In addition, the ability of the newborn kid to absorb antibodies also decreases rapidly 24 hours after birth. But, there are a few things to keep in mind. Goats are clearly more tolerant to copper toxicity than sheep. I think my goats would love it. We saw the same thing when we tried to go grain free many years ago and gave up. How much feed should a goat eat a day? - Lets Healthify Hello, Feeding your goats organic grain with no attention to the nutrients is like you eating organic potato chips rather than conventionally grown broccoli. I will switch the pellets to just the timothy hay pellets then. It should be possible! Not kidding here. I hand feed them alfalfa pellets, to help them become more friendly, and they also get about a half a flake of first cut hay every day. Feeding Goats: How Much Goat Feed Per Day | Nature's Best The problem is hes lost a tremendous amount of weight and while hes eating ..its not enough. I have been interested in trying alfalfa pellets but havent gotten around to it yet. Yes, Timothy is a type of grass hay. Is this true? Just be sure that your does have access to good quality GOAT mineral, NOT sheep and goat, which does not have copper in it, which will lead to copper deficiency in goats.). Remember that in the beginning, you might need to mix it with grain to get them to eat it. Wethers do not need grain or alfalfa, but if you just give them a little bit as a treat until youve used up these bags, they should be fine. If it was one day that you saw him mounting her, and she wouldnt stand, its possible she was in standing heat a couple of hours earlier or later then when you were out there, so she is probably not pregnant. If you have meat goats, it may not a problem to go grain free. The amount of water they need depends on how much water they are getting from fresh grass. Yes, pregnant does need at least 50% alfalfa, so your plan sounds good. Grain and protein meal and to a lesser extent whole cottonseed are the preferred feeds to overcome this problem. Sometimes I sprinkle the little bit of the sweet feed in the minerals and baking soda hoping they get some in this way. I gave them to a friend how picked them up. They can eat as much as they want. Bacteria that are present in the rumen of goats ferment sugars, starches, fats and fibrous carbohydrates into volatile fatty acids. Poop is good! It is impossible to get any kind of organic goat feed around here. Can you explain what you are seeing and what you are doing when you see whatever you are seeing? A yearly supply of replacement does that are healthy, of good size, and free of internal and external parasites, is essential to the success of any meat goat enterprise. I also found after 7 years of selective breeding of Genemaster goats, that the pasture, Alfalfa pellets, copper boluses ( I divide the 15gram cap, and give 1/2 into some feed 3 times a year), start a little grain during the middle of gestation period, and up the pellets/grain to about 50/50 last 1&1/2 months, with Sweetlix minerals, and some BOSS. One of the folks told me she was feeding hers (the 5 weekers) grower grain mixed with alfalfa pellets 1/2 cup a day. Goats should be grouped according to their nutritional needs to more effectively match feed quality and supply to animal need. Want more to read? Depends on how you define occasional treat. Would appreciate it very much Flushing can be accomplished by moving breeding does to a lush nutritious pasture 3 to 4 weeks prior to the introduction of the bucks. My goats think they are getting a real treat, and they are. Reproductive failure can result if does are under or over conditioned at the time of breeding. And whats the difference between alfalfa and grass hay? They all have different dietary needs. Not fun for any of us but hes done well for several years. Corn is the grain of choice for flushing; whole cottonseed is another low cost, high energy and also high protein supplement. My doeling and wether only get grain when theyre getting their feet done or getting shots, etc. Every year I seem to have that one kid that thinks he can swallow a pellet out of his moms feed bowl. They have goat minerals and baking soda as well but they could care less about these. Can I feed this brand of alfalfa pellets? Usually added fat should not represent more than 5% of a diet because it depresses ruminal fermentation. Animals should have frequent access to sunlight because it causes vitamin D to be synthesized under their skin, or they should receive supplemental vitamin D. Good quality sun-cured hays are excellent sources of vitamin D. A deficiency in vitamin D results in poor calcium absorption, leading to rickets, a condition where the bones and joints of young animals grow abnormally. This is why you need to have baking soda available free choice at all times, so that they can self-medicate if they are feeling off. Kids will do fine if they are nursing and have hay and browse available. Ive been