Diet of a Nigerian Dwarf Goat?

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

What is a Nigerian Dwarf Goats Diet? And when you first get them as kids, does their diet change at all compared to adults?
Thank you.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

I will start off by saying that most members here will give you a different answer for how to feed your Nigerian Dwarfs.

This is what I give my Nigerians, Pygmies, and crosses thereof does:

Free choice year round for everyone
Hay
Water
Manna Pro Goat Mineral
White Salt Block
Fresh Produce trimmings & "waste" from my local grocery store

**Browse available late spring through late fall**

Does - twice per day when mid to late pregnancy and lactating
1 Cup Purina Noble Goat
1 Cup Lucerne Farms Alfa Supreme(shredded and molasses misted alfalfa hay)
1 Cup Alafalfa Pellets
1/2 Cup BOSS(Black Oil Sunflower Seed)
1/2 Cup Manna Pro Calf Manna
1/4 Cup Scratch Grain
***Does get 1/2 scoop of Goats Prefer Probiotic Power, once per week during this time, and 1 scoop when in heat/being bred***

Does - twice per day when between weaning & breeding
1 Cup Alfalfa Pellets
1/2 Cup Purina Noble Goat
1/2 Lucerne Farms Alfa Supreme
1/4 Cup Manna Pro Calf Manna

Bucks - once per day
1 Cup Dumor Pelleted Goat Feed
1 Cup Alfalfa Pellets
1/4 Scratch Grain

Kids - Free choice for age 3 weeks & up
50/50 mix - Manna Pro Calf Manna/Purina Noble Goat
**kids get 1/2 scoop of Goats Prefer Probiotic Power once per week top dress if dam raised(mixed into bottles if not being dam raised)

 

[helmstead]

Elevan has a good thread on feeding HERE

 

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Thanks for all your input. I will be getting 2 Nigerian Dwarf wethers eventually and I am a total newbie to goats so I am trying to learn as much as possible so that when the time comes, I am prepared. So would I feed them this:

Kids - Free choice for age 3 weeks & up
50/50 mix - Manna Pro Calf Manna/Purina Noble Goat
**kids get 1/2 scoop of Goats Prefer Probiotic Power once per week top dress if dam raised(mixed into bottles if not being dam raised)

From the time I get them from the breeder until they are 1 year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ?

And then feed them this:

Free choice year round for everyone
Hay
Water
Manna Pro Goat Mineral
White Salt Block
Fresh Produce trimmings & "waste" from my local grocery store

**Browse available late spring through late fall**

From 1 year and up all the time?

Also, how would I go about introducing the new feed and additional things (the minerals, the salt block ect.)?I don't know how old they are when you get them from a breeder, but would I feed them hay... Or stick to the goat feed only until one year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ? And I read about how you should feed them baking soda?

Sorry if I am confusing you guys... Can you tell I am new at this? Haha!

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Thanks for all your input. I will be getting 2 Nigerian Dwarf wethers eventually and I am a total newbie to goats so I am trying to learn as much as possible so that when the time comes, I am prepared. So would I feed them this:

Kids - Free choice for age 3 weeks & up
50/50 mix - Manna Pro Calf Manna/Purina Noble Goat
**kids get 1/2 scoop of Goats Prefer Probiotic Power once per week top dress if dam raised(mixed into bottles if not being dam raised)

From the time I get them from the breeder until they are 1 year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ?

No problem! It really depends on the breeder, regarding at what age they will release a kid to it's new owner. Some won't allow for bottle feeding(kids are weaned at the breeder's), others will let you take the kid for bottle feeding ASAP.
And yes, if you follow our(my farm's) feeding practices. They would also have constant access to hay, water, mineral, salt block, and produce, just like the rest of the herd(your's would be only wethers, unless you catch the goatie bug ) up until the wethers reach 1 yr old.

And then feed them this:

Free choice year round for everyone
Hay
Water
Manna Pro Goat Mineral
White Salt Block
Fresh Produce trimmings & "waste"(produce waste, not just any old waste) from my local grocery store

**Browse available late spring through late fall**

From 1 year and up all the time?

