Average feed costs?

[freemotion]

I would suggest the following:
- loose GOAT mineral
- white salt block
- Purina Noble Goat(to give their reproductive system a nice boost)
- lots of good quality hay(my herd(5) goes through 1 bale per week)
- alfalfa hay (pellets, not cubes)

Thanks!

Just gonna add my two cents here....I started out with loose minerals, a salt block, and free choice baking soda for my goats. I ended up with some serious copper deficiency that took some time to correct. The minerals are salted so the goats will eat enough, and they often preferred to lick the salt block or nibble the baking soda.

I keep the box of baking soda nearby and on rare occasion have offered a handful to an individual or have dosed a baby. But no longer free choice. So keep an eye out for signs of mineral deficiency if you use more than one form of salt for your goaties.

 

[MomMommyMamma]

I would suggest the following:
- loose GOAT mineral
- white salt block
- Purina Noble Goat(to give their reproductive system a nice boost)
- lots of good quality hay(my herd(5) goes through 1 bale per week)
- alfalfa hay (pellets, not cubes)

Thanks!

Just gonna add my two cents here....I started out with loose minerals, a salt block, and free choice baking soda for my goats. I ended up with some serious copper deficiency that took some time to correct. The minerals are salted so the goats will eat enough, and they often preferred to lick the salt block or nibble the baking soda.

I keep the box of baking soda nearby and on rare occasion have offered a handful to an individual or have dosed a baby. But no longer free choice. So keep an eye out for signs of mineral deficiency if you use more than one form of salt for your goaties.

You're saying loose minerals are salted?

 

[Goatherd]

Check this out:

http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Goat_025.pdf

#3 will tell you about the salt in lose minerals

This entire document pertains to goats.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

I would suggest the following:
- loose GOAT mineral
- white salt block
- Purina Noble Goat(to give their reproductive system a nice boost)
- lots of good quality hay(my herd(5) goes through 1 bale per week)
- alfalfa hay (pellets, not cubes)

Thanks!

Just gonna add my two cents here....I started out with loose minerals, a salt block, and free choice baking soda for my goats. I ended up with some serious copper deficiency that took some time to correct. The minerals are salted so the goats will eat enough, and they often preferred to lick the salt block or nibble the baking soda.

I keep the box of baking soda nearby and on rare occasion have offered a handful to an individual or have dosed a baby. But no longer free choice. So keep an eye out for signs of mineral deficiency if you use more than one form of salt for your goaties.

I think it really depends on the individual goat as to whether it will lead to copper deficiency or not. My herd prefers their loose Manna Pro Goat mineral over the salt block. The only time they really go for the salt is in the middle of summer to help them in retaining water. I have been looking for a copper supplement(knowing the north east is a naturally deficient area), but no one carries it near me, and getting a local vet to comply is worse than trying to pull teeth.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Thanks!

Just gonna add my two cents here....I started out with loose minerals, a salt block, and free choice baking soda for my goats. I ended up with some serious copper deficiency that took some time to correct. The minerals are salted so the goats will eat enough, and they often preferred to lick the salt block or nibble the baking soda.

I keep the box of baking soda nearby and on rare occasion have offered a handful to an individual or have dosed a baby. But no longer free choice. So keep an eye out for signs of mineral deficiency if you use more than one form of salt for your goaties.

You're saying loose minerals are salted?

I would not put a salt block out with the minerals. Loose minerals have salt in them. the salt regulates how much minerals they will want to eat, if you are providing additional salt, they will not eat enough of the minerals. My #1 recommendation beside fresh water, adequate forage or good quality mixed 2nd cutting grass hay is providing a loose Goat mineral free-choice. Sweetlix brand is my favorite, but not always available in all areas. Make sure it isn't for sheep and goats, ONLY GOATS.

If the animal is still growing a pound or two of pelleted goat grain is helpful, but if the animal is in proper condition and done growing and not lactating grain is not needed. However when you first bring you goats home I would have some grain to offer them on a daily basis to train them to come in when called, it is better if you buy some grain from the previous owner to help them with the transition.

fecal testing, and talking to your local vet about worm loads in your area and specific wormers for those types of worms, will help your does stay in good shape.
Also, talk to the previous ownr about what wormers they are using.

Some baking soda on hand for bloat, incase they aren't used to your forage.