So what to feed this pregger goats?

[Mini-M Ranch]

I just had a doe kid on Saturday with triplets. . How LONG do you give her molasses water? I gave her about three quarts RIGHT after she delivered and she drank it all without stopping, then licked the bottom of the bucket, so I gave her another quart, which she drank half of, immediately. Later, after some hay fell in it, I threw the rest out and got her plain water. She did not drink it as well, of course, too boring. Should she have more molasses water, or is that enough? I'll give it to her everyday for a month if it helps! lol

 

[freemotion]

I've been hearing about sprouts, what kind and how do I make them, what type of seeds do I use. Thanks Pepper

I sprout barley, mostly, and oats if I can't get the barley. When the sprout is just emerging you will see a little bit of white sticking out of the end of each grain, about 1/16-1/8 inch, and this is when the protein level of the grain skyrockets. This is very good for any critter that needs more protein...to build bodies, milk, kids....and solves the problem of soy for those of us wishing to avoid it.

You can also throw some BOSS in the mix, they sprout quite nicely.

If you add a glug of live culture whey with the first soak, the grain will be loaded with wonderful probiotics and will smell slighty sweet, like sweet yogurt. Later, as other good bacteria proliferate, it will take on a slightly sour, but still pleasant, smell. Both stages are good to feed.

I use a series of buckets to sprout in. I have one that I put the grains into and fill it with water to an inch or two above the grain, and I add the whey. If I don't have whey, I add a glug of apple cider vinegar. This will make barley smell slightly like beer after a few days, still ok to feed.

Can you tell that I always use the sniff test??

After soaking for about 24 hours, I transfer the grain to a bucket into which I have drilled many holes, small enough that an oat can't get stuck in it, clogging it. I rinse the grain well with plain water and let it drain. I have a sump hole with a pump in my cellar, so I set two boards over the hole and rinse with a length of hose right over the hole.

I rinse twice a day, and start feeding from the bucket when sprouts first are visible. Then I start another bucket. I often have three going...one soaking, one draining, and one that is almost empty.

This method does not bring the sprouts to the green grass stage, but does make them higher in nutrients that are very digestible. Mini-M, my lactating doe AND my growing purchased doeling both stopped crying for more food when I started sprouting for them. They still say, "Feed me! Now!" but not with the same level of frantic in their voices. You know what I am talking about!

A couple more tips....watch for mold, and toss any grain that gets moldy. I had to learn how to avoid this, sprouting in my cellar.

You can only sprout whole grains that have not been heat-dried or crimped. In some areas, these can be hard to find. Last year was a wet year, and I am running into barley that was obviously heat-dried, and is not sprouting very well. It takes several days, and not all of it sprouts. But the soaking process still increases the bioavailability of the nutrients and gets rid of anti-nutrients that are present in all seeds.