# Grain for kids?



## Iwantgoats (May 19, 2011)

Wondering when weaning kids, how long do you grain the babies?  I don't grain the other adults.  They just get hay and browse, especially the wethers.  When my does are pregnant and nursing they get grain of course.  Just wondering about the kids.  They are eating hay and have been giving them grain.  Just don't know if I should keep them on grain for first 6 months, shorter or longer?  Any suggestions?  Thanks.


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## freemotion (May 19, 2011)

I think most people grain based on the condition of the individual, rather than on a date.   If they are growing well and are in good condition without grain, there is no need to add it.


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## 20kidsonhill (May 20, 2011)

I stop graining after their first winter when they are over 1 year old, or after they are one month bred.  Sometimes in the summer if their is a lot of nice pasture I will get lazy and stop graining older kids/young yearlings older than 6 months for a while, but for the most part i keep them on grain until they are bred for the first time.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (May 20, 2011)

It probably depends on what your herd goals are.  I want our retained does to be large/mature enough to breed as early as possible.  Bucks would be getting less as long as they're growing and maintaining condition.


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## aggieterpkatie (May 20, 2011)

I haven't been graining my kids since they're growing well and getting really nice alfalfa.


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## elevan (May 20, 2011)

We grain until they are a year old.  Although in nice weather with good pasture we only grain a couple of times a week.


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## AlaskanShepherdess (May 20, 2011)

I'm not graining mine at all, they are growing very nicely without out it and are really healthy, and have a perfect amount of fat. If I grained them I would be afraid of their becoming overconditioned at an early stage, which I have read that when they become overconditioned as kids then they cannot lose that fat.


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## elevan (May 20, 2011)

CrownofThornsNDGoats said:
			
		

> I'm not graining mine at all, they are growing very nicely without out it and are really healthy, and have a perfect amount of fat. If I grained them I would be afraid of their becoming overconditioned at an early stage, which I have read that when they become overconditioned as kids then they cannot lose that fat.


I'm curious...you're being in Alaska...are you just feeding hay then? 
I'm guessing your pasture isn't ideal most of the year.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (May 20, 2011)

CrownofThornsNDGoats said:
			
		

> I'm not graining mine at all, they are growing very nicely without out it and are really healthy, and have a perfect amount of fat. If I grained them I would be afraid of their becoming overconditioned at an early stage, which I have read that when they become overconditioned as kids then they cannot lose that fat.


Are you saying that if they're overconditioned at an early age that it makes them easy keepers as adults?  I've never heard of an overconditioned Jr. doe who didn't strip her baby fat as a first freshener.


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## Roll farms (May 20, 2011)

My goats get grain year round, they just get a lot, lot less in summer / when dry then they do in winter / when being milked.

Kids get Noble goat until they either move into the doe pen or buck pen....bucks stay on Noble Goat (unless they get too porky) and does get a mix of NG, corn, BOSS, and alf. pellets.


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## AlaskanShepherdess (May 20, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> CrownofThornsNDGoats said:
> 
> 
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> ...


I feed them hay all winter long, and then in the summer I take them for walks so they git a bit of roughage, but right now they are in this weird stage where they will chomp down like crazy for 5 minutes and then race back to the pen as fast as they can. I can't figure it out cause nothings scaring them. You would think I would have to drag them all back in. 

N.Smithurmond- I believe it was in Pat Coleby's book that I read this. If I am remembering correctly she said that while they are really young the fat they put on internally, before it shows up externally, cannot be lost. So it's really important to make sure they never build up that internal layer of fat. I believe that the ages she recommended for breeding, length of lactations and everything that she recommends, I believe revolved around avoiding that internal layer of fat build up, as adults can get it too, much I guess it's much easier for kids? I could be remembering wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. But I see no need to feed my kids grain when they are doing fantastic without it.


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## Goatmasta (May 21, 2011)

Kids need feed!  Goat feed is not only nutritionally balanced for goats but it also has vitamins and minerals that are essential to proper development.  There are a host of issues that arise from not feeding babies.  
    Once a goat has become deficient it takes forever to catch up.  You may not even notice the deficiency for a long time, but when you start having kids that are small and slow to get up and nurse after being born, and then kids that just won't thrive, you are deficient.  After figuring this out it will take anywhere from a year to two years to get the levels back up...
  I have bought several does that the original owners did not even recognize the does after a year of copper boluses, selenium, and more loose minerals than one can imagine.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (May 21, 2011)

CrownofThornsNDGoats said:
			
		

> N.Smithurmond- I believe it was in Pat Coleby's book that I read this. If I am remembering correctly she said that while they are really young the fat they put on internally, before it shows up externally, cannot be lost. So it's really important to make sure they never build up that internal layer of fat. I believe that the ages she recommended for breeding, length of lactations and everything that she recommends, I believe revolved around avoiding that internal layer of fat build up, as adults can get it too, much I guess it's much easier for kids? I could be remembering wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. But I see no need to feed my kids grain when they are doing fantastic without it.


I'm not understanding this... Goats deposit fat internally under normal circumstances.  A healthy BCS calls for moderate amounts of subcutaneous fat, which implies moderate amounts of internal fat deposits.  If your kids are in a healthy body condition, regardless of what they're eating, then they have internal fat deposits.  For them to never build up internal fat deposits means never building up ANY fat deposits because the two are in direct relation.

I understand the suggestion that we don't want our kids to be grossly overconditioned because the amount of SQ fat reflects fat deposited around the organs, but I'm not getting how this is specific to grain vs. other calorie dense foods.  For example, if I continued to bottle feed for 6 months I'd be willing to bet the kid would be a major plumper even without getting grained.  In fact, I had a dam raised singleton once that nursed until 4 months who was such a piglet she had milk goiter!  Would this kid have a higher proportion of SQ fat to internal fat than a weaned/grained kid of similar condition?

I'm not suggesting you change your methods, just trying to understand Pat Coleby's argument.


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