Matching kidding season to forage supply and quality
Goats have the highest nutritional requirements during late pregnancy and early lactation. Therefore, a late winter or early spring kidding, when lush pasture is starting to grow rapidly, is usually the best choice. Both the does and kids will have access to the highest quality pasture found anytime during the grazing season on any farm. Thus, does will not lose too much body condition while milking heavily. In turn, kids will grow fast on milk and high quality pasture and will be strong by the time stressors such as the temperature and humidity, or heat index, and pasture worm loads increase.
Luginbuhl, J-M. 2006. Pastures for Meat Goats. In: Meat Goat Production Handbook, ed. T.A. Gipson, R.C. Merkel, K. Williams, and T. Sahlu, Langston University, ISBN 1-880667-04-5.
