The cost of feeding Nigerian Dwarfs for a year

[Bicycle]

If I get Alfalfa for $4 per normal sized bale, dairy goat feed $15 per 50 pound bag, sprouts from grain that costs $5 per 10 pound bag, and minerals (dunno how much they cost), how much do you guesstimate it would cost to feed 4 in milk Nigerian Dwarf goats for a year? For the sake of the equation, lets assume they're not really getting anything out of their pasture.

 

[Goatmasta]

The cost per head for Nigerian dwarfs is between $175-$200/yr That is hay, feed and vaccinations.

 

[AlaskanShepherdess]

I'm horrible at math so I'll tell you how much mine eat, and you can figure it out yourself. When I had only 5 Nigies the ate a bale of hay a week during the winter, (it get's REALLY cold here) and during the summer on no pasture they ate a bale somewhere between every week and a half to two and half weeks.

I only grain my does in milk, or individuals that are having trouble keeping them on weight. Doe's in milk receive 1lb of grain in the morning and either 1 more lb in the evening or 1lb alfalfa pellets. Sometimes both. I use kelp and herbal formulas for minerals. I don't know exactly how long it would last if I gave them all they wanted back when I had 5, but I guessed at the current crazy rate they were eating it (catching up from the time I wasn't giving it to them) 1 50lb bag (which costs me about $75) would have lasted about 3 months. At the rate recommended on the bag, that is based on free choice I figured it would last me a year.

I recently bought a bag of standard minerals because I was all out of kelp and couldn't get more fast enough, it was 25lb for $25, and I think if I was currently set up to give it to them free choice (which I'm not) I think my now 12 Nigies would go through it in a month. But like I said before, they are mineral deficient right now so I think they would normally go through it slower.

 

[Goatmasta]

I just refigured my monthly cost.... I am spending around $650 - $750 /month for around 60 goats. On the high side that comes out to $150/head/yr... FYI that is for hay, feed, and minerals. SO @ $175/yr you could include some meds etc..

 

[Goatmasta]

For the other thread that I referred to this thread. @ $200/head/yr you are spending 55 cents/day /head. That is not much, and includes hay, feed, minerals, and a few basic meds.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

When I had only 5 Nigies the ate a bale of hay a week during the winter, (it get's REALLY cold here) and during the summer on no pasture they ate a bale somewhere between every week and a half to two and half weeks.

A bale of hay lasted a herd of 5 goats 2 1/2 weeks without any pasture or browse? A standard 50-60 lb square bale?

 

[AlaskanShepherdess]

Yes, and they were FAT then too! They got a bit of grain as well then, I gave all five around.... maybe 3lb a day?

ETA: I believe on the weeks that it actually lasted THAT long we would chop them down a few branches or bring them a bucket or two of weeds. Not a lot of extra food, but enough to slow down how much they ate. Weeks where they got NOTHING extra except the grain it was I think 1 or 2 days short of being 2 weeks.

I didn't feed them as much as they would eat, because they were so fat, I fed them how much they were content with.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

Are you allowing for waste or waiting to feed them again until all the stems and chaff are gone?

 

[AlaskanShepherdess]

I judged how much to feed them by how fast they ate, if I went out there 20 minutes after they ate and everything was eaten up then I gave them more. If they didn't finish it all up (as in everything, all the good stuff it usually eaten up in the first 20 minutes) until between noon to 3 then I waited to give them more till evening.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

What type of hay is it?