whole grain sweet feed?

[redfarmhouse]

I have a feed mixture recipe from the dairy that my goats are coming from. It is:
whole grain sweet feed 16%
dairy pellets
alfalfa pellets

The only thing I can find is alfalfa pellets. I found a 16% sweet feed but it is for horses. Is that what I'm looking for?

 

[themrslove]

I *personally* wouldn't feed sweet feed. I would stick to a pelleted goat feed mixed with alfalfa pellets if you want to do a mixture.
All sweet feed has ever done for my goats is make them fat.
eta - There are many brands that offer a pelleted food meant specifically for goats. If you have a TSC in your area, I know of at least 2 different options.

 

[shelly_tn]

Yikes - that explains why my goats are so fat this winter. I ran out of goat feed and started feeding sweet feed (for horses,cattle, goats).

Hmmmm it was easier feeding the sweet feed because there are two donkeys in with the goats and they are eat together. ( I had a hard time keeping the goats from eating the donkeys sweet feed and didn't want the donkeys to eat goat feed so I settled on sweet feed only).

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

I dont like sweet feed either. I would go goat specific pelleted as well. And if you have bucks/whethers you want a feed with Amonium Chloride in it to prevent Urinary Calculi. Very Very Important for boys if you are feeding them grains!!!

All the sweet feeds I ever saw did not have Amionium Chloride in them.

Also..sweet feed is not good for thier teeth either. And you dont wants any issues with a goats teeth. Fun for them to eat and tasty...but not the greatest daily feed.

I would get a goat specific feed and a goat specific loose mineral..Good luck!

 

[20kidsonhill]

I dont like sweet feed either. I would go goat specific pelleted as well. And if you have bucks/whethers you want a feed with Amonium Chloride in it to prevent Urinary Calculi. Very Very Important for boys if you are feeding them grains!!!

All the sweet feeds I ever saw did not have Amionium Chloride in them.

Also..sweet feed is not good for thier teeth either. And you dont wants any issues with a goats teeth. Fun for them to eat and tasty...but not the greatest daily feed.

I would get a goat specific feed and a goat specific loose mineral..Good luck!

I agree 100%, goats have specific mineral requirements that they need to get from goat feed.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Yikes - that explains why my goats are so fat this winter. I ran out of goat feed and started feeding sweet feed (for horses,cattle, goats).

Hmmmm it was easier feeding the sweet feed because there are two donkeys in with the goats and they are eat together. ( I had a hard time keeping the goats from eating the donkeys sweet feed and didn't want the donkeys to eat goat feed so I settled on sweet feed only).

I saw someone on her feeding horses and goats the same feed, you might want to start a new thread about donkeys feeding with goats and see if they answer.


You could also research this more with your local co-op.

You could also build a special feeding pen for your goats with a small doorway that the donkeys couldn't fit through, kind of like a creep feed zone, but for all your goats allowing you to feed them grain and free-choice minerals, but keeping the hay/pasture for everyone, and water for everyone.

When you fed your donkeys, just feed your goats first in the feeding pen area and lock them up until your donkeys are done eating, then open the gate/door and allow them to beable to come in and out so they can get to the loose goat minerals.

 

[shelly_tn]

good ideas! 20kidsonhill