giving them a small amount if mixed grain to lure them. Here is more on that topic https://thriftyhomesteader.com/what-do-goats-eat-it-depends/, Oops my website is BrightLightsSolar.com and my email is transportablesolar@gmail.com. Help! Thanks for sharing! Its just not working and Im super concerned especially with winter around the corner. Support Growth and Performance with Purina Goat Grower-Finisher . If the diet contains too much phosphorous relative to calcium, supplemental calcium from feed grade limestone is one way to maintain the calcium:phosphorous ratio between 2:1 to 4:1. Goats fed medicated feed long term have been shown to wind up with vitamin E deficiency. If does are not bred annually, they tend to have a problem with obesity if theyre being fed alfalfa because its just too rich. The kids in Glennas scenario were probably overweight due to feeding too much grain. Since not all my does liked the pellets and they were rather large I switched to Chaffhaye a few months ago. Relative to their body weight, the amount of feed needed by meat goats is approximately twice that of cattle. Its protein content is about double that of grass hay. My does and bucks get it daily. Thank you for any help you can suggest. Ive read some places that theres no nutrition in dry grass. Be aware that with dairy goats, their milk production is about 9 to 10 . After dealing with goats dying, not getting pregnant, not staying pregnant, and lots of other heartaches, I learned about goat nutrition, and as of right now, I have never found an organic grain for goats that has a decent nutritional analysis. Clear, flowing water from a stream is preferable to stagnant water; the latter may contain excessive levels of blue-green algae, which may be toxic. What Do You Feed a Goat? Complete Guide to Feeding Goats for Better I went to the Lakin website, and the first ingredient is alfalfa, which is too rich for wethers and bucks. They are not producing sperm or babies or milk, so they dont need anything more than a good grass hay, pasture, and free choice minerals. N.C. We'll break down everything you need to know about feeding alfalfa to your herd in this post. When forage or browse is limited or of low quality (< 10% protein), weanlings and yearlings should be fed 1.0 lb/day of the 16% protein mixture. We do plan on getting them banded when they are 12 weeks old. Janet Lambert. For years, Ive also been recommending them to others who have trouble getting their goats milked before the does finish their grain and start to protest about being on the milk stand. When we got started, we bought 5-gallon water buckets, but we have transitioned to 2-gallon buckets over the years for several reasons. A complete goat mineral should be offered free choice year-around in most production situations. I actually found a bag of the organic alfalfa pellets at my TSP. Here is more on minerals in goats: I just contacted Standlee to get the most up-to-date info for you, in case anything has changed since I worked with them last year on this. Nutritionally alfalfa is the same regardless of whether it is pellets, cubes, or hay, but goats really need the long stem forage, such as hay, to keep their rumen working. What To Feed Goats: Goat Feeding Diet on a Farm, In the Wild and During Since you are soaking it though, I wouldnt mix up more than she can eat in a few hours because you dont want it to start to grow mold (if you are in a warm climate) or freeze (if you are in a cold climate). Goats should NEVER be given any type of medicated feed for an extended period of time. If the reason is parasites, then treat that. As the productivity of meat goats is increased through selection and crossbreeding with goats having a higher production potential, such as the Boer goat, nutritional requirements will also increase. I can only order them on their website with a shipping fee that is more than the cost of pellets. If the goats had ever had grain, their milk supply completely fell apart when she tried to take the grain away. Colostrum is the first milk produced after birth. What We Feed Goats That Are Currently Milking Leaving doe kids with the main herd will result in undernourished doelings that are bred too young and too small; these animals will never reach their production potential. Organic is a BIG plus! If you have a pasture, then you'll only need to give them hay during the times of the year when they can't graze. I was under the impression that medicated goat feed was good for them as long as you hay & minerals for them? . I think the back pasture thats about 2 acres has alot of oats but Im not sure. So, what's the truth? If she had a doe that had never had grain in its life, it did well, but if she tried to take an adult doe off grain, she either lost too much weight or her supply plummeted. Hay Goats need hay. We cant get organic feed where I live either, so I feed the non-organic alfalfa. Or how many lbs per doe a day?Right now I go