This is all you guys' fault! Now I need help with feeding stuff!

[lupinfarm]

We went out to the island today to look at the pygmies in my other thread, yeah you guys did it. We had originally planned to get goats in the spring when all the fences were up but I was looking online just to see if there was anything out there (and there usually isnt lol) and there was an ad for 5 pygmy goats, 4 does and a buckling. We ended up deciding on 1 year old doe who might be pregnant, and a 6 month old doe - both naturally polled. I know to feed them hay, but what else should I be feeding them? ... TSC sells Rolling Acres Goat Ration. I couldn't look in the bag but to me it just felt like sweet feed. Does purina sell a pelleted feed that you know of for goats? How much should they be on daily?

I read something about giving them the red salt blocks and/or red loose mineral, is this true? Should I provide them with anything else?

We have lots of alfalfa pasture right now, is it safe for them to be on this at all? Should I feed them before turning them out on it (when my fences are done!) as to prevent bloat?

What about treats? I want them to trust me, they're "tame" and are used to children but I obviously want them to bond with me even though they are older. What treats can I offer them?

And I know this should probably be elsewhere, but as for worming. I want to worm them when we get them home, I can get the safeguard wormer for horses which I have come to understand is similar if not the same as the safeguard goat wormer (white wormer, paste wormer)? I'm building them a 3 sided shelter to go in the dog run for now until I have all the field fencing up (lucky me, the day we go to look at goats we get a call from Lutes saying the fencing is being delivered today!), I was going to fill it with hay because I don't have access to straw and face it away from the prevailing winds. Should I also hook up some electric around the outside so coyotes or anything can't get near it?

Anything I'm missing?

 

[trestlecreek]

Congrats!!

Yes, Purina has a product called "Noble Goat" which is a pellet and it is excellent feed.

Give them hay, alfalfa hay is best.

Loose(no blocks) Purina goat minerals.

Do not let them out on the fresh alfalfa!! Too rich wet; will bloat them in a hurry.

Give one or two animal crackers a day for a treat. Don't give scraps.

How big is the 1 year doe? I have miniatures/pygmies and 1 yr is way too small to breed! If you have pics, I'd like to see if indeed she is big enough to deliver safely.

As far as worming products, safeguard is okay right now, but you need to consult your vet to get a fecal done to make sure you are using the right drug and the right amount.

Don't use hay as bedding, you don't want them eating off the ground or eating old hay.

Do you have a coyote problem in your area?

Have they been vaccinated with cd/t yet?

 

[lupinfarm]

I don't even think we have a goat vet around here, we have a large animal vet but I'll have to ask if they do goats too.

The 1 year old (she might be a bit older, she's an 07 model) has already had a baby, a buck this year I believe. She was in with another buck and her friendy who we didn't get because she had horns, so she *may* be bred, not sure.

I have peat moss on hand, and I might be able to pick up a couple bales of straw if I look hard but it's not plentiful near me, at least not in small squares.

If I cut and dry the alfalfa, would it be okay? I dont have a tractor but I can mow it down.

We can hear the coyotes at night, they come up in the field behind the house, and down by the road. The run would be up right next to the house in an area we can light by floodlight.

I'm not sure if they have been vaccinated with cd/t, I'll ask the seller but they are older and came from a small hobby farm that was very well taken care of with horses, a pony, and a donkey so I'm sure they were, but I will ask anyway!

 

[trestlecreek]

Yes, the large vet can run a fecal from a goat without a problem. A small vet can do it if your large won't.

If she has kidded before without problems, she will be fine as far as delivering. 2 years is a good age for does to be bred.

Yep, find out about the cd/t. They need the 3 times booster series.

Yes, cut it the alfalfa and then dry it real well (no mold) before feeding.

If your pen is big enough, could you just leave the dirt/grass?

If the coyotes are that close, I would find a way to lock the goats in at night if you can. If not right now, yes, I'd have the light and I would run electric just to be safe.

We'd love to see pics when you get a chance!! You will so much fun with them!!

