Next Goat question---feeding too much?

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LGahr

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Nov 5, 2006
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Location
North Central Ohio
Could I be feeding too much? I give my new "friends" about 16 oz. of Buckeye goat feed in the am and

another 16 oz in the evening. I put them out on clover and grass. Little "Baby" can pretty much go any

place he wants too but does not stray far from the doe. Doe is as tall as my minis so she stays pretty much

where I put her but will cry for attention if she see me or if the ponies and/or Baby get out of site.

I carry after dinner mints in my pocket as treats for the minis so I can be sure to walk up to them anytime

or place so goats have learned to appreciate them by smell. I try to limit treats but my goats have no ribs

showing. And definitely seem to have gained weight--do I need to cut back the grain to once a day?

I can gauge my minis.....just drive an extra mile or lunge a little longer but the goats are not on an exercise

routine so can anyone give me an idea of proper feed? They can graze at will and I am not supplementing

any hay right now. Ponies are out all night and in during the day because we are already terribly beseiged

with flies here in Northern Ohio......flies do not seem to bother the goats. I keep the goats in a secure box

stall at night and let them out during the day unless it rains...they don't seem to like to get wet.

Thanks for reading my post!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If your goats aren't carrying kids or milking for you then it is highly unlikely that they'll need any grain or feed (especially the smaller breeds of goats). Boer goats were bred to gain meat weight on the sparce grasses of Africa so they rarely need feed (unless you're "fattening them up to butcher").

When not milking or carrying kids my Nubian show does were on grass hay, browse and water only. During the breeding season the bucks got a bit of goat pellet feed with ammonium chloride included in it (to prevent urinary calculi) but that was the only time they ever got extras. Growing kids were on milk twice daily, a small amount of goat pellets and free choice alfalfa pellets & grass hay. The does were on alfalfa pellets, and grass hay free choice while in milk or carrying kids and got grain on the milkstand only (some of them were SUCH easy keepers that they got VERY little grain). These were full size goats that were working hard (many of our does were milking 10-14 lbs a day).

VERY important however is to have fresh water and minerals available to them at all times.

Fat goats are sick goats......just like horses they too can founder.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds like too much grain -- I was told to feed less than 1/2 cup of grain per day. Sometimes I add in BOSS and beetpulp to fill them up more. Apparently the grain can cause problems for wethers (gelded males) - which is what I have.

I am NOT an expert - I have 2 goats that are a year old.

You also might check on the goattalk.com forum - true experts there - if you don't get the replies you need here.

JJay
 
our goats only get grain once aday. No hay and get to pick at what few weeds and grass they have out there. They are ALL to fat, and per the sheerers advice need to looks lots of weight.
 

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