How do you approach this?

[madcow]

My neighbor a couple of days ago showed me that she has let some friends put 2 beautiful Nubian does in a small penned in area (8 x 12) with a shelter on her property. These 2 does are the friends' children's youth fair projects. I am distressed about it because they have the mistaken idea that the goats should have only goat feed twice a day and nothing else and of course there is nothing for the goats to forage on in such a small area. My neighbor loves our goats and she's worried about these 2 cuties too not getting what they need. The owners come twice daily to give the goats feed and check on their water. My neighbor (who doesn't own goats and never has) has told these people that the goats need hay too and they told her that it would bloat them. I am so tempted to go and give these goats some hay, but I know that would be wrong, especially since they are fair projects. I have a book on goats and I think I am going to put in a ziplock bag and hang it on the fence for them with my phone number inside asking them to call me if they need information on goats. It's a very kid friendly book with lots of pictures. What do you think? I can't stand that these 2 beautiful does at not getting enough to eat.......

 

[bonbean01]

That sounds like a very good idea and hope they read it and take you up on your kind offer to phone you about it

 

[OneFineAcre]

I would try to catch them there and hand deliver the book.
I would explain to them exactly how wrong the information they had regarding hay causing goats bloat actually was.
You should also invite them to meet your animals.

 

[jodief100]

They have gotten some bad information from a meat goat producer. While I personally find this distasteful, a lot of meat goats for the fair are raised this way. It does prevent them from getting "hay belly" where their bellies stick out to the side. Hay belly isn't bloat, it just looks like the goat is bloated. Hay belly is Normal and Healthy. Since meat goats for the fair are terminal animals, it doesn't matter that it prevents the rumen from developing, the animals are for slaughter and will be killed before they die from septis when the rumen rots away.

I am saying this because perhaps this is how you need to approach it. Tell them you think they "misunderstood" the information they were given. That it is not bloat and you can only raise terminal meat animals this way- not dairy does. This may be less confrontational. I suggest talking to your neighbor and then directly to her friend. If you can convince the neighbor, her friend may be more willing to listen. I doubt she wants to see her kids be devastated when their projects die. Try to be very clear- hay (or any long stemmed fiber) is needed for the rumen to develop. Clear, but polite and as non confrontational as possible.

 

[jodief100]

had to add...

If the goats have been out there for more than a week without any hay or grass, the rumens may have shut down already. They need to restart them. Plain yogurt may work but the best way is to steal a cud from another goat and give it to them. not kidding.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Stealing cud, now that sounds like fun......

 

[OneFineAcre]

They have gotten some bad information from a meat goat producer. While I personally find this distasteful, a lot of meat goats for the fair are raised this way. It does prevent them from getting "hay belly" where their bellies stick out to the side. Hay belly isn't bloat, it just looks like the goat is bloated. Hay belly is Normal and Healthy. Since meat goats for the fair are terminal animals, it doesn't matter that it prevents the rumen from developing, the animals are for slaughter and will be killed before they die from septis when the rumen rots away.

I am saying this because perhaps this is how you need to approach it. Tell them you think they "misunderstood" the information they were given. That it is not bloat and you can only raise terminal meat animals this way- not dairy does. This may be less confrontational. I suggest talking to your neighbor and then directly to her friend. If you can convince the neighbor, her friend may be more willing to listen. I doubt she wants to see her kids be devastated when their projects die. Try to be very clear- hay (or any long stemmed fiber) is needed for the rumen to develop. Clear, but polite and as non confrontational as possible.

That's a good point.

 

[elevan]

They have gotten some bad information from a meat goat producer. While I personally find this distasteful, a lot of meat goats for the fair are raised this way. It does prevent them from getting "hay belly" where their bellies stick out to the side. Hay belly isn't bloat, it just looks like the goat is bloated. Hay belly is Normal and Healthy. Since meat goats for the fair are terminal animals, it doesn't matter that it prevents the rumen from developing, the animals are for slaughter and will be killed before they die from septis when the rumen rots away.

I am saying this because perhaps this is how you need to approach it. Tell them you think they "misunderstood" the information they were given. That it is not bloat and you can only raise terminal meat animals this way- not dairy does. This may be less confrontational. I suggest talking to your neighbor and then directly to her friend. If you can convince the neighbor, her friend may be more willing to listen. I doubt she wants to see her kids be devastated when their projects die. Try to be very clear- hay (or any long stemmed fiber) is needed for the rumen to develop. Clear, but polite and as non confrontational as possible.

That's a good point.

x2

 

[meme]

For fair, most people I know only give their meat goats and lambs a small handful of hay and a huge amount of grain each day. At fair this year, the person next to us had one Nigi with a bowl of grain 24/7 and no hay. It amazes me how people don't even bother to try learning about their goat's basic needs.

 

[madcow]

I am happy to say that they took the book, but I have yet to see any hay added to the pen, nor have they called me. All the advice everyone has given me has been great. How the heck do you steal a goat's cud without having your fingers taken off? They haven't been there a week yet, maybe 5 days at the longest. Maybe they will call me. I do hope so. I am so tempted to just put a little hay in there that I know they will consume before they come for the evening feeding just to be sure they are getting a little bit to keep their rumens going until they figure out what's best for these goats. Poor babies, and they are so blasted pretty. I think I am going to watch closely today to catch them when they show up and talk to them to ask if they got the book or not. I'm sure they did, but it would be a good intro to get the ball rolling. I think that will be my next step. I hate to give the goats some hay and then something happens to them because of it. Rather a sticky situation. I'll keep everyone posted as to what happens. Thanks so very much for all the help. You guys have reassured me that helping out is the right thing to do in this situation.