 

[lupinfarm]

Thanks so much, my only real worry about my pen is that the coyotes could dig under, it's a 10ft high, 12ft x 12ft chain link dog run. We bought it used last year for our stud dog, but he prefers to be on the chain rather than in the pen.

I can leave the grass, It's just in the little house (I saw it in one of my self sufficieny books, it was made for geese in this and was a triangle with one end open, I can make it taller and bigger for goats though. Just to give them some shelter and all that.

The nanny (the older one) looked to be wider than the rest, and the breeder/owner even thought she was looking bigger too. I guess time will tell! We are very excited, do you reccomend any books I could find on amazon.ca about raising goats? We're thinking of naming the nanny Cottontail (Cotton for short, she's also white lol), because pygmies have little cottony tails

Oh and I figured the large animal vet would do fecal exams for sure, money is money right? But I don't think they treat goats... I'll have to look for a cattle vet, most cattle vets treat goats.

 

[crazygoatlady]

I would worm them with something other than Safeguard--we used to use Safeguard years ago and I think I is good for tapeworms, but you need something stronger for most worms--Ivermetin or we use Quest ( moxidectin) same as Cydectin, but stronger alternating so they dont' build up a tolerance for one or the other. Quest dose is 1/4 cc / 25 lbs or 1 cc /100lbs, Cydectin is 1 cc / 25 lbs or 4 cc/ 100lbs. We use Quest because we can buy it in the horse section and don't have to buy large amount of cydectin. If they haven't had fresh alfalfa, I would limit them to 15 minutes a day to start with, building it up so they can go into the alfalfa field or cut and add a little at a time in the run you have, watch for loose stools. Make sure you have mineral with low salt and higher copper, loose mineral seems to work better. Sweet mix really isn't the best for them. I think that Purina has a meat goat feed. Treats--we use a couple of animal crackers or horse treats. Also we make oatmeal/raisin cookies. Electric fences dont' faze the coyotes here--some people say it will, but they find a way.

 

[crazygoatlady]

I should say I have no experience with fresh alfalfa, just fresh grass and clover after winter and after they have been on hay-- we feed alfalfa hay.

 

[lupinfarm]

The coyotes rarely come up to the house, they're more fearful of humans around here as they don't get much human interference. We often leave the dogs out in their run (4 small poodles) later into the night and not once have we had an issue with coyotes. We also alternate wormers for the horse, each worming is a different wormer, recently we used an ivermectin based wormer for her.

As for horse treats, like marezy dotes (they're a molasses ball concoction, very tastey to horsies!), or the purina apple treats? I have lots of those darn apple treats, my mare hates them.

ALSO... I found this book on amazon, what do you guys think? I read some from the sections they give you and it seems informative.

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0764132687/ref=sib_rdr_dp

 

[lupinfarm]

I should say I have no experience with fresh alfalfa, just fresh grass and clover after winter and after they have been on hay-- we feed alfalfa hay.

Haha thats okay, lots of farmers around here use the fresh alfalfa for their dairy cows. We have clover in some of our pasture, and the alfalfa is getting seeded out so the horses can go on it full time. I hate darn alfalfa -_-

We have alfalfa mix hay left over from last season thats still pretty green, I was feeding it to Luna and Tetley but Tetley is leaving on August 26 and Luna doesnt eat much hay in the summer.

 

[trestlecreek]

Yes, there is a book called goat Medicine by Mary Smith and David Sherman. It's about $80.00 new, but I wouldn't be without it. Geared for the vet student. It is excellent and you would really like it. You might try ebay for used.

The book you found looks like it is really basic. Not sure if it's good or not. I have a basic goat book and it stinks and gives misleading info. Just beware.

You could try to run electric in strands on the outside of the pen. One close to the ground(4-5 in., the go up every 8 in or so for about 5 stands). Other than that, I lock mine up in the barn when I hear the coyotes around. Here, I have been blessed and have not had a problem, but I do hear them and lock the barn up when I get worried. I hate to risk loosing a goat/chicken or rabbit!!!

I'd watch the horse treats. Very sweet/concentrated treats can cause goats to get loose stools/bloat. Just be careful with those.