# Average feed costs?



## MomMommyMamma (Mar 8, 2011)

We're in the early stages of getting-goats-prep and I'm wondering if a few of you, or a lot of you, could give me an average of what you spend (or think we should budget) on your goats per month. We are planning for 2 pygmy or dwarf does. 
It sounds like we'll be needing hay as well as grain feed right?


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## julieq (Mar 8, 2011)

Costs are going to vary, depending on where you live.  Here alfalfa hay varies between 4.00 and 10.00 per bale, depending on where we buy it.  We feed about a bale and a half a day for two horses and ten adult ND goats. We also feed three way grain mix with molasses, which was 10.59 per bag the last time we purchased (probably that will be going up in price, if it hasn't already).  We go through about a bag every week.  We also feed Supergain supplement daily to the horses and goats both.  The goats get free choice Golden Blend mineral salt also.

I'm guessing I could feed a couple of miniature goats for about 3.00 per day since our horses eat most of the hay and a good deal of the grain we use.  Hope that helps!


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 8, 2011)

Hay varies widely by area.  I go through a bale a week with my two full size girls.  So I planned for a ton of hay each.  Might not get me a full year, but close.  Here, alfalfa hay runs between $120 and $200 per ton.  Perhaps figuring 1/2 ton each might be a good place to start for the smaller breeds

Grain will depend on many things - if your does are not in milk they may not need any, depedning on breed.  Perhaps only while growing?  Regardless, I bet you won't go through alot of grain - unless of course they're in milk, then you'll be going through more for sure.  Once you get an idea from other here on how much grain to plan for, you can take a trip through your local feed supply to get an idea on what it'll run you.

Don't forget minerals - they'll need free access to a good goat mineral.  I've seen several recommendations for Sweetlix meatmaker (I'll be switching to it myself when I use up what we currently have).  Here it runs about 17 or 18 dollars for a 25# bag - I expect that will last you quite a while.

And then some basic first aid/emergency supplies.


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## freemotion (Mar 8, 2011)

It also depends on what you will have for pasture/browse and how long your season is.  I feed almost no hay when the pasture is in good shape. 

In winter, when there is absolutely no pasture available, I feed about a bale a day for 7 full-size goats, if the bales are on the largish size.  They need second cut hay, too, unless you need to put them on a diet!   I'd think your two little ones would use no more than half that amount, or less than a bale a week.

Grain....I don't grain anyone unless they need it.  Lactating does, and if someone is exceptionally skinny.  But pasture season takes care of that more safely than grain and it's free, too!  I've also been known to cut leafy branches daily for an individual who needed a bit extra (in season, and know what is safe and what is poisonous) and tied the branches up in a stall for that particular goat.  Really works great.  If you have access to leafy branches, is is even healthier than hay for your goats and you can cut down on the hay and grain you use certain times of the year.

You will need some bedding....I like shavings on the bottom and straw on the top to start a bed, and then they will waste a lot of hay and that creates more bedding on top.   I let the bedding (hay) pile up all winter, and then do a big clean-out in the spring....BIG cleanout!  Lots of compost!   And then I let it go low in summer in the communal stall as they like to sleep on the dirt when it is very hot out.   If we have some dry weather in the fall when the leaves are coming down, I put all the raked leaves into the stalls and coop for some free....but not the best....bedding.  But it's free!


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Mar 8, 2011)

I do things very differently from most, so my costs may not be what yours will be. I also live in Alaska, so that puts a much higher cost on everything.

I mix my own grain, sourced locally and that costs me .10 cents a day. 

I feed each doe in milk 1lb of alfalfa pellets each evening, so that is another .45 cents a day per doe.

I don't use standard mineral mixes, instead I use herbs and whole foods high in the minerals my goats need, so this of course is much more expensive then what a standard mineral mix would cost. The mix given to all of my goats costs me .39 cents per animal per day. Pregnant does are an additional .13 cents each, and .16 cents each a day for the last month. Kids are .23 cents a day each.

I didn't figure out exact costs of hay per day, but a rough estimate for all 5  adult Nigerian Dwarf's a day I estimate to be .70 cents a day as one 50lb square bale of brome lasts me roughly 2 weeks.

That puts me at an average cost of roughly $7.00 a day, which equals roughly $200 a month for 4 Nigerian Dwarf Does and 1 buckling. Estimates will vary of course, for instance I am at much cheaper right in herbs now because I have no does in milk, and only 1 is possibly pregnant. But it is more costly in hay for me since it is still rather cold here (still below freezing, getting below zero at night) and there is no pasture for another month yet.

When all 4 of my does are in milk, if they give milk as they have in previous years I will be getting 1 and 3/4 gallons of milk a day at top production. My current dairy costs per month are $125 a month. Since I bought well bred dual registered Nigerian Dwarf's, I will be able to sell all doelings at around $300 each, a few bucklings every now and then at around the same price and wethers for between $50 to $100. If every doe gave twins every year and half were does every year that would put my possible "income" at $1,650 which about half of my costs.

