Do kids need sweet feed?

[FLChick]

Should I be feeding my month old kids sweet feed? Is is necessary or can they do well on just milk, hay, and browsing?

Also, how much feed should I feed my nubian/pygmy doe in milk? I haven't milked her yet, still waiting for my milk stand to get built.

 

[elevan]

Simple answer - they don't need it. Can you give it? Yes. I personally don't like sweet feed. Milk, hay and browse is really all that you need as long as you keep them parasite "free" then they will thrive without a supplemental grain.

As to how much to feed a kinder? I only have little goats so I can't say absolutely. I know a lot of people will feed all the doe can eat while on the stand...others will add something to the pan to slow the doe down.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I wouldn't do sweet feed, I would feed a medicated feed with Ammonia chloride in it for goats. normally this would be a peletted feed called a goat grower or goat developer.

The ammonia chloride is for males so they don't develop Uriniary calculi, it can be fed to does as well. But really only needed if you are feeding any males.


2 % of body weight fed in grain a day is a good number to go by, so if the kid is 50lbs they would eat 1lb of feed a day, if the kid is 25 lbs they would eat around 1/2 lb of feed a day. Meat goat producers feed at the rate of 3 to 4% a day.



1 lb of feed is right at 3 measuring cups.

Kids normally start eating feed well at 6 to 8 weeks of age, if they have been exposed to it slowly for a couple weeks. they will just nibble on it at first, but will get the hang of it. I just sprinkle a little out and then dump it to the does the next day and add fresh, until they are eating it better.

 

[Goatmasta]

We creep feed all of our babies here with a medicated pellet w/AC in it... It makes a big difference in growth rate. Feel free to read "Feeding your baby goat 0-6 months" on my blog.

 

[Mossy Stone Farm]

I dont grain my babies, they get Alfalfa fresh water, browes, minerals we move them out to pasture/brows land, as soon as they are weaned from the bottle. They are healthy and grow well.

I only grain my milkers on the stand...

This yr is my frist yr with a breeding buck so far he is doing well on the same diet as the weanlings, but i am watching him , if he needs it he'll get grain durning rut....

 

[Goatmasta]

I will add .... We pull our babies @ 24hrs and begin bottle feeding, they have feed in front of them 24/7 from day 1 until they are about 6 months old.... Free choice.