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

[Pearce Pastures]

Some folks offer baking soda free choice but we don't for a number of reasons. 1) Studies have shown a connection between the practice and poor mineral absorption 2) The body of a healthy, correctly fed animal shouldn't require baking soda to keep if from bloating 3) **And this is completely based on NOTHING other than my own silly logic** Because baking soda changes the acidity of the gut, the goat's body has to work then to correct its PH to what it SHOULD be to counter the baking soda. Rather, I would think it best to let the animal's gut be whatever acidity it should be and then save the baking soda for emergency use. Hope that makes some sense.

 

[Sweet Sue]

Awesome idea for a thread!! I love reading and seeing how everyone elses routines are around there barn.

Here is my feeding routine:

Location: Virginia in the Valley very close to WV line.

Breed raised: Nigerian Dwarfs and Pygmys

I always practice fresh clean cold water in the summer and I use two heated water buckets for warm water in the winter.

Summer: 1 cup twice a day of our local Co-Op's goat grain. It is made with local minerals needed in our area and it is NOT medicated and it is only made in a sweet grain only. They get one scoop of BOSS with every meal.
They do get to go out and browse in the field everyday and they browse on 7 acres with some wooded areas.

Winter: Depending on my goats weight by winter I may bump there grain ration up but this is rare since my goats seem to do well on just one cup twice a day. Again I still feed the goat grain from our local co-op. They seem to like that very well and I havent had any issues with it yet. They also get one scoop of BOSS with there meal.

I dont use the loose minerals my goats dont seem to like it as well as the Billy block I get them from TSC. So I have two of those up in the barn. I do not feed baking soda free choice unless one of my goats are showing signs of upset stomach.

I give the annual CD&T shot once a every year.

I like to worm twice a year, it seems to work well for my girls. I worm in the spring with the Safe Gaurd horse tubed paste and the fall I use the generic Ivermectin horse tubed paste. You are proberly wondering how I get the correct dosage? Well you weigh your goat and take the weight of your goat and x by 3 and you get the weight you use on the tube. I have not had any issues with worms using this method and my goats have been fine with using horse paste. Plus horse paste is CHEAPER then buying one small goat liquid wormer.

They do get there hooves trimmed regularly.

My goats LOVE leaves and beet stems/leaves as treats. They sometimes take carrots and apples too.

Well this is what I do. May not seem like much but its what works for my herd.

Oh forgot to mention... I also like to take my goats on walks.. Hope that is not weird but all of our goats walk on leashes and so we like to walk them. They love it cause they get to browse as we walk and its also good exercise for them

My next goal is to get a LGD. We have a area in VA that is an adoption place for the Great Paranesse dogs and sometimes they have young dogs and pups there for adoption. I would much rather adopt then buy from a breeder. But we will see..

Where do you walk them? In your pasture?

 

[KaliMoran]

I'm new to ALL things goats and wasn't expecting the mother/son pair I just acquired, so I'm learning as I go. ANY and all advice or critiquing of my goat's diet is completely welcome... I'm in the process of trying to learn just how and what to feed.

I'm in southern Maine, zone 5b. Our doe is nursing her 6 week old and has free choice second cut hay (blend), about 1-1.5 cups of blue seal dairy goat feed split into two feedings, and about 1 cup of hay stretcher each day. I have a mineral supplement that I sprinkle on her grain and she fastidiously avoids.

I waffle back and forth from thinking I'm starving her to stuffing her. Her weight looks lovely, at least..

 

[SteveElms]

I'm fairly new to all of this and here is what I am doing:

Live in western Nebraska temps from -20 to 104 (sometimes it seems like in the same week). We have 2 toggenburgs, 5 Nigerian dwarfs and 8 boer goats.

For the toggs they get free feed 4th cutting alfalfa as much as they want, cracked corn and sweet feed on the stand and a mineral block. We average over a gallon and a half a day from the 2.

The boers stay mostly on a grass hay with some alfalfa mixed in. The does get more alfalfa when they are closer to kidding.

The Nigerian dwarfs are on alfalfa now as they are kidding, and little grain. They also get free feed grass hay but their preference is the alfalfa.

