Corn for goats?

[balluba03]

Hey there, I'm new to raising goats and Ive been told not to feed them any kind of corn. No crack corn, whole corn or corn still on the cob. What do you guys think> and why shouldnt they have it? They do love it, but after I was told not to feed them it anymore we stopped. I havent been able to find any info on the internet about it. What about golden rod plants? another favorite!?!?!

 

[freemotion]

Goldenrod is fine for them. Mine cleared a field of it in one year! I don't feed corn except a few kernels of whole corn as a rare treat or bribe. I prefer to fees sprouted small grains. Too much grain of any type can cause trouble.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Most people on here will advise no or very limited corn of any kind.

However, my herd does splendid with corn husks, corn on(or fressh off) the cob, cracked corn, and even scratch grains. It is like any new feed... you only need to slowly introduce it to their diet. My herd(currently only 8, but had 11) has worked up to being able to eat an entire trash bag full of corn husks in a day and a half with no ill effects. Girls are up to 1 cup of cracked corn mixed into their feed ration, Boys are up to half a cup mixed with their feed ration, Kids get 1 cup mixed into their feed ration starting from day 1 of eating solid feed.
They also are up to frequently getting free choice produce trimmings from the grocery stores(lettuce, apples, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, parsley, leeks, beets, radish, mangos, papaya, blackberries, strawberries, etc... what ever is in the mix)

 

[Roll farms]

I got goats before this 'world wide internet' was popular, and the lady I got them from, who had a nice herd of fat Nubians, fed her goats corn e'ry day.

So I fed my goats corn.

Years later I got online and read that goats shouldn't have corn. Well.... 10 years of being fed corn hadn't killed any so I saw no reason to change it.
Until one of my bucks got urinary calculi. THEN I did some reading / research and switched our boys to a pelleted feed that's CA balanced for urinary health.

Dr. Frank Pinkerton, who I consider to be one of the smartest goat people out there (read Goat Rancher magazine) actually recommends feeding it when you need to up condition on pregnant or lactating does.

In summer our goats get 10-15% of their diet as whole corn, and in winter they get 25% of their diet as whole corn. That's adult does only.

My kids and bucks ONLY get goat pellets w/ no whole grain.

 

[balluba03]

thanks for your help! we havent been feeding them corn since I was told they shouldnt have it. They do love the husks and stalks from the corn though! lol and they LOVE the goldenrod! I wouldnt mind if they cleared it a little

 

[elevan]

Corn the grain and corn the plant are 2 different discussions.

Roll gave some very good info about the grain (the ear...the kernels).

Corn the plant (without the ears) is really just a grass...a tall one but a grass the same. After harvesting the ears there's not any harm in giving your goats the stalks...or the husks peeled from the ear imo.

 

[neener92]

I've fed corn the grain to my goats up until recently, thanks to the internet. Now I mix a few other ingredients, such as ground green hay, soy bean meal, molasses, and 4G crumbles.....and I just added Ammonia Chloride to my bucks feed.

 

[kstaven]

This is one of those areas where "Everything in moderation and nothing fed as an exclusive diet applies" Beyond that it is your choice in determining what works best for your animals.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I've fed corn the grain to my goats up until recently, thanks to the internet. Now I mix a few other ingredients, such as ground green hay, soy bean meal, molasses, and 4G crumbles.....and I just added Ammonia Chloride to my bucks feed.

Why you putting 4G crumbles in your feed??? And How much??

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

we feed a little corn - usually cracked and almost always in the winter. just a handful is fine for our goaties.