Natures best organic feed

[marliah]

Anyone using this? I am looking into using this or making my own, wondering which is more cost effective. I want my goats to be eating the way we eat (organic, non gmo) cause it seems pointless to go to all the trouble of growing goats and milking if I am feeding them gmo grain, some of that must be making it through in the milk. So I called around and locally can get organic feed for $30 for 50lbs or I can start researching mixing my own. With 5 children and homeschooling obviously the already Made stuff is easier, but what's best for the girls and for our milk production?


If you do use the natures best do you top it with anything? Also should the goas have a salt block as well as the mineral mix or does mineral mix contain the salt they need? I bought a mineral salt block yesterday which I have not opened yet, wondering if I am needing it now where I give them free access to a mineral mix?

I add acv to their water daily, and put de in with their mineral mix and they have free access to bakin soda. If anybody even dlooks at me funny they get a clove of garlic lol. Anything else I need to be aware of or that you have found helpful? We used chewing tobacco for deworming this year and I am looking into herbal dewormers as well. I currently have one doe in milk and she gets about 4 cups of grain a day, my other doe is not pregnant or in milk so I just give her a handful, is that about right?

I am excited to see this forum as I want to raise them organically and without maintstream medical intervention if at all possible.


Thanks in advance for any helpful hints you may have!

 

[elevan]

Anyone using this? I am looking into using this or making my own, wondering which is more cost effective. I want my goats to be eating the way we eat (organic, non gmo) cause it seems pointless to go to all the trouble of growing goats and milking if I am feeding them gmo grain, some of that must be making it through in the milk. So I called around and locally can get organic feed for $30 for 50lbs or I can start researching mixing my own. With 5 children and homeschooling obviously the already Made stuff is easier, but what's best for the girls and for our milk production?

I don't use it. I would research what prices are for the ingredients to mix your own and compare though.

If you do use the natures best do you top it with anything? Also should the goas have a salt block as well as the mineral mix or does mineral mix contain the salt they need? I bought a mineral salt block yesterday which I have not opened yet, wondering if I am needing it now where I give them free access to a mineral mix?

Take the salt block back.
The minerals have all the salt that they need and if you leave a salt block out they'll go for it and ignore the minerals.

I add acv to their water daily, and put de in with their mineral mix and they have free access to bakin soda. If anybody even dlooks at me funny they get a clove of garlic lol.

Put the baking soda away but keep it on hand in case you have a problem and need it. Leaving baking soda out all the time does 2 things...1: It gets wasted....2: Goats will ignore their mineral or not eat enough of them because they like the salty taste of the baking soda. Baking soda won't prevent bloat and messes up the rumen ph when used all the time.

Anything else I need to be aware of or that you have found helpful? We used chewing tobacco for deworming this year and I am looking into herbal dewormers as well.

Chewing tobacco is really a myth for deworming.
There are other "herbs" out there that are actually considered effect. Note that things that have high tannin content are high among them.
Also making sure that the goats have plenty of browse (shrubs, weeds, trees) to eat over being forced to graze grasses low to the ground will help greatly reduce worm issues. Check out the Parasite Management link in my signature below for more information on understand the worm cycle and how they work. At the bottle of the article there is a link to the forum discussion which at one point has plants that can help you in your worm battle.

I currently have one doe in milk and she gets about 4 cups of grain a day, my other doe is not pregnant or in milk so I just give her a handful, is that about right?

Depends on her weight, her condition, how much she's producing...
Goats don't actually need grain...even those who are lactating. You can feed things like alfalfa pellets which are high in calcium. There are plenty of options out there if you care to look hard enough.

I am excited to see this forum as I want to raise them organically and without maintstream medical intervention if at all possible.


Thanks in advance for any helpful hints you may have!

Look into alternatives before you need them. Many alternative "treatments" work best as preventatives. Meaning once you hit a heavy problem you often do have to bring out the big guns. Things like raw apple cider vinegar or pickle juice have been mentioned for prevention of coccidia for example, but won't help you if you have a kid that already has it.


eta: I'm kind of working backwards myself and now adding more natural resources into my programs.

 

[aileenB]

The best organic feed you can use are your waste, animal manures, fruits, vegetables, leaves and etc.