Fat on Hay

[dcullon]

Hello, I have been cutting back on feeding my wethered goats grain. But they are still a little fat. Can hay make them fat at all? They get the best hay I can find and have it in their racks all the time.
Debbie

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Welcome! I give mine..free choice hay...all they want. Especially in the colder months. I see your in the North East..so NO..dont cut on thier hay consumption. That is what keeps them warm in the winter. They fill there rumens and the bacteria breaking down acts like a little furnace for them. So I let them fill those rumens with hay!! And it keeps them warm!

Too much grain is whats getting them fat and not enough exercise! The boys dont really need grain at all. But they need plenty of hay!

They may look fatter to you if they are filling thier rumens up to get thru the colder days and nights...Be careful..!! Its okay if they go into winter up here a little chunky...they will burn it off keeping warm!! Believe me!

 

[patandchickens]

What kind of hay are you feeding? If it is good-quality straight alfalfa you may simply need to drop down to a less high cal hay (either entirely, or to 'dilute' what you've got now)

Make sure you are assessing condition (like, soft-tissue coverage of bony bits) rather than just rumen fullness though.

Pat

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Make sure you are assessing condition (like, soft-tissue coverage of bony bits) rather than just rumen fullness though.

Pat

Well said Pat...cuz to me all goats in good condition look like barrels with legs!! Thats just thier shape! Personally..I have not seen to many overwieght goats...thats just me though...Im sure they exsist!

And remember the wethers are gonna be bigger than the does...bigger frame etc...so just make sure!!

 

[dcullon]

3 of them are wethered pygmys and 2 are nigerian dwarfs. I give them a grassy hay.The best stuff I can find. I keep their hay racks full all the time. I know that grain is not needed for them but I have 3 ewes with them and when I feed them I sometimes give the goats grain for goats ,but only a little. I don't feed alfalfa hay because they are wethered and it throw's of the ratio. They get a little mixed in their grassy hay anyway.
I did have one goat that had urine calculi and had to have his uretha process cut . So I know about not to much or if any grain. Lucky he never had a problem sense,YEAH!
Debbie

 

[freemotion]

There is really no reason for wethers to get grain at all, unless they are in very poor condition. I have two pygmy does who get fat on air!

 

[dcullon]

Feemotion, you live in Mass.? I live in NW RI .I want to ghet a pygmy doe next spring. Having hard time finding a breeder that I know has good goats. Do you know of anyone near by me?
Debbie

 

[freemotion]

Nope, sorry, but I bred my two crosses if you want mutts! Babies are easy to transport in the car....grown up goats, not so much fun.

When I stopped at a light in heavy traffic on the way home with baby doeling Ginger last year, she popped her head up in the back seat and I thought the kids in the car next to us were gonna fall out of their car in surprise and delight! It was so much fun, I was tempted to just drive around for a bit just to watch reactions....