What to feed baby male goats?

[Fawkes]

I'm confused, do young weaned males (or neutered male goats in general) need anything other than grass and hay? Should you give grain, veg/herbs, other plants, any sort of mineral block/salt block/supplements?

I've read something about grains being bad for males? They will be pets and I want them to be very healthy

 

[Ms. Research]

I'm confused, do young weaned males (or neutered male goats in general) need anything other than grass and hay? Should you give grain, veg/herbs, other plants, any sort of mineral block/salt block/supplements?

I've read something about grains being bad for males? They will be pets and I want them to be very healthy

Welcome Fawkes. Love the name. Dumbledore's Phoenix?

I believe if you want GREAT information on how to care for a male goat, or any type of goat you would dream of, this blog has some very informative guidelines for a long and compatible life. I've learn a lot about goats from this blog and IMHO it is a something a newbie would use as a valuable tool for the health and well being of a pet.

http://goat-info.blogspot.com/

Good Luck with your Goat!

 

[Fawkes]

Yep, after Dumbledore's phoenix

Thanks for the link! I"ve read through that and think my goats will get a variety of hays (still unsure if alfalfa is okay?), grass if they will eat it, and Purina Noble Goats. And can also graze.

Then it seems they need:

Salt Block
ADM Goat Power minerals or Manna Pro Goat Minerals (loose)
Manna Pro Goat Balancer
Goats Prefer Probiotic Power
Possibly Black Oil Sunflower Seeds- possibly just as "treats"

Confused whether copper & selenium boluses need to be given or if the above supplements and Noble Goats have enough copper & selenium...

Also confused about baking soda?

And how often everything ought to be given, how much per goat, whether young goats need all those things...

 

[Ms. Research]

Yep, after Dumbledore's phoenix

Thanks for the link! I"ve read through that and think my goats will get a variety of hays (still unsure if alfalfa is okay?), grass if they will eat it, and Purina Noble Goats. And can also graze.

Then it seems they need:

Salt Block
ADM Goat Power minerals or Manna Pro Goat Minerals (loose)
Manna Pro Goat Balancer
Goats Prefer Probiotic Power
Possibly Black Oil Sunflower Seeds- possibly just as "treats"

Confused whether copper & selenium boluses need to be given or if the above supplements and Noble Goats have enough copper & selenium...

Also confused about baking soda?

And how often everything ought to be given, how much per goat, whether young goats need all those things...

After reading a few threads, alfalfa sounds okay for goats. Just moderation. Plus how active your goats will be also is a hint on feed. Fat animals don't thrive. Only cause more health problems.

I think the baking soda is used when goats get bloated. The baking soda helps with the bloat.

With everything, it takes time once everyone is settled to find the pattern for your animals. Feed, medication, preventive, hoof care, etc.

I found goats a bit scary at first when reading. All the info needed to know about care and sickness, debudding vs keep the horns, banding, etc. But if you really want to do it, sounds like a neat animal to have a round.

Good Luck!

 

[Fawkes]

Yeah, I'm finding it a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I won't be getting any for a pretty long time though so I have plenty of time to research loads

How many goats do you have? I'm thinking about 2 pygmy and 1 Nigerian (all whethers) and was wondering how much I'd probably spend every month on feed and supplements. Considering maybe a whether Nubian as well if I could afford his feed/vaccines/etc.

 

[Ms. Research]

Yeah, I'm finding it a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I won't be getting any for a pretty long time though so I have plenty of time to research loads

How many goats do you have? I'm thinking about 2 pygmy and 1 Nigerian (all whethers) and was wondering how much I'd probably spend every month on feed and supplements. Considering maybe a whether Nubian as well if I could afford his feed/vaccines/etc.

No goats. I'm like you. Just looking. I'm from an area that is zoned residential. Already looked into it and no "livestock". But Better Half and I have been planning to move to somewhere where it's NOT zoned "no livestock". Goats are on our list as one of the animals we want to acquire.

But it will take time for that. Doesn't hurt to research now though.

And I'm more leaning toward the Nigerian. But who knows? Only time will tell. But right now, just research.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I would recommend, when bringing home new goats, to plan ahead ask the seller what the animals are used to being fed, and either purchase the exact same feed(grain) if it is available in your area or ask to purchase a couple bags of feed from the seller.

Often times the change of a new home and new feed is a lot for a goat. Atleast having the same grain can offet them calories and protein to get past the transtion. Hay isn't quit as important, but if the goat is used to eating only hay and never been on pasture they will not now how to eat pasture for a while, therefore they would need hay. Same issue if the hay you are purchasing is a lot different than the hay they are used to. If all they have been offered is alfalfa hay, well they might not be crazy about switching to timothy hay.

ask these questions,

what kind of hay are you using?
what brand and kind of grain are you using? Where are you getting it from
Are they dam raised or bottle raised?
How long have they been weaned?
I recommend making sure they have been weaned for atleast two weeks before bringing home if dam raised.
If still being bottle raised, what kind of milk and nipple is being used?

Get a list of vaccinations and worming of the animal written down. You will never remember it if they just tell you. Unless they say the animals has never had anything done to it.