Like I said we are new to all of this and welcome suggestions. What we are doing is what the dairy farm/previous owners suggested and what we've learned from others. We also have some pasture available for them in the spring through fall but all are dry lotted now because they are kidding.

Steve

 

[WinterValleyFarm]

Really wondering. What is the calf manna pro?? What is its purpose and Is it like a free choice thing or something you add to the feed? Same with kelp. What ia the right stuff to get? Is that free choice? Can bucks, bucklings, & doelings get it? What is its purpose/ benefits??

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Calf Manna is a supplemental pellet. I use it occasionally to increase protein levels in my grain mix for recovering animals. I would not use it exclusively as a feed since it is high in protein.

Kelp adds a natural source for iodine and other trace minerals. You can offer it free choice or add a little to the feed. Goats need access to good quality minerals and kelp can be an extra if your animals need more iodine (or other trace minerals) than what your mineral mix offers.

There is a product called Goat Balancer that adds yucca and a few other popular things into a pellet form for supplementing goats as well if you are wanting to add something.

The basics would be to choose your hay based on what you need, what kind of goats you have and their purpose, and stage of life. Then add your mineral, loose is best. Keep in mind copper is essential for goats and you want to be aware of the calcium to phosphorus ratio of your whole feeding program. If your animals need grain/pellets due to growth, pregnancy/lactation or recovery status, then decide which one and what kind of supplements will give you the best results.

Feeding goats can generally be simpler or a little more complicated.... A lot depends on how much you enjoy fussing over and trying new things for them.

 

[WinterValleyFarm]

I Guess This Is A Little confusing. How would you figure out the ratio for the calcium to phosphorus? My problem is in East TN in my area I don't have very many affordable options... :/ That's why I'm interested in seeing pretty much how and what to feed both does and bucks. Or what everyone feeding methods broken down step by step.

 

[WinterValleyFarm]

I Guess This Is A Little confusing. How would you figure out the ratio for the calcium to phosphorus? My problem is in East TN in my area I don't have very many affordable options... :/ That's why I'm interested in seeing pretty much how and what to feed both does and bucks. Or what everyone feeding methods broken down step by step.

Calf Manna is a supplemental pellet. I use it occasionally to increase protein levels in my grain mix for recovering animals. I would not use it exclusively as a feed since it is high in protein.

Kelp adds a natural source for iodine and other trace minerals. You can offer it free choice or add a little to the feed. Goats need access to good quality minerals and kelp can be an extra if your animals need more iodine (or other trace minerals) than what your mineral mix offers.

There is a product called Goat Balancer that adds yucca and a few other popular things into a pellet form for supplementing goats as well if you are wanting to add something.

The basics would be to choose your hay based on what you need, what kind of goats you have and their purpose, and stage of life. Then add your mineral, loose is best. Keep in mind copper is essential for goats and you want to be aware of the calcium to phosphorus ratio of your whole feeding program. If your animals need grain/pellets due to growth, pregnancy/lactation or recovery status, then decide which one and what kind of supplements will give you the best results.

Feeding goats can generally be simpler or a little more complicated.... A lot depends on how much you enjoy fussing over and trying new things for them.

 

[babsbag]

Most feed in bags will give you the Ca : P ratio. Manna Pro will tell you how much to feed and it isn't much, like 1/4-1/2 c. a day. I use a loose mineral for goats, SweetLix Magna Milk. Other than that I feed straight alfalfa to bucks and does, and wethers when I have them. I feed my does a 16% protein grain when they are in milk; they get it on the milk stand. I feed hay twice a day.

 

[WinterValleyFarm]

Most feed in bags will give you the Ca ratio. Manna Pro will tell you how much to feed and it isn't much, like 1/4-1/2 c. a day. I use a loose mineral for goats, SweetLix Magna Milk. Other than that I feed straight alfalfa to bucks and does, and wethers when I have them. I feed my does a 16% protein grain when they are in milk; they get it on the milk stand. I feed hay twice a day.

OK thanks!! I was told by LOTS of people that alfalfa will give Wethers and bucks stones?