I know that in all likelyhood things will be more expensive, especially as the value of the dollar keeps inflating, and I didn't calculate hidden costs such as medicines, disease testing, Registration costs etc, but because of the benefits of fantastic milk, meat (from wethers we don't sell), plus my love for them as "pets", I consider it worth every penny.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 9, 2011)

I am paying 10.50 for a 50$ bag of pelleted goat feed.

$16 for a 25 lb bag of free-choice goat minerals

and $5 a bale for either straw, alfalfa or good quality grass mix hay.

bales of hay range from 40lbs to 50lbs

A small bottle of vaccine only runs a few dollars, a couple needles and syringes just a dollar.

fecal tests, 10 to 15 dollars.


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## TheMixedBag (Mar 9, 2011)

Alfalfa pellets cost $9 per bag, and 2 of those can last me a month, so that's $18.
Beet pulp costs $15 per bag, and again, one lasts a month.
Manna Pro mineral costs $11 per bag, and one lasts maybe 2 weeks, so that's $22.
Alfalfa bales cost about $11, and last a week if I'm lucky, so that's $44.
I bought 4 tons of hay this year for $100, and they still have most all of it, so it'll last the year.


If my math is right (not counting taxes, meds, or anything else), I spend roughly $1288, and that's low-end feeding. One of my breeding mentors spends over $800 per month for around 40-something goats. I'm only feeding 3.


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## MomMommyMamma (Mar 12, 2011)

So, if you were going to send me to the local feed store to get foodstuffs for my two new mini does (new as in new to us, not new as in just born), what would you tell me to buy to get us going? I live on 1/4 acre and the back of my property is forest/woods. We're in an area that is LOADED with brush. Temps are in the 30s & 40s at night and up to 60s during the day. 

I'm really struggling to get a good grasp on what to have on hand for these little ones and if I find the right goats I want to be able to buy them & be ready for them. 

Thank you


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## Livinwright Farm (Mar 12, 2011)

I would suggest the following:
- loose GOAT mineral
- white salt block
- Purina Noble Goat(to give their reproductive system a nice boost)
- lots of good quality hay(my herd(5) goes through 1 bale per week)
- alfalfa hay (pellets, not cubes)


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## MomMommyMamma (Mar 13, 2011)

Livinwright Farm said:
			
		

> I would suggest the following:
> - loose GOAT mineral
> - white salt block
> - Purina Noble Goat(to give their reproductive system a nice boost)
> ...


Thanks!


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## freemotion (Mar 13, 2011)

MomMommyMamma said:
			
		

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Just gonna add my two cents here....I started out with loose minerals, a salt block, and free choice baking soda for my goats.  I ended up with some serious copper deficiency that took some time to correct.  The minerals are salted so the goats will eat enough, and they often preferred to lick the salt block or nibble the baking soda.

I keep the box of baking soda nearby and on rare occasion have offered a handful to an individual or have dosed a baby.  But no longer free choice.  So keep an eye out for signs of mineral deficiency if you use more than one form of salt for your goaties.


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## MomMommyMamma (Mar 13, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

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You're saying loose minerals are salted?


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## Goatherd (Mar 13, 2011)

Check this out:

http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Goat_025.pdf

#3 will tell you about the salt in lose minerals

This entire document pertains to goats.


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## Livinwright Farm (Mar 13, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

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I think it really depends on the individual goat as to whether it will lead to copper deficiency or not. My herd prefers their loose Manna Pro Goat mineral over the salt block. The only time they really go for the salt is in the middle of summer to help them in retaining water. I have been looking for a copper supplement(knowing the north east is a naturally deficient area), but no one carries it near me, and getting a local vet to comply is worse than trying to pull teeth.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 14, 2011)

MomMommyMamma said:
			
		

> freemotion said:
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I would not put a salt block out with the minerals. Loose minerals have salt in them. the salt regulates how much minerals they will want to eat, if you are providing additional salt, they will not eat enough of the minerals.  My #1 recommendation beside fresh water, adequate forage or good quality mixed 2nd cutting grass hay is providing a loose Goat mineral free-choice.  Sweetlix brand is my favorite, but not always available in all areas. Make sure it isn't for sheep and goats, ONLY GOATS. 

If the animal is still growing a pound or two of pelleted goat grain is helpful, but if the animal is in proper condition and done growing and not lactating grain is not needed.  However when you first bring you goats home I would have some grain to offer them on a daily basis to train them to come in when called, it is better if you buy some grain from the previous owner to help them with the transition.

fecal testing, and talking to your local vet about worm loads in your area and specific wormers for those types of worms, will help your does stay in good shape. 
Also, talk to the previous ownr about what wormers they are using. 

Some baking soda on hand for bloat, incase they aren't used to your forage.


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