Four month olds and feeding

[robinconk]

Hello. I have three Miniature Silky Fainting Goats, two does and one wether, all three are four months old. We picked them up Saturday. The gentleman we got them from had them in an alfalfa pasture most of the time. Did not feed pellets or grains. At our home, we have them an indoor area and also a 30x30 area on our grass/lawn. I have them a salt/mineral lick. I did pick up a bag of Stock and Stable 14% Multi-species Sweet Feed, which I've only given them a handful total because I wasn't sure how much to feed them, or if I should. I also have bales of alfalfa hay. I'm wondering if in addition to the grass they can eat, I give them a certain amount of alfalfa hay? Or free feed them the hay? I was told today that four month olds shouldn't have much alfalfa. I don't know if that's accurate or not. Also, should I be giving them the Stock and Stable? And if so, how much? Thank you for all your help!
Robin

 

[OneFineAcre]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new goats.
First thing, lose the salt/mineral lick and get them some loose minerals.

Second, 30x30 is not a very large pasture area and will not likely produce much. What kind of grass is on it? Are they eating it? I would be concerned about that coming off of alfalfa pasture. Some grasses goats don't really care for.

Not sure where you are at and what type of grass hays may be available. Bermuda hay is common here and my goats eat it readily. You may want to look into that and see what you can find and give them that free choice, as much as they want. Alfalfa is great hay for goats, I'm not sure you can give them too much of that. Mine don't get it all of the time, just when they need it, but I don't think it is a problem to give them all the time if you can afford it. If they were on alfalfa pasture, the alfalfa hay is not going to cause them a problem.

Most on here will tell you to not use the sweet feed. I don't have a lot of energy around that because I fed mine sweet feed for about 3 years with no problems. We switched when we found a more economical local mix feed. There are probably better things you can give them. Important thing is to not give them too much feed. I wouldn't give each of them more than a cup per day. Maybe half in the morning half in the evening.

That is my opinion.

 

[goats&moregoats]

I agree with OneFineAcre on all the above. let me add that I give my 5monh old and 7 month old 1/2 cup in morning and 1/2 cup in the evening. Mine are on a dry lot, with hay available at all times, grazing pasture land 3-4 times a week for several hours each time. Then on the days they don't graze, I cut brush to put in their pen.

 

[goats&moregoats]

I agree with OneFineAcre on all the above. let me add that I give my 5monh old and 7 month old 1/2 cup in morning and 1/2 cup in the evening. Mine are on a dry lot, with hay available at all times, grazing pasture land 3-4 times a week for several hours each time. Then on the days they don't graze, I cut brush to put in their pen.

 

[robinconk]

Thank you OneFineAcre and goats&more goats!!

OneFineAcre, the grass we have for them is just our lawn. I'm not sure of the type. They munch a little bit on it but not a lot.
Hopefully next spring I will have a pasture to let them eat from, but for now that's what we have so I need to feed them more. I have been cutting tree limbs with leaves for them and they really like that.

I live in Laketown, Utah, which is on the border of Idaho and Utah, by Bear Lake. I did a search for types of hay available around here and I came up with alfalfa, oat, Timothy, brome, orchard, clover, garrison, and mixes of those. The alfalfa costs pretty much the same as the other types of hay.

I will switch to the loose minerals, and do 1/2 cup grain morning and night.

Thank you for the help! My goats are all being very vocal, which I love, just want to make sure they're not in need of anything.

 

[OneFineAcre]

If the alfalfa is the same cost, you can't really get much better. We get oat hay here seasonally, and my goats love it and do really well on it. You may want to try something else to give them some variety. But, I would give them some type of hay free choice.

 

[robinconk]

I will do that!
Thanks for the help!