Needing A Little Help

[WinterValleyFarm]

I just bought BOSS and Beat pulp. I also have Alfalfa pellets. With that said. I have Nigerian Dwarfs, how much of each would I portion our for my two bucks Including grain? They get a pellet feed with AC in it. Then how much of each should I portion out for my does including grain? They get a 16% milk enhancer from co-op. BUT I would like to get something else instead of that. Any suggestions? Preferably a feed I can get at either co-op, TSC, or feed store. I see that the co-op goat ration is a sweet feed that's high in copper and the others. Would this be good?? Thanks in advance you y'all's wisdom!

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Is there a reason you are switching feeds? Why?

What are the goats condition like? Are they the proper weight? Why do you want to do this particular mix? How much are you feeding now? What are the ages?

I personally don't like sweet feed, but I know others that use it and like it.
Goats don't need molasses all the time. It's like raising a kid on candy IMO. I save molasses products for when it is really needed- to give a boost whether it be for a doe in labor or just kidded to a goat with a low temperature. That is the only time my goats get molasses anything. Overtime molasses can have a binding affect to particular minerals.

Now many disagree with me on this BUT I would never feed BOSS to bucks or wethers.
BOSS is very high in phosphorus! I know you will have the alfalfa pellets, but for me it isn't a risk I'm willing to take. I can get many other balanced feeds that don't have the same risk BOSS has. I have used BOSS for my does and it didn't seem to have much of an affect for coat or weight.

Do your goats have minerals?

Every farm is different, start with one thing and tweak it until you find the perfect fit for you

 

[Southern by choice]

We keep it simple.
A quality dairy goat feed ... loose minerals... hay.

For lactating does we give alfalfa in addition.

 

[babsbag]

I used to mix my own feed. I would buy a 25# bag of BOSS, and 50# each of Oats, beet pulp, alfalfa pellets, and barely, and sometimes corn. I would throw it all into a cement mixer and mix it up and then put it in trash cans. The does would get a 3 qt scoop each each day in addition to alfalfa. I had 6 goats.

Then I got bucks and more goats, a lot more goats, and it became too difficult. So I started feeding Purina Noble goat instead of making my own. I also bought sweet cob for the does on the milk stand and would put about 1/2 cup of BOSS on top of their grain.

Then I discovered a dairy mix from the local feed mill and I feed that to my does that are on the stand. If a doe is feeding her kids and I am not milking her she only gets alfalfa. If I am milking her she gets the additional grain. I haven't fed BOSS in over a year, but I do sometimes give kelp because I won a bag in a raffle.

The bucks get only alfalfa. Period. I haven't given my bucks supplement feed other than minerals in probably 3 years. Too many bucks and no good way to feed them grain.

Honestly, keep is simple unless you are combating a particular nutritional problem.

 

[babsbag]

I can't really help on quantity as I have big goats but for an Alpine it is about 1 lb of grain a day. I would just top dress the grain with about 1/2 c. of BOSS and beet pulp. I would not give BOSS to the boys. I would also make sure they have good hay.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

I was recently reading that iodine deficient does can absorb or abort their doelings causing more bucks than does because apparently does require more. I thought that was interesting...
I guess I'll be adding kelp to their minerals again. Anybody know where the best deal is? I have gotten some off Jeffer's, but it was pretty pricy and they think it's candy. One of my does will even eat the (human) kelp capsule pill, pop it, then spit out the empty capsule.