Wethers-what to feed??

[JanetM]

We are new to goats and have a couple little pygmy wethers(11months & 8months old) that are just pets. I have did alot of reading and researching and the more I read the more confused I get on what exactly I need to be feeding them. We have a vet & she has said just mixed grass hay(which they get free choice), loose goat mineral(which is also free choice), fresh water(and in the cold times I have been bringing out warm for them) and no more than 1/4c of grain/day(goat chow is what I have). I would love to get some suggestions on what I can improve to make them have a healthier happy life. I have ordered a copy of the book Diet for Wethers by Carolyn Eddy but have not gotten it yet. Any advise will be much apprecitated! Thank you so much.

 

[Goatherd]

I'd really like to help you but when it comes to wethers I break every rule ever written as to what is appropriate and what isn't. Someone who feeds by the "rules" should be along shorthly.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Make absolutely sure any grain you feed has ammonia chloride in it.

Don't feed thinks like crackers to your wethers, it is very high in phosphorus, no other grains as treats, only a mixed goat grain with 2 to 1 calcium to phosphorus with ammonia chloride.
Pygmies are terrible about getting UC. If I had a small breed wether, I would keep extra ammonia chloride on hand. It is very cheap, Looks like salt.

make sure your minerals also have twice as much calcium as phosphorus, some of them do not and are more like 1 to 1. .

You can look up vegetables and fruits and find a list about phosphorus and calcium in them. People can also have problems with stones so there are some pretty good lists out there. Pick the fruit and veggies as treats that have the best ratios. If I remember correctly I think Apples with the peel was one of the better ones.

 

[JanetM]

Make absolutely sure any grain you feed has ammonia chloride in it.

Don't feed thinks like crackers to your wethers, it is very high in phosphorus, no other grains as treats, only a mixed goat grain with 2 to 1 calcium to phosphorus with ammonia chloride.
Pygmies are terrible about getting UC. If I had a small breed wether, I would keep extra ammonia chloride on hand. It is very cheap, Looks like salt.

make sure your minerals also have twice as much calcium as phosphorus, some of them do not and are more like 1 to 1. .

You can look up vegetables and fruits and find a list about phosphorus and calcium in them. People can also have problems with stones so there are some pretty good lists out there. Pick the fruit and veggies as treats that have the best ratios. If I remember correctly I think Apples with the peel was one of the better ones.

Thank you very much. I will check my labels as soon as I get home. And will get some ammonia chloride to keep on hand- is this something I need to be giving them on a daily for prevention? And how would I give it to them-do they just like it?

My younger goat-Ducky will eat pretty much anything you offer(apples, carrots, corn husks) but the older one Willie acts like your trying to poison him-the only thing he will eat is a apple & oat flavored horse treat. The vet said every now and then it would be fine on the packaging this is what is has "Calcium (Ca) (min.) 0.60%, Calcium (Ca) (max.) 1.10%, Phosphorus (P) (min.) 0.45%" is there anyway someone could explain to me how I would figure the ratio on the Ca with that information? would 2:1 just basically be double the calcium to the phosphorus?

I have even seen that I need to be checking the water ph level...is this so? I just want my goatie goats to be healthy & want to do all I can do for them.

 

[SheepGirl]

Phosphorus is 0.45% -- double that (0.90%) and that is what you want your calcium to be.

 

[20kidsonhill]

If you are already talking with a vet ask them about ammonia chloride daily, but otherwise you can do it for 3 or 4 or 5 days in a row once a month or so. Your feed should alrady have some in it, i fit doesn't then, yes I woudl be adding ammonia choride daily to the grain.

It is 1 teaspoon per day per 150 lbs of goat, but that would be counting what is already in the feed. It can be overdosed.
No they don't like it. needs to be mixed in feed or minerals.

I have heard of people increasing their Ph of their water by adding som vinegar to it. Agian, another thing I would ask the vet.

could mix some in the minerals, again i would ask the vet about amounts.

 

[Mamaboid]

we don't have wethers but we mix our AC in with our loose minerals for our 5 bucks. We don't feed them anything but hay unless they are in breeding pens with the does, at which time they do get a little grain with extra AC sprinkled on it 2 or 3 days a week.

 

[JanetM]

Ok so I checked my labels & looks like I need to change everything...my loose minerals doesn't have any ammonium chloride & the Ca is not quite 2:1(Calcium min11% max13.20%, Phosphorus min 8%). I have emailed my vet for recommendations but she is sometimes long in getting back as she seems to have alot on her plate-but seems very concerned when she does.

I would really appreciate any recommendations on what kind of loose mineral to switch too-I use co-op brand right now. I have also ordered some ammonuim cholride.

 

[20kidsonhill]

It really depends on what they sell in your area, Co-op minerals can be fine, but yours are not with that low of Calcium.
something like Sweetlix MeatMaker 16:8 loose minerals is really popular. The 16:8 is the calcium and phosphorus percentage and it is designed for meat goats, and since meat goats are often wethered it is designed to be formulated for wethers.

but there are lots of other brands. Just have to keep readign lables and making phone calls, I have never found one with Ammonia chloride added to the minerals. We don't add it to the minerals, but I know people do.

 

[JanetM]

I am looking at Manna Pro the label looks good(Crude Protein (min.) 4.00%, Calcium (min.) 16.00%, Calcium (max.) 19.20%, Phosphorus (min.) 8.00%, Salt (min.) 12.00%, Salt (max.) 14.40%, Potassium (min.) 1.50%, Magnesium (min.) 1.50%, Copper (min.) 1350 PPM, Manganese (min.) 2750 PPM, Zinc (min.) 5500 PPM, Selenium (min.) 12 PPM, Vitamin A (min.) 300,000 IU/LB, Vitamin D3 (min.) 30,000 IU/LB, Vitamin E (min.) 400 IU/LB.) and per the ingredients this contains Ammonium Chloride.

Now in changing the boys over I will need to mix it with the other & do it gradually correct? Is there anything I should watch for in the change over?

I am also wanting to get them off the goat chow the numbers on it are not good either-they only get 1/8c in the mornings/day but they love getting it. I was looking at DuMor goat feed the Ca on it look good but Im not sure about the other numbers (Crude Protein (min.) 16.00% (This includes not more than 1.50% equivalent crude protein from non-protein nitrogen), Crude Fat (min.) 2.00%, Crude Fiber (max.) 16.00%, Calcium (Ca) (min.) .75%, Calcium (Ca) (max.) 1.25%, Phosphorus (P) (min.) .35%, Salt (NaCl) (min.) .25%, Salt (NaCl) (max.) .75%, Copper (Cu) (min.) 22.00 ppm, Copper (Cu) (max.) 25.00 ppm, Selenium (Se) (min.) .30 ppm, Vitamin A (min.) 3000 IU/lb, Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

DuMor also has a sweet feed but the Ca are not as good (Calcium (Ca) (min.) .80%, Phosphorus (P) (min.) .50%).

Thank you all so very much for everyones advise. I really really appreciate it.