through 4 bales a month(& there is some waste). I have seem no health issues so far and I have been providing Timothy hay everyday with their pellets. This highly palatable pelleted goat feed is formulated with Lambitine TM technology to help support immune competence and optimize feed consumption.. View Product Only first milking from healthy animals should be frozen for later feeding, and the colostrum from older animals that have been on the premises for several years is typically higher in antibody content against endemic pathogens than is colostrum from first fresheners. I can try alfalfa cubes, after all, alfalfa is a good feed for ruminants. You also did not mention browse, but unless your goats are going to get daily browse, your chances of having healthy goats is not great if you go grain free. Its very challenging to go grain-free with dairy goats. . It is only bucks or DRY does that do not need the calcium in alfalfa. How Much Pellets To Feed Goats? - Now Outdoor Times Like so many things with goats, the answer is it depends! Do you have pregnant does, milkers, bucks, wethers? You should not feed alfalfa in any form (hay or pellets or cubes) to dry does older than about six months old. One of them will be my herd sire this year and he is still a kid growing. Vitamins are needed by the body in very small quantities. There is too much calcium, which can bind with zinc and cause a zinc deficiency. If you need to bribe them with a handful of pellets every now and then, thats fine. So excited to see that there is now an organic option. Nothing is ever engraved in stone, but most normal, healthy goats have done the majority of their really fast growing by the time they are six months old so they dont need the extra protein in a grower feed or the calcium in alfalfa. If you are concerned about GMOs, you should know that beet pulp is all GMO, and its really just empty calories. I am very interested in adding alfalfa pellets to their daily feed, as Im concerned about feeding them too much grain. Therefore, it is important for animals to have access to enough protein to cover their nutritional requirements. Where do you purchase your organic alfalfa pellets? They just slurp up the grain like a five-year-old eating ice cream. But if you have more than a couple of goats, you wont have enough crumbs. You could mix in a little grain to get them more interested. Our vet recommended against it telling us it would cause urinary calculus. Feeding Dairy Goats - GMS Goats The term body condition refers to the fleshiness of an animal. Alfalfa is a very rich fodder made of the dehydrated legume alfalfa. However, refrain from feeding your goats too much grain, as this can negatively affect their health. I have never used pellets with goats, but can see where this would be great in many ways. They seem to waste a lot of hay. Just tie them up tight. Our freezer wethers have been fine, but I want to avoid problems with pregnant does. Colostrum should never be cooked during the thawing process. . Water needs vary with the stage of production, being highest for early lactating does, and during times when the weather is warm and forages are dry. Even though alfalfa pellets generally cost more than bales of hay, there is zero waste with the pellets. Following weaning, doe kids should be separated from the main herd and have access to high quality forage and receive good nutrition through first kidding at 1-2 years of age, depending on the nutritional plane. Standlee Alfalfa Timothy pellets ok for goats? How much? Other areas to monitor are the shoulders, the tail heads, the pins, the hooks, the edge of the loins and the backbone. Keep in mind that wethers are VERY easy keepers, and people kill them with kindness a lot. However, little is known regarding factors that affect zinc availability in forages. As a result, adequate amounts of feed cannot be consumed. They dont need it when their growth slows down. Plus, it gets more water in their diet, which is good for a milking goat. I have ND goats on grass hay 24/7. Now for the pregnant and milking doe Im struggling with what amounts to give and at which time in gestation / milking to give the grains and the alfalfa pellets. Im so happy they have organic! I am very happy to hear that someone is making organic pellets especially for goats, but not sure I can source them up in Northern BC where we live. I just introduced the pellets to them recently and they LOVE it, purchased the Standlee, but was recommended the alfalfa and timothy hay mixture as winter is coming and they would need a little extra protein for the cold, although in Las Vegas, our winters are pretty mild compared to other places. As a general recommendation, trace mineralized salt containing selenium should be given to all goats year around. Besides our horses we use them with our pigs and chickens. I read in a garden forum that alfalfa is never treated with Grazon like hay is, do you know if that is