how many people here don't feed grain to their goats

[treeclimber233]

My husband insists I am feeding my goats too much. (He complains all the time about me wanting to buy hay). He thinks that as long as there is grass for them to eat they should not get any hay or grain. Most of my goats are wethers or young billys. One is a milk doe that I know needs hay and grain. One doe is a pygmy/Nigerian cross that is possibly bred. They have a fairly large area to graze over and their body condition is good without much hay but I think they still need some grain. How many here do not feed grain as a necessary part of the diet? Can my males do alright without grain/hay? They will probably all be eaten in time.

 

[DonnaBelle]

I feel that does that are in milk and/or pregnant need some grain. It doesn't have to be a lot, 2 cups a day. If they have plenty of hay and brouse. Brouse is bushes, trees, shrubs, etc. that grow wild on your farm or ranch.

I do have one doe, who has never kidded (she's a pet) that won't eat grain. She eats brouse and pasture in summer, but in winter, only hay and she looks fine.

If your goats are not skinny, with bones protruding, and have no worm or coccidia issues, they are fine.

I know what you mean about husbands, mine thinks I "baby" every animal on the ranch. Tough doo doo. If I own it, I'm going to take really good care of it. I don't buy diamond rings and Porsche cars, or fancy clothes, I do however, spend money on my animals to keep them in good shelter, good fences, and whatever else they need.

If you can, post some photos of them. Also, have a fecal done by a vet to make sure they don't have worm loads. If they do, then you'll need to deworm them.

DonnaBelle

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Right now my boys (all bucks) are not getting grain. I do feed hay as they are dry lotted. I will be giving them a little grain here shortly as breeding season is coming up here in a bit. For wethers I would skip the grain unless you want to fatten them up sooner.

All my girls are either in milk or babies and all are getting grain and hay and have plenty of browse and free weeds they are eating up as they please. I would allow some, but just a small amount of grain for the pregnant doe a little later in gestation, like the last month or so. They will need to give more to the growing kids at that time. Milking girls will give more milk if they have a better quality diet, (alot more) with alfalfa and grain.

 

[Catahoula]

Two of my wethers don't get grains. They are 1.5 years old and are too fat. Another wether get grains cause he loses condition fast if I don't grain him. My newest wethers are babies so they get grains. I believe growing kids need some grains. Others depending on their condition, I would supplement grains.

 

[Riverside Fainters]

Right now I feed my fainting doe a 1/2 cup of grain at night just as a treat type thing... She also gets 1/2 slice of hay in the morning and night if I can't get her in her pen during the day. If its a day she can go out, I don't feed her hay in the morning.. but she still gets her 1/2 cup grain at night and a handful of hay.