Goat Diets

[Mama Goat]

Hi,
I'm a FFA member and I just got done showing my market boer goat(71lbs) and the judge made a point that my goat was fragile looking and needed to fill out more. I also entered one of my breeding does and he said a similar thing about her is there a diet plan that I can put my goats one so they don't look so fragile in the ring and get more weight on my market goats?

 

[Southern by choice]

Do you have any pictures?

How old is (was) the goat at 71lbs?

 

[Mama Goat]

Do you have any pictures?

How old is (was) the goat at 71lbs?

about 8 months

 

[Southern by choice]

Without pics it is hard to tell exactly. But sounds small.
What is your feeding program now?

 

[Mama Goat]

Without pics it is hard to tell exactly. But sounds small.
What is your feeding program now?

I don't have pics right now but i will have one really soon.
our feeding program is just 4-way oats and a handful of alfalfa hay

 

[Southern by choice]

Are these Boers?

 

[Mama Goat]

yes

 

[Mama Goat]

The black on was my market goat and the brown one is my breeder

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I would be sure they have fecals checked and deworm if necessary first... worms can prevent good growth.

Then for the diet.... I would at least start with a complete goat grain or pellet, Noble goat grower or Dumor are fine, but at the very least a 16 percent protein. If you are showing soon, you may want to increase the protein from there, but not too fast as the current level of protein is likely much lower. Start by increasing the amount of new food to the amount old by a small amount daily until they are up to the amount you want to finish them at. I have heard that adding beet pulp pellets in a small mount can help with giving them a full feeling without giving the haybelly look. You can add a very small amount of calf manna to increase the protein level as well, I believe we used only about 1/4 cup of calf manna (actual measuring cup from the kitchen) per goat for large 5-6 month old boer market kids (90-100# range).

My boer babies that are off mom are currently filling out on a 16 percent feed mixed with some 15 percent alfalfa pellets along with hay and they are silky and shiny, filling out more every day... but that isn't pushing them for show/maximum growth just healthy growing kids.

Best of luck!

 

[Erin Labor]

I agree with the above post. Definitely check for parasites first. Once those are under control I would find a good feed. I feed Omolene 300 to mine even though it is a horse feed with great results. Just make sure to switch slowly over a week time. I also feed free choice orchard/alfalfa mix (high percentage of alfalfa) with free choice alfalfa to my milkers. I feed free choice straight alfalfa to my babies (and bucks while in rut) with grain and they really blossom. Alfalfa will really help in making them healthy. It is full of nutrients.