Let's Look at our Different Feeding Practices *GOATS*

[Rocco]

@lovinglife - "LOL sometimes I just wonder if we are creating more problems than we are fixing by all the "stuff" we feed them,"

I totally agree. Meat goats can get by with very minimal care, but many tend to overdo it with "loving" care, and maybe doing the breed(s) harm in the long run by not culling lesser quality animals...like those not as resistant to internal parasite, those with poor hooves, etc. Instead we over deworm, over tend, and run to the vet with any runny nose goat.

We supplement pasture, which due to the perpetual drought we now seem to be in is mandatory, with good quality Sudan or Haygrazer hay plus a little alfalfa, and on average less than a cup of 16% protein feed per animal a day.

 

[lovinglife]

Nice, and you avatar goat is beautiful! It is nice to hear about people who have a more simple approach to goat care. So refreshing, thanks!

 

[goatboy1973]

Our farm is located in Corryton, TN and we raise fullblooded Koy Ranch Spanish goats and commercial Spanish cross meat goats. We are a multifaceted operation. We sell commercial breeding stock and full Koy Ranch Spanish goats to commercial and purebred breeders. We also sell goats for meat and provide a turn key package as far as meat is concerned. A customer can come to our farm and pick out a meat goat and in 2 weeks we deliver the meat to their door. We contract with a local USDA slaughter house. Year round, we have free choice pasture, woodland, and overgrown pasture. We rotate our pastures on a regular basis to help hold down on internal parasites. In late Fall and all Winter, in addition to the free choice browse, we provide free choice grass hay, goat specific protein blocks, and free choice CO-OP brand "Zinpro" loose goat minerals enhanced with zinc for good hoof health. We provide goat feed only if the BCS warrants it or we have preg. or lactating mommas. During Spring and throughout early Fall, free choice protein blocks, free choice loose goat minerals, and pasture/ browse 24/7, no feed. This is how we roll at Calfee Farms. We only deworm on an individual basis using the FAMACHA method, same goes for hoof trims and Pedi's (usually once yearly). Our goats (commercial and pure Spanish) are fairly maintenance free and tough as nails. Any high maintenance or overly needy goats are strictly culled and sent to the sale barn or meat mkt. Each goat is re-evaluated biannually. We raise hardy, self sufficient goats who give us big growthy twins every breeding season with as little input as possible while still being healthy and happy and packed with meat. Our does kid out in the woodland or in one of many 12x12x12 portable goat sheds constructed by my father and brothers and kid unassisted. The kids have to be ear tagged the day they are born because on the second day, they are nearly impossible to catch. Kids are up nursing within 15 mins of being born.

 

[goatboy1973]

Oh, forgot to mention the composition of my special mix of goat feed. I start with alfalfa pellets, powdered corn, 10% protein medicated goat sweet feed, and shredded beet pulp. I start with the sweet feed and add the alfalfa pellets to it. Next is the beet pulp and finally the powdered field corn. I mix this together and usually the sweet feed acts as a binder to hold the other ingredients together and if it doesn't, then I add some liquid goat Nutridrench to help completely bind all the ingredients together. This feed is for all age categories of goats and I only make this concoction in small batches where it will be used up in a few days to prevent spoilage. I have used this special mix for the 13 yrs. I have been in the goat business and developed this mix while I was working on my Animal Science degree. I absolutely loved my animal nutrition courses had to devise the "Ideal Goat Feed" and wound up getting an "A" on the project and the professor was amazed at how it met every mineral and nutritional need a ruminant would have daily. If I marketed this, it would be terribly expensive and probably the most high end feed a person could buy. I usually mix equal parts of the feed components and add the powdered corn until the feed is well coated. This feed is wonderful in the winter because the beet pulp, powdered corn, and molasses from the Nutridrench and sweet feed provides huge amts. of energy for pregnant, lactating, nursing, or sick goats. This feed will also help put weight on thin goats and give them a shiny hair coat.

 

[SillyChicken]

I'm new to goats and still learning.. but this is how we're doing it today. (always open to suggestions!)

Southern Lower part of the Mitten! We have a continental climate with 2 distinct climate regions, humid summers, cold winters. Southern lower has the occasional tornado, 17 on average none in the Upper area of the state...and 30 days worth of thunderstorms a year. I love it here! I have almost 11 acres with a 2 acre pond that fills and drains as it pleases.

I Currently feed:
Grass hay free choice all year long
Alfalfa pellets and Goat chow (3 A to one C ratio) given in the mornings all year long though I will probably quit the grain in summer, they're looking a little too good!
free choice loose minerals and baking soda
they have 2,pastures to graze freely in summer. I cut pine boughs for them for treats.
This summer I may allow them to browse around the pond area.
I haven't fed AC yet to my billy but will start that soon.

I have a first freshener soon, she'll get the the Bo se in a couple months.

Still working out who should be fed what when...

 

[SillyChicken]

why not feed a doe grain until just before? Am I causing my doe harm by feeding now?

