completely clueless on getting right diet! Could use hints.

[kapfarm]

O.K. I have no flippin' clue about this bag of grain!
I always thought you feed grain by body weight?
Is that not correct or does it depend on the grain?

I have this nutrition tag from a bag of Boer developer and it says:

FEEDING DIRECTIONS: Feed BOER GOAT DEVELOPER r20 medicated continuously as the sole ration to growing goats......goats may be offered approx 10% good quality long stemmed hay.

What is sole ration? Does this include foraging?

I hope they dont mean to go out and buy 500 bags of this stuff!

I am trying to establish a diet for them but these tags throw me for a loop.

also, the crude protein is "not less than 17.0%" This is 17%/50lb bag?

 

[freemotion]

Most feed bags will have you feeding your animals into obesity or into their graves. I feed hay when the pasture is dry or if the weather is bad, and grain only to those who can't keep their weight up....pregnant, lactating, growing. Oh, and Mister Stinky, too!

 

[kapfarm]

So feeding goat grain vs all hay or forage is pretty much like eating veggies with your meal?(except goats seem to like it!)

Basically, if your goats look and act healthy they are eating good enough?

Do you think there is truth in the fact that if a goat has a perfect diet, they have a better chance of having triplets?

Do you get a lot of sickness in your goats? The reason I am asking is because if there is the slightest chance that grain reduces sicknesses then I am going to continue graining them as a part of their daily diet.

 

[freemotion]

No, I do not believe that grain reduces sickness!

I have read a lot about increasing twinning in sheep by feeding root veggies, and since my root crop failed this year (completely!!!) I am feeding everyone who is breeding, including the buck, beet pulp and chopped pumpkins.

To give you an idea of the amount of grain I feed, the 80 + pound doeling gets two handfuls of soaked beet pulp and about 1/3 to 1/2 cup lacto-fermented barley twice a day. My two pygmies get no grain, but one that will be bred is getting a handful of beet pulp twice a day. The lactating doe is getting three big handfuls of beet pulp and a heaping double handful of lacto-fermented barley, along with the lion's share of chopped produce. And last, the buck, a little over seven months and about to earn his keep, is getting worked up to more grain now, as he could use more weight. He is up to two-three handfuls beet pulp, half cup of the barley, and 1.5 cups of the commercial pellets he was used to and will stay on during his short stay here. He also gets some chopped pumpkin and whatever veggie scraps we have from supper. He will be increased another half cup of pellets over the next week, then I will watch him. He is very concerned about his job!

For all the ones getting beet pulp, I soak 1.5 cups of the crumbles in water twice a day for everyone. For chopped fresh veggies, they are working their way up since I just got a big load of pumpkins and squash from the farm next door that closed for the season. They are getting about a half gallon a day between the five goats, in two meals and some snacks. I tend to be cautious with adding new foods, but I am not afraid to add healthy items to their diet when available. Just gotta be careful not to shock that rumen.

The rest of their food is hay and pasture. You can also see that I am not a fan of commercial foods for any of my animals. They are very healthy. I take in and rehab a lot of sad cases. I am so looking forward to raising a couple of goats from scratch for a change.

 

[kapfarm]

WOW! that is impressive. I don't have the means to grow a garden right now, I think I will stick to grain for a while, but maybe I will stop reading the bag tags and keep asking questions here. I am feeding 1/2 lb. a day of developer and free eats on the hay. Think this is fine? all are pregnant boers or growing kids.

 

[freemotion]

Yes, my point was, mostly hay and pasture/browse, and just give a little grain to the individuals who need a little more. A half pound a day sounds about right for a goat in good weight. Just watch those preggers girls and feel them now and then. Winter coats can hide slimness. Free choice hay is great for them, too, unless they get too fat.

Free produce could be all around you. I put an ad on craigslist and talked to people who have big gardens, apple trees, etc. Some people hate to throw stuff away, and the goats don't mind a wormy apple or scruffy rutabaga or giant zuchinni. Not rotten or moldy, but not pretty, either. Chop 'em up small (I use the food processor if I have a lot and put it in small buckets in the fridge) and just feed a little if they are not used to it. Like half cup twice a day for two days, then a cup twice a day, etc. Watch for clumpy poo and back off if needed.

Some might argue with me, but it works for my critters. The proof is just outside my window!

 

[kapfarm]

Maybe I will try the craigslist search for outdated foods. What about breads? I heard they like bread but i am sure you can give them too much huh?

I have a older buck that will only eat a certain amount of anything including grain w/ molassas, is this normal?

 

[freemotion]

No bread, no molasses. The rumen works with bacteria, and you have to be careful not to throw the balance off.

If the buck's condition is good, don't worry so much. Think of grain as a supplement, not as the main source of food. Feed on an as needed basis.

Think of how the animal, whether goat, horse, dog, cat, etc. would eat in the wild. For goats, grain would be a rare treat, and only found here and there in their grazing. I've never come across a field of wild oats! Just a few here and there.

Of course, many of today's animals have the hardiness needed to survive in the wild bred right out of them, so we have to keep that in mind. An animal that is not efficient with their food or one that has a delicate rumen would die, and not pass those genes on. With domesticated animals, that has changed. So we have to be more careful.

That is one advantage of my rescued does....they survived in very harsh conditions. Not that I would ever purposely recreate those conditions to create hardiness....but two of my gals were left to fend for themselves for some time. Tough little sweeties. One gets no grain, the other needs some, as she has dairy genes.

Grain on a case-by-case basis. You'll do just fine!

 

[PattiXmas]

So, it is better to let them graze or hay them? Won't too much hay give them a hay belly? I also am confused on this issue. We give both grain and hay to our girls. They were bred last month, so I would assume that they are going to need an extra boost to supplement and aid in the development of healthy little kids.

 

[freemotion]

That big belly you see, especially on the left side, is a lovely working rumen. A very good thing in a goat. Lots of hay (grazing is ideal if you have it available) = a working rumen.

Animals don't tend to get a lot of abdominal fat first, like humans. They are not eating a high sugar and white flour diet, which deposits dangerous fat in the abdomen. They tend to distribute their weight throughout their bodies.