true? First, alfalfa pellets are high in calcium, which can lead to milk fever in goats. I would just as soon take her off grain, but with her still being young and pregnant Im not sure what to do. Beet pulp must not be fed as a free choice. of Dumor goat feed, and free choice wheat hay (the hay does have the grain heads in it). And this is how I soak pellets before feeding them to our pigs: Do you know how pellets are different than cubes or hay? Goats grazing very hilly pastures will have higher nutritional requirements than goats on level pastures of the same quality because they will expand more energy to gather feed. Feeding Equipment Water If you're starting a goat herd, you will know that goats require some knowledge to feed them right. If you buy some grass hay pellets, you can mix that with the grain to get them transitioned over and then use that as a treat for them. We'll cover the benefits and the potential risks, so you can decide whether or not to feed alfalfa to your goats. Weve fed them to sheep before. I heard a lot about alfalfa for milking does in your article, which is what my friend does for her does, and is what my doelings have been on for their whole lives. I love the alfalfa pellets mixed in with the grain. Are you discontinuing it?? What kind of grain are you referring to? Id like to add more nutrition to their diet in order for them to gain weight for winter and be healthy. Maybe silly but I bought a cow bell and trying to train them to come when they hear it. They do NOT need alfalfa, and in fact, feeding alfalfa to a wether and a dry doe could cause zinc deficiency because it has too much calcium in it, which can bind with the zinc, making it unavailable. 3# per doe. We will be bottle feeding the two youngest ones until they are 8 weeks old and we also have timothy hay, loose minerals and baking soda available free choice. Just as we mix the pellets into the grain for the goats, we also mix it with the pigs grain. You could try a bag and see how it compares. Feed grains that are high in protein are whole cottonseed, soybean meal, wheat middlings and corn gluten feed. Goats raised for meat need high quality feed in most situations and require an optimum balance of many different nutrients to achieve maximum profit potential. Ive been doing a TON of research but there are so many different things that are said. Why? Im trying to go complete grain free with all my livestock. Good to hear some good reviews on them. They dont chew. 1. When forage or browse is limited or of low quality (< 10% protein), lactating does (and does in the last 30 days of gestation) and developing/breeding bucks should be fed 1.0 lb/day of a 16% protein mixture (77:20:2.5:0.5 ground corn:soybean meal:goat mineral:limestone). How about Nigerian Dwarf goats? If, for any reason, we need to close them up early, we ring the bell and the herd comes running. If the kids are still nursing, then its fine for the mama to have some grain to help her with milk production, but once the kids stop nursing, then you should stop the grain for the mama. My doe eats way too fast and tries to have me stop milking until she gets more.. New to Goat ownership this summer- love reading all the comments! Providing free choice a complete goat mineral or a 50:50 mix of trace mineralized salt and dicalcium phosphate is advisable under most situations. One of my goats finishes her grain really fast and gets antsy that I am not finished milking. Hay pellets for goats - Life of farmers They do not need a goat feed or grain because thats high in calories and protein, which they do not need, so they are likely to get obese if you feed them that. I will keep this post in mind on the off-chance that I am unable to get them from the mill. Grains Grains are a great source of proteins and vitamins for goats. Designed to deliver the nutrition and performance you expect. When forage or browse is low in quality, (40 to 55% TDN; 10% protein or less), does in late pregnancy and early lactation should be provided with about 1 lb/day of a 16% protein concentrate. If not, you can mix it into chickens feed or sprinkle on your garden around your tomato plants. Goats raised for meat need high quality feed in most situations and require an optimum balance of many different nutrients to achieve maximum profit potential. Or something else? Pregnant does are fine eating peanut hay because they NEED the calcium in the hay to grow babies. The couple I sold triplets to fed only pellets, and medicated ones at that!, contrary to everything I had told them. cfish001 said: Ive used them for guinea pigs. This cost-effective flushing method is underutilized in the Southeast where forage is abundant. Some of the non-organic fields do have GMO alfalfa planted, but not all, so the pellets are a mix. Leguminous hay typically has much higher protein levels than grass hay and will also contain more calcium.
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