# grain



## Birchhatchery (Oct 22, 2010)

i dont have goats yet but am gettin em my question is for grain my goats wont have alot of pasture to eat on so will have hay availble 247 do yall mix your own grain? or do you buy made up goat feed from tractor supply rural king and such?


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## ChksontheRun (Oct 22, 2010)

I buy from Southern States or Tractor supply.   Seems like most people on here say does can get grain, but bucks and whethers don't need grain, and do fine on only hay and browse.


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## ()relics (Oct 22, 2010)

the ration that you feed your goats will depend on several things, type of goat, age and sex of the goat, purpose of your herd ie:meat, dairy, pet.  Also it will change if you have does that are pregnant or soon to be pregnant or if they are lactating.  When you figure out these factors a basic ration question is easier.  If you, like many other producers, have different animals that fit into several different catagories listed above, It may be easier, and more cost effective, for you to custom mix your own feed ration which can be changed from animal to animal depending on need...Fat goats are Not Healthy goats and are expensive to keep....JMO


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## Birchhatchery (Oct 24, 2010)

well i will have to weathers i want to get them just started and grain/hay i dont really have much pasture so main diet will be hay expect when im  home long enuff to let them out i will be trainin these goats to pack so really i just need a feed to supplement what they dont get naturally grazingi will be working these goats but not to the point of them loosing substational weight


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## freemotion (Oct 24, 2010)

Good quality hay and a good loose mineral supplement and fresh, clean water changed twice a day and you are good to go!  You probably won't need grain at all.  Especially if you are getting pygmies or pygmy-x's.  They tend to get a bit on the chunky side on nothing but air!


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## Birchhatchery (Oct 24, 2010)

what the diffrence between pygmy and pygmy- xs never herd of the xs?


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## freemotion (Oct 24, 2010)

Oh, that is just shorthand for a pygmy-cross, or half pygmy and half some other kind of goat.


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## Birchhatchery (Oct 25, 2010)

right on


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