Also, how would I go about introducing the new feed and additional things (the minerals, the salt block ect.)?I don't know how old they are when you get them from a breeder, but would I feed them hay... Or stick to the goat feed only until one year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ? And I read about how you should feed them baking soda?

Sorry if I am confusing you guys... Can you tell I am new at this? Haha!

Under "Free choice year round for everyone", this is for all ages & genders of goat. Ask your breeder if you can buy(or have) a couple days' worth of the grain they have been feeding, if it differs from what you will be using. This is so you can "slowly" transition them to the new feed like you would when switching a dog or cat's food to a new brand.
As far as the hay, mineral, produce scraps, and salt block go, those you can start giving them from the time you get them home with you. I will say, since you are new to goats and may not already know, that if you get a bottle baby, do not start giving them water to drink from a bottle, as they will not learn how to drink it properly. Start with a small bowl and dip your hand in with them watching, they will put their head in it to see what you have, get water on their nose, and realize it is hydration!

Some say that they give Baking Soda free choice in a mineral feeder(multi-compartment feed dish), other will top dress(put on-top of the feed) with 1 Tbsp per day, still others only give it when they notice signs of bloat or scouring(diarhea). If you are bottle feeding, and the kid begins to have loose poo, it can be added to their bottles to bring their system back to normal.
We only give it to our goats if they either appear to have the beginning signs of bloat or are scouring.

 

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Thanks for all your input. I will be getting 2 Nigerian Dwarf wethers eventually and I am a total newbie to goats so I am trying to learn as much as possible so that when the time comes, I am prepared. So would I feed them this:

Kids - Free choice for age 3 weeks & up
50/50 mix - Manna Pro Calf Manna/Purina Noble Goat
**kids get 1/2 scoop of Goats Prefer Probiotic Power once per week top dress if dam raised(mixed into bottles if not being dam raised)

From the time I get them from the breeder until they are 1 year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ?

No problem! It really depends on the breeder, regarding at what age they will release a kid to it's new owner. Some won't allow for bottle feeding(kids are weaned at the breeder's), others will let you take the kid for bottle feeding ASAP.
And yes, if you follow our(my farm's) feeding practices. They would also have constant access to hay, water, mineral, salt block, and produce, just like the rest of the herd(your's would be only wethers, unless you catch the goatie bug ) up until the wethers reach 1 yr old.

And then feed them this:

Free choice year round for everyone
Hay
Water
Manna Pro Goat Mineral
White Salt Block
Fresh Produce trimmings & "waste"(produce waste, not just any old waste) from my local grocery store

**Browse available late spring through late fall**

From 1 year and up all the time?

Also, how would I go about introducing the new feed and additional things (the minerals, the salt block ect.)?I don't know how old they are when you get them from a breeder, but would I feed them hay... Or stick to the goat feed only until one year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ? And I read about how you should feed them baking soda?

Sorry if I am confusing you guys... Can you tell I am new at this? Haha!

Under "Free choice year round for everyone", this is for all ages & genders of goat. Ask your breeder if you can buy(or have) a couple days' worth of the grain they have been feeding, if it differs from what you will be using. This is so you can "slowly" transition them to the new feed like you would when switching a dog or cat's food to a new brand.
As far as the hay, mineral, produce scraps, and salt block go, those you can start giving them from the time you get them home with you. I will say, since you are new to goats and may not already know, that if you get a bottle baby, do not start giving them water to drink from a bottle, as they will not learn how to drink it properly. Start with a small bowl and dip your hand in with them watching, they will put their head in it to see what you have, get water on their nose, and realize it is hydration!

Some say that they give Baking Soda free choice in a mineral feeder(multi-compartment feed dish), other will top dress(put on-top of the feed) with 1 Tbsp per day, still others only give it when they notice signs of bloat or scouring(diarhea). If you are bottle feeding, and the kid begins to have loose poo, it can be added to their bottles to bring their system back to normal.
We only give it to our goats if they either appear to have the beginning signs of bloat or are scouring.

