Getting goats in May and have some feeding questions.

[clr1988]

Hi everyone I have been reading on here for a couple weeks now trying to figure out the RIGHT way to care for my 2 nigerian dwarf goat bucklings that I would be getting in May. I am most confused about what to feed them. There are about 100 different opinions on what to feed them I'm very confused. How do I decide what is right? lol I know that I shouldn't be feeding them grain but they will be kids so I'm guessing I should feed them some type of grain while they're growing? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you

 

[AdoptAPitBull]

I give goat kids some Blue Seal Meat Goat feed for their first few months, then switch to Dairy Goat feed after that. Always have free choice hay, minerals, and water. Since they are bucklings, they will need less grain as they grow as a doe who's going to be pregnant and nursing. Some even choose to not grain bucks at all, or just a tiny bit (like me). Are you going to wether them? If so, they'll need even less.

If you choose Blue Seal as your feed, there is a feeding chart on their brochure. I follow that somewhat, or at least I did more so when I was just starting out. I like that feed a lot.

You'll get 100 answers to this question, and chances are none of them will be "wrong". You'll just have to see what they need and how they're doing and go from there.

 

[Goatherd]

I know that I shouldn't be feeding them grain

Congratulations on your upcoming goats! As you already heard, there is no right, wrong or absolute ways when it comes to feeding your goats. As you become an informed goat caretaker, you will need to read, learn and apply what feeding techniques you feel would work best for your animals living in your personal situation. For some, something as simple as where you live and what items are available to you, such as hay or minerals, will determine what you do. Not all foods and supplements are available everywhere.

Yes, you will hear many conflicting and controversial ways to do what people think is right. Take it all in and separate the chaff from the wheat, so to speak. Many of the ways people feed is determined by whether the goat is a meat goat, milking goat or kept as a pet.

As far as I'm concerned, the issue of grain is the "hottest" issue you will encounter. Personally, I grain my goats twice a day, 365 days a year. Does that make it right? Absolutely not. Does is make it wrong? Absolutely not. It is what works for me and is my choice. They also get a smorgasbord of other foods and supplements that round out their diet.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your learning experience. You're going to do just fine!

 

[20kidsonhill]

The most important thing is, if you decide to feed grain, make sure it has the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio in it and has ammonia Chloride in the ingredients. I would also purchase some extra ammonia chloride and add that every know and again. It is very cheap.

If I was using a wether as a long-term pet, I would make sure he wasn't castrated too early, for sure no sooner than 4 months.

always have fresh water out for him, and salt to encourage drinking water,

only provide goat grain formulated for growing meat goats. don't let him get into other feeds, like chicken feed or plain corn. (they love corn)

I wouldn't feed more than 2% in their body weight in grain a day. so a 50lb wether wouldn't get more than 1lb of grain a day(about 3 cups).

And they should always have long stemy forage or hay provided year round all the time.

 

[purplequeenvt]

If I was using a wether as a long-term pet, I would make sure he wasn't castrated too early, for sure no sooner than 4 months.

Sorry if I'm high-jacking, but why wouldn't you want to castrate early?

 

[Mamaboid]

I go the other direction, we only feed grain to pregnant does in the last month or so of their pregnancy, and after they deliver while they are nursing, and if we milk they get grain on the stand. The kids are getting some grain, but after about 4 months, that will gradually stop. We feed strictly hay and what they get grazing, and a handful of grain or scratch feed as a treat once in a while or some raisins or carrots. While grazing, they have access to bushes like honeysuckle and blueberry bushes, and lots of nice green grass on the pond bank and 'golf course'. Our goats are mostly fainters, easy keepers and good at parasite resistance, and this is just what works for us. If it didn't work, we would change, and are always open to new ideas we find on here. If what you are doing keeps your goats happy and healthy and works for you....it is the absolute right way to go.

 

[Mamaboid]

If I was using a wether as a long-term pet, I would make sure he wasn't castrated too early, for sure no sooner than 4 months.

Sorry if I'm high-jacking, but why wouldn't you want to castrate early?

Because if you do it too early, it can cause problems with the urinary tract and cause them to get stones and that can be very hard to cure and can kill your goats. They get blocked up and cannot pee, and it is very painful for your goats. The older they are when you castrate the more time it gives the ut to grow and develop so it works better with less problems.

 

[20kidsonhill]

When I am referring to graining, I am referring to the kids and growing animals, or animals needing to put on condition. Once the stop growing or are over conditioned, I would only feed hay and browse to my pet whethers.

A good age to stop feeding grain is around 8 to 9 months, or at least drastically cut back.

We feed grain at the rate of 4% per body weight to our kids or all they will eat a day, which is normally right at 4%. So they get 2 lbs of grain per every 50lbs of body weight, but we are feeding out meat kids and growth rate is what we are shooting for. Not saying everyone that is growing meat goats is feeding them a lot of grain. Their are people that have a lot of adequate pasture/forage and feed less grain or no grain, that is just our approach. But we are using a grain that is considered an all-in-one feed and is designed to be the only feed they get, high in fiber, and formulated to feed out wethers.

WE have had one kid in 15 years get UC at around 4 months of age. At that time we were castrating at 2 weeks of age, We have sense then started castrating our meat whethers at 6 to 8 weeks of age. And I know keep extra ammonia Chloride on hand and add extra every know and then to their feed.

 

[clr1988]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. They will be castrated and they are being castrated by the breeder at 4 weeks old. They will be strictly pets , notfor meat or anything like that. I'm so worried about UC! Its keeping me up at night and I don't even have them yet lol I know that it is common but is it something that happens to most male goats or is there a good chance it will never happen? How common is it really?

 

[Goatherd]

In a goat that is castrated at 4 weeks, more common than not. Since they are going to be wether pets, you might want to reconsider the early castration.

The point of waiting longer is that the urethra needs to develop and grow. When they are castrated so young, the chance of having problems with urinary calcification is greatly increased.