Ask if there are any problems the goats in the herd have been having in the last couple of years that you should be aware of so you can keep an eye out for it. Soremouth comes to mind.

I personally think if you are bringing home a young goat under 6 months of age, you need to have them on a little grain. Atlest 2% of their body weight in grain a day.

A medicated grain would help a lot wiith coccidiosis

And a grain containing ammonia Chloride is essential for whethers.

kNow where there is a vet and their hours ect.... if you aren't planning on treating the animals on your own, otherwise consider having a couple basic supplies on hand for scours or respiratory problems. a thermometer, 3cc and 6cc syringe and 20 gauge 1/2" or 3/4" needles, small bottle of Penn G, bottle of scour-halt for pigs, a coccidiosis medication, baking soda, pepto-bismo, and atleast one wormer(preferrably two) I would sugget a small bottle of either safegaurd or valbazene(white wormer and a small bottle of ivermecin(clear wormer), a halter, and hoof trimmers.

Ivermectin is expensive, it is cheaper to buy a tube of horse wormer with ivermectin in it, but it is way more difficult to calculate dosage on a small goat. It may be cheaper to buy a couple dosages at a vets office or from a local farmer or the seller of the goat. We often sell a one year package of wormers and meds when we sell a couple goats to a buyer that doesn't have any supplies. We really aren't selling it as much as just charging cost for it.


Other than one kind of grain(preferrably peletted) and one kind of loose minerals, hay and/or pasture, fresh water you are good to go. You can work on adding some of the other things later on, like BOss if you want to.

I don't recommend Purina Loose minerals, because it doesn't have proper 2 to 1 calcium to Phosphorus ratio for males to prevent Urinary calculi.

 

[Ms. Research]

I would recommend, when bringing home new goats, to plan ahead ask the seller what the animals are used to being fed, and either purchase the exact same feed(grain) if it is available in your area or ask to purchase a couple bags of feed from the seller.

Often times the change of a new home and new feed is a lot for a goat. Atleast having the same grain can offet them calories and protein to get past the transtion. Hay isn't quit as important, but if the goat is used to eating only hay and never been on pasture they will not now how to eat pasture for a while, therefore they would need hay. Same issue if the hay you are purchasing is a lot different than the hay they are used to. If all they have been offered is alfalfa hay, well they might not be crazy about switching to timothy hay.

ask these questions,

what kind of hay are you using?
what brand and kind of grain are you using? Where are you getting it from
Are they dam raised or bottle raised?
How long have they been weaned?
I recommend making sure they have been weaned for atleast two weeks before bringing home if dam raised.
If still being bottle raised, what kind of milk and nipple is being used?

Get a list of vaccinations and worming of the animal written down. You will never remember it if they just tell you. Unless they say the animals has never had anything done to it.

Ask if there are any problems the goats in the herd have been having in the last couple of years that you should be aware of so you can keep an eye out for it. Soremouth comes to mind.

I personally think if you are bringing home a young goat under 6 months of age, you need to have them on a little grain. Atlest 2% of their body weight in grain a day.

A medicated grain would help a lot wiith coccidiosis

And a grain containing ammonia Chloride is essential for whethers.

kNow where there is a vet and their hours ect.... if you aren't planning on treating the animals on your own, otherwise consider having a couple basic supplies on hand for scours or respiratory problems. a thermometer, 3cc and 6cc syringe and 20 gauge 1/2" or 3/4" needles, small bottle of Penn G, bottle of scour-halt for pigs, a coccidiosis medication, baking soda, pepto-bismo, and atleast one wormer(preferrably two) I would sugget a small bottle of either safegaurd or valbazene(whiter wormer and a small bottle of ivermecin(clear wormer), a halter, and hoof trimmers.

Ivermectin is expensive, it is cheaper to buy a tube of horse wormer with ivermectin in it, but it is way more difficult to calculate dosage on a small goat. It may be cheaper to buy a couple dosages at a vets office or from a local farmer or the seller of the goat. We often sell a one year package of wormers and meds when we sell a couple goats to a buyer that doesn't have any supplies. We really aren't selling it as much as just charging cost for it.


Other than one kind of grain(preferrably peletted) and one kind of loose minerals, hay and/or pasture, fresh water you are good to go. You can work on adding some of the other things later on, like BOss if you want to.

I don't recommend Purina Loose minerals, because it doesn't have proper 2 to 1 calcium to Phosphorus ratio for males to prevent Urinary calculi.

Thanks 20kidsonhill for this informative post. Great to know what questions to ask when purchasing. Plus the fact that goats, and any animal for that matter, need to take change slowly. THAT'S most important. Changing anything in an animals life will affect them. Stress is truly the enemy. Knowing how NOT to stress your new goat is a PLUS. Thanks so much for all this info.

 

[Goatmasta]

I will add to 20's post that the salt block and baking soda is a no-no. They both cause the goat to not eat the minerals simply put(which is bad).

 

[imtc]

I didn't read all the responses but from what I was told by my vet is a castrated buck should never be fed grains because after being castrated their urethra will not get as large as it would for mating purposes so they get urinary tract blockages and infections much easier.