Ok, I think I understand it better now . What kind of hay do you feed them? And where do you get the hay? Is it something TSC carries?
Thanks again.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Thanks for all your input. I will be getting 2 Nigerian Dwarf wethers eventually and I am a total newbie to goats so I am trying to learn as much as possible so that when the time comes, I am prepared. So would I feed them this:

Kids - Free choice for age 3 weeks & up
50/50 mix - Manna Pro Calf Manna/Purina Noble Goat
**kids get 1/2 scoop of Goats Prefer Probiotic Power once per week top dress if dam raised(mixed into bottles if not being dam raised)

From the time I get them from the breeder until they are 1 year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ?

No problem! It really depends on the breeder, regarding at what age they will release a kid to it's new owner. Some won't allow for bottle feeding(kids are weaned at the breeder's), others will let you take the kid for bottle feeding ASAP.
And yes, if you follow our(my farm's) feeding practices. They would also have constant access to hay, water, mineral, salt block, and produce, just like the rest of the herd(your's would be only wethers, unless you catch the goatie bug ) up until the wethers reach 1 yr old.

And then feed them this:


From 1 year and up all the time?

Also, how would I go about introducing the new feed and additional things (the minerals, the salt block ect.)?I don't know how old they are when you get them from a breeder, but would I feed them hay... Or stick to the goat feed only until one year (or whenever they are considered full-grown) ? And I read about how you should feed them baking soda?

Sorry if I am confusing you guys... Can you tell I am new at this? Haha!

Under "Free choice year round for everyone", this is for all ages & genders of goat. Ask your breeder if you can buy(or have) a couple days' worth of the grain they have been feeding, if it differs from what you will be using. This is so you can "slowly" transition them to the new feed like you would when switching a dog or cat's food to a new brand.
As far as the hay, mineral, produce scraps, and salt block go, those you can start giving them from the time you get them home with you. I will say, since you are new to goats and may not already know, that if you get a bottle baby, do not start giving them water to drink from a bottle, as they will not learn how to drink it properly. Start with a small bowl and dip your hand in with them watching, they will put their head in it to see what you have, get water on their nose, and realize it is hydration!

Some say that they give Baking Soda free choice in a mineral feeder(multi-compartment feed dish), other will top dress(put on-top of the feed) with 1 Tbsp per day, still others only give it when they notice signs of bloat or scouring(diarhea). If you are bottle feeding, and the kid begins to have loose poo, it can be added to their bottles to bring their system back to normal.
We only give it to our goats if they either appear to have the beginning signs of bloat or are scouring.

Ok, I think I understand it better now . What kind of hay do you feed them? And where do you get the hay? Is it something TSC carries?
Thanks again.

It varies, sometimes it is grass/clover mix, other times they get Timothy... it depends on what the Blue Seal or Farm store has in stock... the only hay TSC carries is compressed bales of Molassses misted alfalfa or bags of pelletted hay.

 

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Ok, is there any hay to avoid at all? Or is it something that you can't go wrong with?
Thanks again.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

For wethers, you want to stay away from the molasses misted/treated hay & pellets. As it will mess with their calcium to phosphurous intake ratio... which will lead to UC(Urinary Calculi).
Other than that, make sure that you don't feed silage(partially fermented) hay or soy hay as both ferment too quickly for their systems and can lead to severe bloat issues.

Basically, get what you can afford that is also of good quality.

 

[savingdogs]

Ok, is there any hay to avoid at all? Or is it something that you can't go wrong with?
Thanks again.

moldy, stemy or old hay! Goats can be very picky.

We followed the feeding guidelines given to us from the breeder, which was free choice hay, mineral, baking soda, fresh water and about a 1/2 cup a day each of goat grain (we use Purina). When they were done growing, we cut out the grain altogether until they started up with pregnancy/lactation. We also feed alfalfa pellets and compressed alfalfa, more as a treat, and add BOSS to everyone's treats, about 1/2 cup per goat (mine are all female). You have to be careful giving grain to wethers, if you get any, make sure you read up on feeding them.