goat was originally developed in Britain by crossing English goats with exotic bucks brought to England from Africa, India and the Middle East. The Nubian goat was imported to the United States in the early 1900s and is now the country's most popular breed of dairy goats. Feeding a doeling --- an unbred female Nubian --- is much the same as feeding a pregnant or milking doe, although providing grain is not as critical.

Things You'll Need

Pasture
Legume hay
Grain supplements
Mineral/salt supplements
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Provide a permanent pasture for grazing. Nonlactating dairy goats do well on a good pasture consisting of several varieties of grasses including bermuda, bahia and pangolagrass and a number of legumes including clovers and perennial peanuts. Good annual summer grasses for goats are sorghum-sudangrass and pearl millet. Annual winter grasses include oats, wheat, rye, barley and ryegrass.
- 2
  Feed doeling goats a constant supply of legume hay. Provide legume hay such as alfalfa, perennial peanut and alyce clover daily. Alfalfa is the most popular, but make sure it is fresh and bright green in color. You can also offer grass hay, but it varies in quality and shouldn't be the only hay source. Feed goats 4 percent to 7 percent hay for every 100 lbs. of body weight daily. Goats eat only what they need, so keeping a constant supply of legume hay available is best.
- 3
  Provide goat sweet feed --- usually a mixture of corn, oats and barley. Doelings do not require grain since they aren't pregnant or producing milk, but many goat owners offer grain supplements. For doelings, feed a quarter to a half pound a day.
- 4
  Offer trace mineral salt at all times, in either loose or block form.
- 5
  Provide cool water when temperatures are warm and warm water when it's cold outside. Dump and clean water troughs at least once a week.