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Fifty individually-penned Matebele does of average liveweight 41.4 +/- 0.2 kg were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments during gestation (18-0.28, 16-0.22 and 16-0.17 MJ ME kg(-1) metabolic liveweight (W-0.75)) and after parturition they were offered either 0.43 MJ ME kg(-1) W-0.75 or ad libitum feeding of a lucerne: natural pasture hay mixture (30:70) w/w). Does on 0.17, 0.22 and 0.28 MJ ME kg(-1) W-0.75 lost 26%, 20% and 16% of their initial liveweight, respectively. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in gestation length (148 +/- 1.45 day), kid birthweights (2.1 +/- 0.06 kg) and litter size (1.2 +/- 0.03) between treatments. In the first 6 weeks of lactation, does that were previously on the lowest ME intake gained more weight than does that had been on the other two treatments. All does lost weight in weeks 7-15 of lactation. The growth rate of kids was influenced by energy level offered to the doe during lactation, being lowest (72 g/day) for the does that received low energy in both gestation and lactation. It was concluded that the Matebele does are resilient to nutritional stress during the last trimester of pregnancy and are able to carry a foetus to term. This adaptation to nutrient deficiency is important for the survival of the breed in the harsh semi-arid areas in which it has evolved. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.