The stock show industry as a whole is guilty but I think the show goat industry might be the worst. Most often, I feel that the production side gets over-looked. Traits like kid size, fertility, consistency and most important, maternal traits. Especially milk production.
Most of what we have kidded in March and April are first timers. Most were purchased from BIG name firms (and none were bargains). Most are trying to be good mothers, a couple aren’t milking very good and one is an absolute wretched beast that is literally trying to starve her twins to death. And for whatever reason, they refuse to take a bottle. The kids look like crap, are unhealthy and yet still, will only take milk when we put it down them. She will not get another chance around here.
I usually don’t give the does full feed until the kids start eating with them (normally about 3 or 4 weeks old). We first use a 14% pellet and a high TDN hay with some alfalfa. But when the kids start eating, I rev up the protein and energy. Lots of alfalfa and we start feeding Special K to mommas and babies.
With these poor milkers, I’m feeding more alfalfa and more feed. It helps on some but one can only overcome genetics to a certain point.
Now granted, some of these does will milk well with their 2nd crop. Most of these will get another chance.
Too many focus on the high $ traits and those traits (bone, base width, skull width) usually translate into fewer maternal traits. Here in paradise, we aren’t close to a vet that works on goats and we aren’t close to a sale barn. Therefore, I need to not have to worry about C sections and I need all of the kids to be marketable. I don’t want to have 10 kids with 5 being shitters, 3 being okay kind of goats and 2 being wicked good. I need consistency.
Just some random thoughts as I come back in from dealing with female goats and their offspring. I like dealing with the bucks. Keep the feeder and waterer full while they look at me with a “Dude, how much longer till I get some action?” kind of look.
