Three-Stage Management Method for Raising Does to Improve Reproductive Capacity
The purpose of raising does is to have does with higher fertility, a healthy constitution, and to breed excellent offspring. Whether a doe can breed excellent offspring is not only related to the doe's breed, but also very closely related to feeding and management. Only good feeding and management can enable does to give full play to their excellent production performance. According to the nutritional needs and feeding management characteristics of does in different periods, doe feeding management can be divided into 3 periods.
Mating period: survival of the fittest
After the fawns are weaned in late August each year, the does stop lactating and enter the physical recovery stage before mating. The mating period runs from mid-September to late November. Before mating, first adjust the deer herd and cull does that are infertile, have vicious habits, are too old, or have serious diseases. Group them according to breed lineage, age, and physical health status, and they can be divided into a core herd, a general breeding herd, and a first-mating doe herd. Each mating deer herd is generally suitable at 25-30 animals.
The feeding and management level of does during the mating period has an important impact on speeding up the mating progress and increasing the conception rate of does. If does are thin and undernourished during the mating period, they will come into heat late or not at all, and the mating period will be prolonged, or the does may even be infertile. Does with a full body condition and good nutrition have fast egg growth and development, strong sexual desire, and obvious estrus, and can come into heat earlier and more concentratedly, so the mating progress is faster, and the conception rate and twin rate are also higher.
The daily ration of does during the mating period should be adapted to local conditions, mainly based on roughage with larger volume and succulent feed, supplemented by concentrate. The concentrate is mainly soybean cake, corn, sorghum, etc. The daily concentrate amount fed to does is 1-1.2 kg, roughage 2.5-3.5 kg, salt 18 g, calcium hydrogen phosphate 15-20 g. Trace elements and vitamins should be added appropriately according to the instructions of the brand used.
Gestation period: adjust the nutritional structure
The gestation period of does is generally 7 and a half months (225-234 days), mainly referring to December of that year to April of the following year. In the early and middle stages of gestation, fetal growth and development are relatively slow, but in the later stage fetal growth and development are very fast, and the maternal uterus and mammary glands also enlarge accordingly. More than 80% of the fetal body weight is gained in the last 3 months of gestation. In the late gestation period, the daily ration should be formulated according to the characteristics of the different stages of fetal growth and development. Especially in the late gestation period, the stomach capacity of does gradually becomes smaller and digestive function weakens, so the daily ration of does should choose feed with small volume, good quality, and strong palatability. Protein feed such as soybean cake in the concentrate should account for 30%-35%, and corn, sorghum, bran, etc. should account for 50%-70%. The daily amount of roughage for pregnant does is 2.5-3.0 kg of crushed corn stalks. If conditions permit, silage can be fed, but be sure to avoid excessively high acidity to prevent miscarriage.
Pregnant does are fed concentrate and roughage 2 or 3 times during the day. If fed 2 times during the day, roughage should be supplemented 1 time at night.
In the middle of gestation, all does should be checked once, the deer herd adjusted, and weak and undernourished does moved into the corresponding deer herd for feeding and management.
To enhance the physical health of does, exercise regularly for 1 hour every day, the deer shed should have good lighting, and the bedding should often be covered with 10 cm thick dry grass; the shed and exercise yard should be cleaned frequently, and regular drug disinfection should be carried out, strengthening the taming and acclimation of pregnant does; pay attention to keeping the herd stable to prevent miscarriage accidents.
Lactation period: nutrition must be increased
Does begin giving birth in early May and are weaned in late August, with a lactation period of about 90 days. Fawns gain 6 kg in weight 1 month after birth, with an average daily gain of about 0.5 kg. Lactating does need to absorb large amounts of protein, fat, minerals, various vitamins, and water from feed every day, and convert them into milk in the body.
After does give birth, the rumen volume increases and the digestive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract is enhanced. Therefore, lactating does have a higher feed intake than during gestation and also need more water, so the quantity and quality of feed supplied should be increased accordingly. For lactating does, protein feed in the concentrate should account for 65%-75% of the daily ration. Feed roughage 2-3 times a day, concentrate 3 times, and supplement roughage 1 time at night.
In autumn, special attention should be paid to keeping the doe shed clean and hygienic to avoid harmful microorganisms contaminating the doe's udder and milk and causing diseases in fawns. Keepers should clean the deer shed regularly and carry out drug spray disinfection.
Timely taming and acclimation should be carried out for does and fawns. Timid, panicky does and fawns that are prone to stampeding should not be driven forcibly. When necessary, gentle does should be used to lead them.