How much grain is too much?

[Fernwood Hollow]

Hi. I have 4 Nigerian Dwarf doelings about 3 months old. They have free choice hay, minerals and baking soda. I am feeding them grain once a day, in the afternoon, (leave for work at 4:30am and everyone is still sleeping then). Feeding Dumor goat pellets with some BOSS mixed in. How many cups per goat should they be getting? They have already developed nice round bellies in the three weeks I have had them.
Thanks.

 

[20kidsonhill]

the normal amount of grain for a goat on an all grain ration is 3.5 to 4% of their body weight a day in grain.

so a 50 lb goat would get between 1.75 and 2 lbs of grain a day. Our grain is about 3 measuring cups per lb, so for us a 50 ls goat would get about 6 cups of grain a day.


That would be your maxiimum numbers, and since you aren't probably worried about feeding out for maximum growth, just wanting nice healthy kids, you would probably want to shoot for less than that.

 

[pdpo222]

My goats are all adults and get no grain right now. I will start graining them when it is breeding time which will be in December for me. They will continue with the grain until the kids are weaned. I do grain during winter time, but summer they are on pasture and on second cutting hay so I don't grain then. My worries that they are in breeding condition when it's time and are getting enough to carry their kids and feed them. After that they go back to hay or pasture. When I do grain I grain morning and night, but I can do that since I am home then. Just how I do it with mine works for me, they are fat and sassy, sometimes more sassy then I would like.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover=)]

I have 2 ND's and they get half a cup a day. Only reason is its getting colder here so I need their bellies full and warm.

They get half a cup in the morning, since I'm feeding GRAIN not FEED, they have to share the half a cup. If they had feed, I'd give them more. I just think of grain as candy and feed as veggies for some reason For 4 NDs I'd personally give them 4 cups a day, half a cup each morning and half at night. (well half per goat)

 

[Nathan Sampson]

I know most bags of feed have feeding directions on the tag. I would highly recommend following these directions.

 

[Catahoula]

Hi. I have 4 Nigerian Dwarf doelings about 3 months old. They have free choice hay, minerals and baking soda. I am feeding them grain once a day, in the afternoon, (leave for work at 4:30am and everyone is still sleeping then). Feeding Dumor goat pellets with some BOSS mixed in. How many cups per goat should they be getting? They have already developed nice round bellies in the three weeks I have had them.
Thanks.

I would keep them on your pellet feeds since they are growing kids. I would keep the same amount unless they are getting too fat or too thin. If they are doing well, why change it? They are too young to be bred anyway so that wouldn't be the reason to feed them more. If they start to get fat, then I'd cut down on the amount.

 

[Fernwood Hollow]

Thanks for the advice. They are getting about a cup each a day. I am going to try and weigh them and then read the bag better. They do have nice little plump bellys!

 

[Chris]

The amount on the bag is ONLY a recommended guide line.
Some goats need more and some goats need less than the recommended guide line, a lot will depends on pasture, hay, environment, health, genetics and breed of goat.

Chris

 

[Catahoula]

The amount on the bag is ONLY a recommended guide line.
Some goats need more and some goats need less than the recommended guide line, a lot will depends on pasture, hay, environment, health, genetics and breed of goat.

Chris

X2. Just because you have your goat's weighs doesn't mean you should feed according to the label...because you could have a fat goat to begin with (not to say your goat is fat...). Like you said, you think your goats are quite round...so try cutting back and see if they slim down.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I am very against 'grain' but do like feed. I would never feed straight grain to any goat and I agree about the label. Don't feed by a label, every goat is different and should be fed how they need to be fed. You need to know your goat well. Some of mine are fast growers and some slower, some burn food faster and some slower. Every goat is different and needs to be treated that way.

This is how I feedmine right now.