# The cost of feeding Nigerian Dwarfs for a year



## Bicycle (Jul 14, 2011)

If I get Alfalfa for $4 per normal sized bale, dairy goat feed  $15 per 50 pound bag, sprouts from grain that costs $5 per 10 pound bag, and minerals (dunno how much they cost), how much do you guesstimate  it would cost to feed 4 in milk Nigerian Dwarf goats for a year? For the sake of the equation, lets assume they're not really getting anything out of their pasture.


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## Goatmasta (Jul 14, 2011)

The cost per head for Nigerian dwarfs is between $175-$200/yr That is hay, feed and vaccinations.


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm horrible at math so I'll tell you how much mine eat, and you can figure it out yourself.  When I had only 5 Nigies the ate a bale of hay a week during the winter, (it get's REALLY cold here) and during the summer on no pasture they ate a bale somewhere between every week and a half to two and half weeks.

I only grain my does in milk, or individuals that are having trouble keeping them on weight. Doe's in milk receive 1lb of grain in the morning and either 1 more lb in the evening or 1lb alfalfa pellets. Sometimes both. I use kelp and herbal formulas for minerals. I don't know exactly how long it would last if I gave them all they wanted back when I had 5, but I guessed at the current crazy rate they were eating it (catching up from the time I wasn't giving it to them) 1 50lb bag (which costs me about $75) would have lasted about 3 months. At the rate recommended on the bag, that is based on free choice I figured it would last me a year.

I recently bought a bag of standard minerals because I was all out of kelp and couldn't get more fast enough, it was 25lb for $25, and I think if I was currently set up to give it to them free choice (which I'm not) I think my now 12 Nigies would go through it in a month. But like I said before, they are mineral deficient right now so I think they would normally go through it slower.


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## Goatmasta (Jul 15, 2011)

I just refigured my monthly cost....  I am spending around $650 - $750 /month  for around 60 goats.  On the high side that comes out to $150/head/yr...  FYI that is for hay, feed, and minerals.   SO @ $175/yr you could include some meds etc..


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## Goatmasta (Jul 15, 2011)

For the other thread that I referred to this thread.  @ $200/head/yr  you are spending 55 cents/day /head.  That is not much, and includes hay, feed, minerals, and a few basic meds.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 15, 2011)

AlaskanShepherdess said:
			
		

> When I had only 5 Nigies the ate a bale of hay a week during the winter, (it get's REALLY cold here) and during the summer on no pasture they ate a bale somewhere between every week and a half to two and half weeks.


A bale of hay lasted a herd of 5 goats 2 1/2 weeks without any pasture or browse?  A standard 50-60 lb square bale?


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 16, 2011)

Yes, and they were FAT then too! They got a bit of grain as well then, I gave all five around.... maybe 3lb a day?

ETA: I believe on the weeks that it actually lasted THAT long we would chop them down a few branches or bring them a bucket or two of weeds. Not a lot of extra food, but enough to slow down how much they ate. Weeks where they got NOTHING extra except the grain it was I think 1 or 2 days short of being 2 weeks.

I didn't feed them as much as they would eat, because they were so fat, I fed them how much they were content with.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 16, 2011)

Are you allowing for waste or waiting to feed them again until all the stems and chaff are gone?


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 16, 2011)

I judged how much to feed them by how fast they ate, if I went out there 20 minutes after they ate and everything was eaten up then I gave them more. If they didn't finish it all up (as in everything, all the good stuff it usually eaten up in the first 20 minutes) until between noon to 3 then I waited to give them more till evening.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 16, 2011)

What type of hay is it?


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 17, 2011)

Brome


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 17, 2011)

If I just dumped in a bale and let them have at it, which I have done, they eat right around double that.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 17, 2011)

If they are capable of eating double that, why not double their hay ration?  Here we don't ration hay at all- it's available free choice.  I've never had an issue with anyone being overconditioned on just grass hay.  Just big healthy hay bellies.   Brome is not known for being high in protein like the legume hays, so I wouldn't think free choice would be a problem.


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 17, 2011)

Because if I don't they get fat, not just big bellies but actual fat! Took me a long time to figure out why they were so fat and wouldn't lose any weight!

All summer long this year they are getting all the browse they want plus hay and the ones that don't need to gain weight aren't so I'm pleased.

I think a friend told me that it's possible that for some reason that particular hay (from that haymaker) may be high in sugar.


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