# Grain and goat food...are they the same thing?



## willowgem (Jun 21, 2012)

Okay, so I've read not to feed grain to wethers...they can basically exist on browse, hay, minerals and water.
So I was assuming that goat food is what's being called grain...is this incorrect?  Or is grain something else alltogether?
The breeder did tell me that if I could feed them Noble goat food, as that's what she feeds hers...but that it wasn't necessary.
Also, are alfalfa pellets just that...alfalfa hay in pellet form, or something more?

Sorry if these are dumb questions, but with all my research this one still isn't clear to me.


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## Catahoula (Jun 21, 2012)

willowgem said:
			
		

> Okay, so I've read not to feed grain to wethers...they can basically exist on browse, hay, minerals and water......YES.....
> So I was assuming that goat food is what's being called grain...is this incorrect?.... YES.....    Or is grain something else alltogether?
> The breeder did tell me that if I could feed them Noble goat food, as that's what she feeds hers...but that it wasn't necessary......YES....
> Also, are alfalfa pellets just that...alfalfa hay in pellet form, or something more?  ....YES....
> ...


Those are all the 'dumb' questions I had!  No they are not dumb questions at all. It was very confusing to me at the beginning too.
You basically have all the answers already. Sometime people refer the grains as pellets which is not alfalfa pellets. Goats' basic needs are greens, minerals and water. Depending on the animals (pregnant, milking or breeding does, growing kids, kids for meat, breeding bucks...), seasons (winter time when there is no pasture, or too much snow), and what is available (no or small pastures), people supplement them with hay, grains and whatever....such as alfalfa pellets....  

I have learn so much here. This is a good place to get clarification too. There are so many different ways you can do to raise you goats. I am still trying to decide when to stop the grains or how much alfalfa pellets to feed.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jun 21, 2012)

We choose to use alafalfa hay in the winter with our lactating does, It is cheaper than alfalfa pellets.  Alfalfa pellets is really just a more convenient way or possibley depending on where you live a cheaper or easier way to feed alfalfa and add calcium and protein to your animals diet.  Alfalfa pellets do lake the long stemy qualities that are so good for your goat, of course that can be substituted by adding grass hay or other types of hay, like peanut hay to their diet. Really, at times comes down to where you live and what is most available in your area along with personal preferrances. 

Technically grain and goat feed/pellets is the same thing. Where grain gets a bad wrap when being fed to wethers, is that too many people aren't feeding a properly balanced grain ration with their diet. Grain can also be a scoop of corn and oats and/or barley, ect.... This would not have proper calcium to phosphorus ratios and unless you understand how to calculate this and add other things in their diet it would have way too much phosphorus and result in UC(urinary calculi).  

A good goat developer or goat grower with a proper calcium to phosphorus ratio and has Ammnia chloride(AC) in their diet can be used with less risk and helps to add protein to their diet. It is not always needed. Depends on the stage of growth of your wether, breed of your wether and what you are using him for.  Another words my son's show wethers for the fair wouldn't be too competitive on pasture only, but a pet wether would not need to be pushed so hard.  Perhaps you just don't feel your browse or hay is good enough quality and adding a cup or two of goat grain a day to your wethers diet would help provide a more aequate diet. By comparison our wethers at getting at 50lbs around 6 cups of 16% goat grower a day, and when they are near 100lbs they would be eating near 12 cups a day.  

One of the reason male show goats are often at risk of getting UC, is because they are limited on hay and pasture, or not given any at all. This affects their system and can increase their chances of getting UC. 

Main things for preventing UC:
A wether should always, always, always, have available fresh clean water. 
A good part of their diet should be forage/browse/hay
When feeding grains, make sure it is a properly formulated grain for growing males and has AC in it.
DO not castrate too early,  they should be 3 months or older.


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