# ants in feed..... o no



## Bedste (Jul 19, 2011)

I have a huge container filled with Goat Feed ..... and now ANTS!  Do I have to toss all the feed or is there a safe way to remove the ants.... my poor goat....  I hope she hasn't already eaten an ant or two.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jul 20, 2011)

I doubt the ants will hurt her any. Do you have pelleted feed or sweet mollasses feed? 

There is an expiration on the feed, if it is mollasses feed and you are storing it out in a barn in the summer heat, it probably only has about 2 weeks on it, before it starts to go bad.  It is about 1 month for pelleted feed in the heat. 

I don't know what to tell you about the ants.  I guess it would depend on how many, and if you can just scoop the top away on your feed, and throw that part out.


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## ohiofarmgirl (Jul 20, 2011)

give it to the chickens???? they'd love it ants and all


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## freemotion (Jul 20, 2011)

Then get something with a tight lid for the next bag of grain.....I use a galvanized trash can to keep chewing vermin out, too.  A plastic pail will work, like a standard five gallon bucket with a lid, but I find it to be a pain in the tush to struggle with that type of lid twice a day.  A gamma lid would be useful.  And a determined rat can chew through a thick plastic trash barrel overnight.


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jul 20, 2011)

Are they black ants or fire ants? If they are fire ants (the red, stinging type) I would not feed it to her. Our GP had some fire ants get into his food last year and we had to rush him to the vet because they had bitten him in his throat and esophagus. The vet said stomach acid doesn't kill them either unless they are chewed up before they are swollowed.


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## Bedste (Jul 20, 2011)

OMG

Thanks everyone!

They are small fire ants......   wow..... i do not want to hurt my Honey Goat.....

so far I sprayed ant poison all around outside  bottom part of the plastic trash can.....


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## 20kidsonhill (Jul 20, 2011)

greenfamilyfarms said:
			
		

> Are they black ants or fire ants? If they are fire ants (the red, stinging type) I would not feed it to her. Our GP had some fire ants get into his food last year and we had to rush him to the vet because they had bitten him in his throat and esophagus. The vet said stomach acid doesn't kill them either unless they are chewed up before they are swollowed.


Okay, that is officially gross.


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## Goatherd (Jul 21, 2011)

I wonder if mixing diatomaceous earth, DE, to the existing food that you have would kill the ants?  It's safe for your goats, but kills insects.  I've seen this done at some feed stores that sell grain from open bins.


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## Mossy Stone Farm (Jul 22, 2011)

I use DE in all my feed bins  dogs, cats, rabbits ,chickens ducks turkerys ect... i have no creepy crawlers in any of it!

and i sprinkle it around the ground ( but around here it gets wet it is useless so i have to re spread when i have dry weather)


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## wendzgoats (Aug 5, 2011)

I had a problem with ants in my feed and just sprinkled DE into the feed (make sure you use ONLY food safe DE).  No more ants!  I also keep Sevin dust sprinkled around the bottom of the feed bin and that seems to help also.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Aug 6, 2011)

Just be mindful next time you pick up grain that the infestation issue isn't originating at your feed dealer.  Recently the feed dealer we've used for the last couple years (and one of the only distributors of our goat ration in the area) sold us infested feed which was promptly returned and exchanged for MORE infested feed!  Needless to say all was returned, refunded, and we will no longer do business with them.  Years ago I worked for a retail pet food company and infestations can happen and need to be dealt with appropriately- sometimes that means pulling a whole lot of stock; NOT selling it to customers.  My DH picks up our goat pellet since the feed store is near where he works and he's not one to speak up about stuff like that so I called them after the refund.  The owner's daughter responded with "oh.... well yes we know we have a problem with it and it's something we're working on."  The owner never returned my call.  DH noticed while he was there that the windows were crawling with the same bugs infesting the feed.  No thanks!


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## Ms. Research (Aug 6, 2011)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> Just be mindful next time you pick up grain that the infestation issue isn't originating at your feed dealer.  Recently the feed dealer we've used for the last couple years (and one of the only distributors of our goat ration in the area) sold us infested feed which was promptly returned and exchanged for MORE infested feed!  Needless to say all was returned, refunded, and we will no longer do business with them.  Years ago I worked for a retail pet food company and infestations can happen and need to be dealt with appropriately- sometimes that means pulling a whole lot of stock; NOT selling it to customers.  My DH picks up our goat pellet since the feed store is near where he works and he's not one to speak up about stuff like that so I called them after the refund.  The owner's daughter responded with "oh.... well yes we know we have a problem with it and it's something we're working on."  The owner never returned my call.  DH noticed while he was there that the windows were crawling with the same bugs infesting the feed.  No thanks!


Excellent advise.  Your DH sounds like me, but you sound like my Better Half.  

Question:  Bailed hay.   If you find something in it, (read about dead mice and other things found in it) does that make the whole bale bad?  I'm just buying store-bought bags (Oxbow) but am considering getting bales in the future (as my herd grows).   What would you look for when considering quality bales?  

Thanks in advance for your input!


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## katej (Sep 7, 2011)

I also use food grade diatomaceous earth  in my feed bins. Works like a charm! 

It kills the pests by lacerating their exoskeletons and dehydrating them.


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