# sweet feed question? and block question?



## animalcrazy31 (Sep 9, 2009)

for people that feed the sweet feed to there babies do you feed it twice a day or just once? There on a southern states sweet feed and i useally leave a bowel of hay down all day for them. Right know theres two soon to be fixed bucks and one thats not fixed. They also have a large amount of grass and stuff in there pen there eating down. Also i got something called a billy block and a big red mineral block. Are these the only one's i need for them?


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## cmjust0 (Sep 9, 2009)

animalcrazy31 said:
			
		

> for people that feed the sweet feed to there babies do you feed it twice a day or just once? There on a southern states sweet feed and i useally leave a bowel of hay down all day for them. Right know theres two soon to be fixed bucks and one thats not fixed. They also have a large amount of grass and stuff in there pen there eating down. Also i got something called a billy block and a big red mineral block. Are these the only one's i need for them?


There are lots of different kinds of sweet feed.  If it's not labelled for goats, my personal opinion would be to feed it ZERO times a day -- especially to bucklings.  If the Calciumhosphorus ratio isn't at least 2:1, it can lead to urinary calculi, which is usually fatal.

What more can you tell us about the feed?

As for the mineral, they tend to do better with loose mineral -- also labelled for goats -- instead of a block.  Loose mineral is a tad bit harder to manage as it tends to get soiled (just as food would, if left sitting out for extended periods), but they tend to use it more than they will a lick block.  Consider that lick blocks probably get pee'd and pooped on, too...and you can't very well go changing a giant lick block every couple of days.

Be aware that mineral almost always contains calcium and phosphorus as well, so look at the ratio there too..  A good goat mineral that's meant for bucks, does, and wethers will be mixed at least 2:1, just like feed.  

Watch your magnesium content, too...1% or 1.5% would be OK (so long as there wasn't a ton of phosphorus, too), but much more than a few percent and I'd personally get a little nervous -- especially if the phosphorus content were greater than 6-8%.  

You'll find cattle mineral out there as high as 15% magnesium..  

Trust me when I tell you that you DO NOT want to mess with urinary calculi...and that's experience talking.


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## trestlecreek (Sep 9, 2009)

Yep, I would trash the sweet feed and move on to a goat pellet....
this post below explains more about that....
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2153


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## animalcrazy31 (Sep 9, 2009)

it's called southern states kid & goat sweet feed its made by southern states.The loose mineral's does it come in a bag? I went to tractor supply and know luck finding anything for goats except a billy block. Sothern states had said they carried the red block but nothing else.


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## cmjust0 (Sep 9, 2009)

animalcrazy31 said:
			
		

> it's called southern states kid & goat sweet feed its made by southern states.


Well, it's certainly good that it's labelled for goats..  Chances are, it's formulated to have a 2:1, Ca ratio and I wouldn't doubt that it contains Ammonium Chloride.

Make sure they're not picking at it, though..  If they pick out all the cracked corn, for instance, they're effectively throwing the Ca ratio off because corn is about 1:4 -- really bad for male goats.

That's precisely why I prefer a pelleted feed, but that's your call..  Lots of folks raise goats on textured feed.



			
				ac31 said:
			
		

> The loose mineral's does it come in a bag? I went to tractor supply and know luck finding anything for goats except a billy block. Sothern states had said they carried the red block but nothing else.


Yep, usually a 50lb bag.  I'm faily certain that Southern States has a loose mineral on label for goats, so you may want to ask if they can get it for you if they don't have it in the store.  

If you have to go with a loose cattle mineral -- which lots of folks are forced to do -- pay special attention to the Ca ratio and the magnesium content, since you're caring for boys..  Again, try to find at least a 2:1 Ca and a low % of magnesium, if any at all.

It's also helpful to check the ingredients for sulfates vs. oxides..  If you see copper sulfate and ferrous sulfate, it may -- may -- indicate that the manufacturer is at least somewhat interested in making sure the animal can actually utilize all the stuff on the tag.


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## Mini-M Ranch (Sep 14, 2009)

I bought a 16 % pellets goat feed at Southern States that my vet said is good feed.  I think it was $11 for 50 lbs.

I also bought goat minerals at Southern States in an 8 lb bag off the shelf.  I have since ordered a loose mineral called Sweetlix Meat Maker because that is what the breeder where I got my goats was using.  

From what I have read, the Sweet Feed for goats from Southern States is a decent food, but I decided to go with the pelleted food because I read so much about the goats picking out their favorite things and leaving the rest.  HOWEVER, my goats hooverize everything in the grain bowl so fast, I doubt they would notice.  lol


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