Under conventional husbandry conditions, kid mortality of Matabele goats is highest in the dry season when feed is scarce. The aim of this experiment was to determine maternal and kid responses to feeding levels during lactation.

The work was carried out at the Thuli Breeding Station, in Matebeleland, south western Zimbabwe. Forty-two Matebele goats that were fed differentially (H, M and L levels) pre-partum, were fed at either HL (1 ME MJ/W0.75) or LL (0.60 ME MJ/W0.75) as from the second week of lactation until week 15. All the does had single kids. The allocation to lactation treatments was balanced for pre-partum feeding levels. Maize grain, lucerne hay and veld hay were offered at 0.2, 0.24 and 0.56 of the total ME per treatment. Drinking water and an iodized mineral lick were available to all goats ad libitum. Feed intake was measured daily. The does and kids were weighed weekly; does were also body condition scored (on a scale of 1-10) at each weighing. The does were hand-milked weekly after separation of the kids for 4 hours (0900-1300). The milk was weighed and a sub-sample preserved for subsequent chemical analysis.