# Goat Treats and Other Stuff!!!



## Dreaming Of Goats (Mar 23, 2011)

First, I'm going to bake my goat these treats http://www.hobbyfarms.com/food-and-kitchen/cookies-hobby-farm-goat.aspx
.... Is the raisin bran the cereal stuff, or is there an actual raisin bran grain/something else?

Also, I'm buying my goat a lead, so I could walk it. I already have its collar. How thick of a lead should/ can it be? The feed store has lots of horse/llama leads, however their website says that they have goat leads, too... I believe most of their leads are for llamas. Could I use those on goats, or would they be too big? I'm talking about the ones that are almost like ropes, with the clip on hook at the end.

Thanks, Dreamin'


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## freemotion (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm sure it means raisin bran, the cereal.  Just remember that these treats are grain, and if you feed more that a very small amount, you will be in effect graining your goat with these treats so adjust accordingly.

For a leadrope for everyday leading, I far prefer a soft, thick, cotton rope.  If the animal pulls or gets scared and jerks, it is easy to keep a grip on and you won't get a burn on your hands if it slips.  It is also easy to hold onto when wet.  Look for one with a "normal" snap, not one with a bull snap, which is one of those really heavy snaps that opens sorta backwards.  Those are a pain to use and that much strength in a snap is not necessary for a goat.

You can also use an ordinary dog leash, but again, I prefer a wide cotton lead in the flat leads over nylon as they are easier on the hands.  Leather may look good but is not the best for everyday use.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Mar 23, 2011)

Yep, for the treats I plan on using them in moderation. They will mainly be for shows, training them for showing, and, of course, as a treat after kidding!!!!

Yes, I totally agree, and these are pretty soft leads, not just rope 

I'll have to see how thick they are. I'm going this Saturday or Friday afternoon....
PS I go to Lakeside Feed, which is in North Guilford for anyone who wants to know  http://www.lakesidefeed.com/


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## Goatherd (Mar 23, 2011)

I made those treats that you posted several days ago.  I never can accept a recipe at face value and usually add or change things that I think might make it better, at least to me.
I didn't use the bran cereal as I didn't have any.  I did use shredded wheat/bran cereal instead.
I used dates instead of raisins, added a banana and one egg...also added ground flax seed.  I did use the other specified ingredients.
Because of the added ingredients they did take longer to bake than what was specified.  No problem with burning, either.

They are not a "hard" treat, but more of what I would describe as  chewy and dense.  They kind of look like slider hamburgers.


Received the seal of approval from my goats!  They didn't hesitate for a second.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Mar 24, 2011)

Look good!!! I wonder what they look like without the additives? Do you think they would be harder if there weren't added ingredients? As long as the goaties liked them, I'm sure they're fine! LOL


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## Goatherd (Mar 24, 2011)

I'm sure they would be fine without changing a thing.  I think without the added moisture of an egg and banana, they would definitely be harder in texture.
Maybe if you do make them "as is," you could post a picture of what they look like?


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Mar 24, 2011)

Yep, I will!!!! I'm making them sometime this week.... need to go get the ingredients!!!!


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## dcphotos (Mar 28, 2011)

I guess our goat can have treats now, thanks for the recipe.

For walking we use a normal dog leash, but Annabell isn't much of a leash walker. Can you actually train a goat?


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## ohiofarmgirl (Mar 28, 2011)

yep! ours are used to walking on a leash to the milking stand and if we have to take them somewhere...

but Freemotion has started to walk her goat with her dogs!


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Mar 28, 2011)

I just ended up buying horse treats, but she was full of hay so she just nibbled on them a little!
The feed store didn't have the right lead, so I just used a dog leash, and she's actually pretty good at walking on it now! I'm also training her how to load up on the truck because last year it was quite hard getting her in for the fairs!!! So, I'm training her to jump by making her jump into the chicken coop which is raised up about 2 feet.


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## PJisaMom (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks for the recipe, Dreamin'!



			
				Goatherd said:
			
		

> I'm sure they would be fine without changing a thing.  I think without the added moisture of an egg and banana, they would definitely be harder in texture.
> Maybe if you do make them "as is," you could post a picture of what they look like?


I had a hard day yesterday, so I decided it was a good day to make goat cookies!  I made the recipe as specified, but here are a few things to note: 

1) recipe is fine as is, but go slow adding the molasses and applesauce mixture until you get it right... I ended up having to add some whole wheat flour to be able to get the texture right to make balls... This is what the batter ended up looking like - 







2) realize that when is says make balls to your desired specification that the balls are the actual size you will be feeding your goats (um... yes, common sense was NOT in my arsenal last night  ... I am used to balled cookies spreading out and making them easier to break off into pieces.... well, these are _actual_ balls.)   






Lesson... size your balls accordingly.  For instance, this ball:






is WAY to big for these goats: 






3) pretty sure you can bake these puppies* for hours before you get a crispy crust.  _(*Please note:  no actual puppies were used in making these goat treats.)_  Leave them in a good 30-40 minutes... they will be a tad springy with a harder outer surface. I took them out and then let them set all night.  They are now hard on the outside.  

4) I have no idea how long you can store these or what the signs might be that indicate they are bad, but I only have five goats... and this made quite a bit of treats... if you are experimenting with treats or just want something on a smaller scale... I would recommend halving the recipe and see what you get!

Bon apetite!


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## Goatherd (Mar 31, 2011)

PJ,

I know exactly what you are talking about the "balls."  I intentionally flattened mine as I knew they were not going to spread out like a cookie would.
Yes, you can bake them a lot longer than what the recipe suggests.  Use your better judgement.
I stored mine in a Rubbermaid container and they are still fine from the time I made them.
The goats are crazy nuts for these, I will say that!

Thanks for posting your pictures and results.


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