what treats are ok for milk goats? im a newbie

[butterscotch]

i just got my first milk goats (nigerian dwarf) id like to give my girls treats after milking but im not sure what to give i dont want to change the flavor of the milk or make them sick and i was wondering if giving them some of their own milk is ok one of the girls seems to be addicted to it lol any advice would be extremely helpful

 

[DonnaBelle]

My girls love apples, also Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. A handful of those is always a treat!! And very good for them.

Right now I got lots of Okra, so they're getting some cut up.

The thing about goats, some like one treat,others like something else.

A lot of folks give them animal crackers for a treat. I prefer a small amount of a left over FRESH veggie. Not too much at a time, it'll upset their rumen. Annie and Lenora usually split an apple.

DonnaBelle

 

[lindseymadora]

Mine *love* carrot sticks.

 

[savingdogs]

Mine like raisins, BOSS, and goat grain for treats. Other than that they are pretty picky. I guess they like alfalfa pellets as a treat too. I've tried a lot of things other people say they feed their goats, like apple slices, and they look at me like I'm crazy.

 

[Prisca]

Oh I love this conversation! I have 20 plus Nubian dairy goats who are all spoiled rotten according to my dear hubby. I swear that each one of them has what they consider their special treat. Most of the milkers for some reason will leave any pellets that are in their feed ration but the goats that are not milking and fed on the line gobble up the pellets! This year I planted a plot of comfrey. Comfrey is very high in protein - alfalfa has about 16 percent protein - comfrey can go as high as 33 percent. You don't want to feed them too much of it at a time but most of the goats grin when they see me coming into the barn with some handfuls of Comfrey - that is if it isn't "Bella". For what ever reason she thinks it is out to get her and just about turns inside out at the sight of it! If it is "Rulie"then anything goes and the more the better. We eat a lot of raw applesauce and I sometimes have some peelings left - happy happy goats. Same thing with carrots and just about anything from the garden. I have tried the "animal crackers" on my goats for the fun of it and had very few takers. My neighbor on the other hand has Nigerians and Nubians and they love them.

Prisca

 

[arabianequine]

My goats love bread so far that is all I have gave them besides hay and grain.

 

[nmred]

Just about any kind of melon--seeds and rinds (we keep the rest for us).

I'm wondering, though, why you give it to them AFTER milking? Mine get it while on the milking stand. It gives them something to do while I'm busy.

 

[butterscotch]

while im milking they are interested in feed and hay just trying to spoil them a little