 

[cybercat]

I have 4 four month old La Manchas. This is what I am feeding. Grain is goat Starter 18%, alfalfa pellets(but only once in a week or so), loose mineral and forage. We have alot for them to eat here. Our goats now weigh in.. buckiling 66 pounds and 25 inches tall, girls 61 pounds and 24 inches tall. They get grain in morning after I take the for a walk and in evening after their evening walk. I have to walk then now for they cleared out their outside pen. I am not feeding hay since we forage them. All these goats were born in the same month, 3 on the same day one a week earlier.

 

[Coop Deville]

Virgnia in the valley, near the west virgnia line.
We have around 20 adult does, 2 to 3 herd sires, we are a meat goat operation. We normally kid out in february, it is a good time a year for our kids to be born, for the fair to be shown for 4H-ffa projects in the meat goat classes.

we have pasture from april to november, maybe december if it is a good year, and all our adult goats only get pasture and loose goat minerals(co-op milled) free-choice, unless

For flushing before breeding season they get some pelleted goat grain 16% protein, medicated for abougt 3 weeks before putting them in with a buck. We start with around 1 1/2 cups per day per head and go up to about 3 cups.

We take them off the grain after the buck goes in. (too much fighting)



We feed no grain to any of our does that are bred, until 30 days before they are due, then they recieve around 1 1/2 measuring cups at first on up to 3 cups(1lb) of 16 % medicated goat developer/grower grain and continue this through the nursing of their kids.

All goats receive a 2nd or 3 rd cutting grass mix hay if there isn't enough pasture, normally December to March, for the winter months. and during dry spells. mostly free-choice, Althoug I have to use the feeders to feed grain, so I feed what I think they will clean up each day.

After goats kid they receive free-choice hay, continue with the
1 lb 16% goat delveloper(co-op brand) pelleted/medicated has 2.5% fat and 16% protein, Roughage products is listed first followed by grain products on the feed label. We would also slowly start adding rolled/cracked corn for added energy and milk production. up to around 1 1/2 cups per doe per day.

This is all we used to do, until this year, after I have been on this forum we decided to try doing a couple new things. We started adding a bale(40lbs) of alfalfa hay to their diets per every 10 or so does,
adding up to 1 cup of dry beet pulp per doe, mixed into pelleted feed

We wean at 8 weeks, all weaned does come off of grain and are on grass hay/pasture.


kids are fed in a creep-feed area, free-choice 16% pelleted goat feed, same as what we are using on does, up until they are chosen for show whethers, show whethers are switched over to a show feed in May for an August show.

Replacement doelings/bucklings are kept on the 16 % feed until 15 months of age or they are bred, sometimes at 11 to 12 months of age. they receive around 2 lbs a day for the first 7 to 8 months and then 1 lb a day after that. 1 lb is 3 cups of feed. Yes, my growing buckling are receiveing up to 6 cups of feed a day.

All my feed contains AC.
All my pelelted feed is medicated.


Short version:

lactating does:
free-choice grass hay/pasture
2 to 4lbs of alfalfa hay
1lb pelleted medictated 16%protein goat grower
1cup dry beet pulp
up to 1 1/2 cups dried corn
free-choice goat minerals

All goats over 15 months of age, not nursing
Only hay or pasture, free-choice minerals

flush does for 3 weeks before breeding

under 15 months of age, not bred
1 - 2 lbs pelleted grain
hay or pasture


bred does, no grain, until last month of pregnancy.

Bo-Se shots twice a year, onse before breeding, onse before kidding

copper bolusing at the end of winter, this is new to us, I am not sure if we will do it twice, right now we are plannning on one time before the heavy worm loads in the spring.

BOSS: started using this a little on some yearlings that just kidded, not sure if I will continue, it was $17 for a 25lb bag.

Purchased Goat Preferred probiotic Powder this winter for the first time. used it on some does that weren't doing well. Along with red-cell for the first time. Seemed to really help them.

Vitamine B complex, also purchased t his for the first time. for sick goats.

I was able to save a very ill doe, that I am sure wouldn't have made it with out some of these new items . <<<Thank you BYH>>>

edited to add: we have 6 pasture acres, divided into 4 fenced in areas. Our goats are locked out of the barn from March to November, calf huts are provided for protection from rain, if they choose to use them.

 

[Coop Deville]

I am new to this, and loved your attention to detail. In your opinion is there certain foods that can make kidding difficult? I live in central Florida near Orlando.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[fainting goats11]

Hello I live in central Minnesota and I have nigerian dwarf goats. Currently I own two wethered boys that are just pets. All year round they get Purina Noble Goat Medicated feed. They each get 1/4 cup of these pellets twice a day so a total of 1/2 cups a day.

Right now I'm giving them the Mannapro goat mineral but they won't eat it so I think I'm going to switch back to the Purina Goat Mineral. Theres just no where around here where I can find it so I'll see how that goes. I give them each the recomended amount every day.

For hay they get grass hay at every feeding time plus at night when I put them to bed, (So a smallish amount 3 times a day). In the winter I typically give them more hay then in the summer as it does get pretty cold up here.

For treats they love un-salted penuts and I also give them licorice flavored goat treats.