# Baking soda free choice?



## newbiekat (Apr 2, 2014)

I have seen many people talk about leaving baking soda out free choice... Is this like, store bought baking soda? Like the stuff you cook with? Or am I missing something? Lol.

Should I leave it out next to the minerals? How much will they eat?

What's it for??


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## elevan (Apr 2, 2014)

Yes, it is just ordinary store bought baking soda - that same stuff that you cook with...sodium bicarbonate.

It is to prevent bloat.  Should you leave it out free choice?  Well...

Personally my own opinion is to not leave it out free choice.  Why?  Because it clumps easily.  When it clumps up and becomes hard the goats won't touch it when they need it, so you're constantly replacing it.  What a waste.  I don't like waste.  My choice is to administer it when it is needed and not to hope that the goats will self administer.

I do see the school of thought about offering it free choice though.  If I were going to leave it out free choice I would do so at select times when bloat is at a higher risk.  Such as when new Spring grass is appearing (or after a drought).  When changing a goat's feed.  When causing a goat stress, such as moving it or during breeding or kidding.


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## Goat Whisperer (Apr 2, 2014)

Good post elevan!

Also, if you have to give ammonium chloride the baking soda will render it useless.


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## Baymule (Apr 2, 2014)

Dumb question....what is ammonium chloride for?


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## Goat Whisperer (Apr 2, 2014)

It is to prevent Urinary Calculi (stones) in goats.


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## elevan (Apr 2, 2014)

Ammonium chloride helps in the prevention of urinary calculi (stones) in bucks and wethers that can cause a lot of pain and quite often can cause death.


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## Hens and Roos (Apr 2, 2014)

Can baking soda be used for other animals besides goats?


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## elevan (Apr 2, 2014)

It is used for other animals for bloat as well as different purposes.  For instance it is used in Basenjis (a dog breed) to treat Fanconi Syndrome.


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## Baymule (Apr 2, 2014)

Thanks ya'll!


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## goatboy1973 (Apr 23, 2014)

Baking soda helps prevent bloat. Any ruminant (animals with compartmentalized stomachs i.e. chews "cud", goat, sheep, cattle, llamas, alpacas...) can get a potentially deadly condition called bloat. Baking soda helps neutralize stomach acids that can from time to time get out of balance and cause an upset stomach or bloat. Basically it is an antacid for ruminants. We keep it free choice year round and it is the stuff at the grocery store "Arm and Hammer Baking Soda".


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## elbesta (Apr 23, 2014)

I keep it out free choice right by the minerals.


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## newbiekat (Apr 24, 2014)

Thanks for all the responses!


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