alpacas eating goat feed?

zelloniszoo

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ok our boys are settled in pretty well now and we are having trouble with the goats eating the alpaca food and the alpacas eating the goat feed.....we feed blue seal 14% to the goats and seal alpaca feed to the alpacas......would there be any problems with them eating each others food?
 

ksalvagno

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The problem with the goat feed is that it has more copper in it than the alpacas should have and it could affect them. If there is some way to feed them in separate areas, that would be better.
 

Straw Hat Kikos

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Is that 14% protein for the goats? That is a little low. I know some people feed that low but it would be better if it were around 16, 17, 18%.
 

zelloniszoo

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we usually rotate between 14 and 16% more the 16% in the winter time
and the goat feed we have does not have copper in it....we have a mineral block free choice in the barn for all of them
 

zelloniszoo

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ok so here are the rundowns on both feeds

Blue Seal Llama-Alpaca Pellets
crude protein, min...........14.0%
crude fat, min..................3.5%
crude fiber, max...............14.0%
calcium, min.....1.25%..max......1.75%
phosphorus, min.............0.80%
salt, min......0.75%....max.....1.25%
selenium................0.80ppm
zinc....................225ppm
vitamin A.........8500IU/lb
vitamin E.............150IU/lb




Blue Seal Coarse 14
crude protein...............14.0%
crude fat....................2.5%
crude fiber..................9.0%
acid detergent fiber(ADF).........10.0%
calcium, min........0.65%.....max......0.95%
phosphorus.......0.55%
salt,min........0.75%..max.....1.25%
potassium.................0.90%
selenium...........0.40ppm
vitamin A........4000IU/lb
 

ksalvagno

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Is the Blue Seal course 14 for the goats? That isn't 2:1 calcium to phosphorus. Goats need a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio at minimum. The alpaca feed looks fine for the alpacas.
 

zelloniszoo

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yes it is coarse 14 for goats.....they seem to be doing fine on it.....they prefer to eat the pasture more than the food lately. and we switch to 16%in the winter.....would it hurt the goats any to eat the alpaca feed and the alpacas to eat the goat feed?
 

zelloniszoo

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the reason i ask is that we would really like to find 1 feed that they can all eat since we really dont have the room to seperate them during feeding time
 

ksalvagno

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The goats are going to need more copper. The alpaca feed is actually a little better for the goats than the goat feed according to the label. But it is still missing copper.
 
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