BOSS question...

[cmjust0]

I've got one goat who I think could use a little BOSS.. She's not bad off or anything, but her coat's a little weird.

The whole goat is a little weird, actually, but that's beside the point.

Anyway, I know some of you guys feed a little BOSS to improve coat and/or body condition (fat), and I was wondering where you find it. I mean, I know I can get it at almost any Wal-Mart-ish type department store in the bird seed area, but is that really what everyone else is using?

Also, I noticed that it was pretty expensive when I last checked...like $15+ for a 25lb bag at Wal-Mart. Pound for pound, that's more than four times as much as I pay for 16% medicated goat grain.. Yikes..

Then I thought, hey, maybe it's a feedmill item? So I checked with mine today and, sure enough, they have it. It's much cheaper there, too -- $14.50 for a 50lb bag. Less than half the cost of Wal Mart.

Thing is, it's packaged as bird seed.. For some reason, that's giving me pause. I know what's in the bag and all, but I just kinda wonder if there's like a 'livestock grade' BOSS and a 'birdseed grade' BOSS or something.. I dunno.. I'm probably just being paranoid..

I guess what I'm getting at is that if everyone else is using wild bird labeled BOSS with good results, super...I'll buy a bag next time I'm at the feedmill.



If not...uhh, where else should I be looking?!?

 

[Mini-M Ranch]

Yup, the bird seed. What you want is the solid black ones, not the stripes. I get mine at Southern States. I think it is around $11.00 for a 50 # bag.

 

[miron28]

what is this for and it is brid seed for goats ?

 

[cmjust0]

Yup, the bird seed. What you want is the solid black ones, not the stripes. I get mine at Southern States. I think it is around $11.00 for a 50 # bag.

Bird seed it is, then!

I just checked SS website, and they list a 40lb bag for $15.99... Wonder if $11/50lb is a local special or something? Or maybe the online price is higher...who knows..

Probably need to make a phone call, huh?

Thanks.

 

[DonnaBelle]

We buy our Black Oil Sunflower Seed at the feed store.

It's around $11.00 for a 50# bag.

It's the same stuff WalMart sells. We also put it in our bird feeder. All the birds love it, especially the Cardinals right before a snow storm. But the little birds eat it too. It's very high in protein and fat. A good combo in winter.

I actually tasted it one time, really tastes pretty good. My goats love it too.

DonnaBelle

 

[cmjust0]

what is this for and it is brid seed for goats ?

BOSS is black oil sunflower seeds.. They're pretty high in protein (>20%), but the fat content is generally what makes it valuable to goatkeepers.. The fat is what I'm after in this case, too..

BOSS is (are? ) around 50% fat.. If your goat is has a rough, dry coat, itchy or flaky skin, dandruff, or any of that kind of bad stuff, BOSS is supposed to help tremendously at improving skin condition and slicking the coat. That's just what I need for this one particular ornery goat right now..

Bear in mind that I have other goats that I wouldn't let near BOSS because I have to work like fighting fire to keep them from being absolutely obese.. So, one -- maybe two -- will get BOSS, and if I do it right, the rest will never know such a thing exists.

See, the way I look at feeding is that hay/graze/browse are the primary diet, and everthing else is a supplement. So BOSS, like grain, is a supplement. Supplemental feed, to me, is a tool. Therefore, I'm looking at BOSS as another tool.

I don't use tools unless I have a reason.

Something else that I think is important to point out is that it may be a little dangerous to use BOSS on bucks.. Not to replace goat-labeled grain or any part thereof, that is.. Everything I've read suggests BOSS to be about a 1:7 Ca ratio, which is WAY OFF the 2:1 Ca ratio suggested for goat ration. Even adding a little BOSS to the grain could throw off the ratio and put a buck at risk for UC.. Not good.

I might -- might -- consider adding BOSS to alfalfa pellets for bucks, considering alfalfa is generally 6 or 7:1, Ca.. Even then, though, I'd have to get the nutritional information and break it down by weight..

Just thought I'd throw that out there, as it's not something you hear a whole lot about in regard to BOSS.. It's easy to consider it an 'extra' that's more or less harmless, but I'm sure there was a time when shell corn or a little barley or whatever was thought of in much the same way.....

 

[cmjust0]

Just called my local SS...they have a 20lb for $8 and a 40lb for $15.. Also called TSC (...shudder...) and they have a 40lb for $14.

I pretty much hate SS, and I despise TSC, so it looks like I'll be going with the feedmill at $14.50/50lbs. A little spendier than you lucky folks are getting it, but still somewhat within reason for a bag of feed.

Also...to Mini-M...duly noted on the solid black vs. striped varieties. I'll be sure to double check.

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Yep, it's a local thing. My local feedstore sells BOSS for about $6/50# bag and TSC sells the same weight for $14. I've seen it at Walmart in a 15# bag for $8 I don't know what mine says, I just asked for BOSS and didn't look at the tag, but it is BOSS only.

 

[lupinfarm]

I bought my 25kg bag at Costco LOL... Its cheaper than the 25kg bags at the feed mill which cost in around $25 a bag!! I pay about $14 for my costco BOSS. I give my goats 2 scoops (the ones that come with Cortaflex Pellets) a day in their feed with a scoop (same scoop from Cortaflex) of their mineral since they're hellbent on destroying any mineral I put in their house.

 

[the simple life]

I wish I could get it cheaper around here.
I buy the black oil sunflower seeds for my chickens, helps give them nice glossy feathers and they love them as treats.
The local feed store is almost $25.00 for a 25lb bag and walmart wasn't any better.
The one goat that I wanted to eat it for her coat will not go near the stuff, she use to take it from my hand then use her tounge to push it out of her mouth, now she won't even take it from my hand.
Too bad the dog salon down the street that advertises hot oil treatments don't do goats.