Milk Production

[Nathan Justice]

If your buck is in good weight I would not bother giving him anything extra. Just make sure he has access to a loose mineral made for goats. Sheep mineral is not adequate. Sheep cannot tolerate copper whereas goats need it.
If you have access to brush,blackberry bushes that would be a welcome addition to any goats diet. They are geared to browse more like deer than cattle.
They also love prize rose bushes. LOL

My mom knows that all to well. When we had about 20 goats, they all got out and ate everyone of her flowers. Needless to say, we sold all the goats LOL. However, I plan to get loose mineral today or tomorrow. I tried a block but they didn't like it as good.

 

[Nathan Justice]

Alfalfa is good for your buck. It is not CALCIUM that causes stones. It is phosphorus.
My goats won't touch beet pulp but you can try it. Some goats love it.
Remember grass does not give all the nutrients you need. Fresh grass has a great deal of moisture so that is mostly water... MINERALS are a must for your buck. Leaves, vines, tree branches etc will be much better nutritionally.

My buck doesn't get anything but his pelleted feed, the probiotic and grass. Some Kudzu too.

 

[Southern by choice]

Your buck is going to need more than grass. If not and you are feeding him pellets/grain you are setting him up for UC.
How big is he? My lamancha buck is 225 and Nubians are generally larger than that... no way he will keep condition off grass.
Kudzu is good!

 

[Nathan Justice]

Your buck is going to need more than grass. If not and you are feeding him pellets/grain you are setting him up for UC.
How big is he? My lamancha buck is 225 and Nubians are generally larger than that... no way he will keep condition off grass.
Kudzu is good!

Oh okay! He only gets about a cup of pellets. I don't give him anymore than that. But he isn't to big. He might weigh 100 pounds. But the doe on the other hand is much larger. Probably 125 to 130.

 

[Southern by choice]

That isn't too much... he should be fine as long as your feed is Ca: p ratio is 2:1 or better up to 4:1 is good.

Is he young?

In summer early spring and early fall our Kikos live in the woods. They eat vines, leaves, vines, vines, and vines.

They are BEAST!

They have zero pasture. Winter they live in the woods but they must be hayed, fed as there is nothing for them to eat.

These goats are Kiko does (not the black one) they have pasture but being goats that isn't what they like... all the heads off the grasses are gone... notice the rest is all tall. We normally would have them in the woods now but we have a lot on our plate and cannot run the wire.

Boys-

 

[Latestarter]

Every time I see that picture of the buck I just think "Awesome".

 

[Nathan Justice]

That isn't too much... he should be fine as long as your feed is Ca ratio is 2:1 or better up to 4:1 is good.

Is he young?

In summer early spring and early fall our Kikos live in the woods. They eat vines, leaves, vines, vines, and vines.

They are BEAST!

They have zero pasture. Winter they live in the woods but they must be hayed, fed as there is nothing for them to eat.

These goats are Kiko does (not the black one) they have pasture but being goats that isn't what they like... all the heads off the grasses are gone... notice the rest is all tall. We normally would have them in the woods now but we have a lot on our plate and cannot run the wire.
View attachment 18736
View attachment 18737

Boys-
View attachment 18738

Those are beautiful goats! My two have access to the woods but spend most of their time in the pasture. I think it's because they are closer to the feed room Haha! But I think I am going to try Alfalfa Pellets for them. How much should I give them?

 

[babsbag]

I have never fed pellets as the main food so I can't really suggest an amount. But if you can find a mineral that ammonium chloride it in for your buck that would be good. But my bucks get straight alfalfa hay and a loose mineral and do great, no grain at all, but I live in CA and alfalfa hay is plentiful here and cheaper than grass hay. I fed a wether wheat hay one time before I new better and he goat UC and I had to put him down. Most everyone I know that raises goats in my area feeds straight alfalfa to all their goats and adds a grain ration to the milkers on the stand. Some supplement the does again right before the freshen but I don't. I feed 1200-1400 lbs of alfalfa a week to 40 adult goats and 15 kids.

My goats love the beet pulp, @Southern by choice just has picky goats.

 

[Nathan Justice]

I have never fed pellets as the main food so I can't really suggest an amount. But if you can find a mineral that ammonium chloride it in for your buck that would be good. But my bucks get straight alfalfa hay and a loose mineral and do great, no grain at all, but I live in CA and alfalfa hay is plentiful here and cheaper than grass hay. I fed a wether wheat hay one time before I new better and he goat UC and I had to put him down. Most everyone I know that raises goats in my area feeds straight alfalfa to all their goats and adds a grain ration to the milkers on the stand. Some supplement the does again right before the freshen but I don't. I feed 1200-1400 lbs of alfalfa a week to 40 adult goats and 15 kids.

My goats love the beet pulp, @Southern by choice just has picky goats.

Oh okay. Do I need to soak the beet pulp, or can I just give it to them dry?

 

[babsbag]

That is a huge debate. I always give mine dry. Some say soak the pellets and not the shredded, some say don't soak either, some say soak both. Some say soak for horses and not for goats. I think that if you are only giving a cup or so at a time they will be fine dry. Look for calf Manna too and only give it to the doe on the milk stand, and just a handful mixed into her other grain. Mine LOVE it but I almost lost a doe when she sneaked into the barn and helped herself to about a quart or more at one time.