# Anyone raising 100% forage fed meat goats?



## AlecBGreen (Jul 7, 2009)

Mine are given a tiny nibble of corn every other or day or so to keep them tame and used to coming back to the barn but otherwise they forage for all their food. They have decent quality pasture - mostly fescue with a little white clover, and lots of browse - honeysuckle, blackberry, cedar, trees, and multiflora rose.

Ive noticed my animals are much smaller than many of the meat types Ive seen on this site and Im wondering if its feed quality, genes, parasites or all three. 

I raise Kiko and Boer/Kiko crosses. I have one pure Boer doe and 3 bucks and they are all quite small for their age compared to many Ive seen on here. 

Maybe some pics would help? Anyway, just wondering if anyone is on a no-grain program and if so how are your yields?


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

It shouldn't be genetics since you have cross bred goats. If we had pictures, we could probably guess fairly close if you have *bad* parasite problems or not. Parasites can stunt their growth. Both worms and coccidia. My guess is your goats don't grow very fast because they aren't getting a high plane of nutrition early in their lives. If the dams aren't getting fed feed/grain while lactating, they don't milk as well. Legume hay like alfalfa is also beneficial to lacting and growing goats for the calcium. It's my belief that goats raised like yours just don't get as big. I'm not saying that means they aren't healthy though. Also, I've heard goats grow until they are four year olds. They can catch up. I know this to be true because last year was my main goat buying year and I had one boer doe that was @ 2yo that was "ranch raised" that was kinda lanky and not all that big. Now she's fat as a cow and weighs 175lbs as a 3yo. I had a yearling that I bought that only weighed 100lbs when I bought her and now she's a good size doe about 150lbs. Both hold their weight when not lactating without feed/grain. I recently added some grass/alfalfa mix for my does because my pasture has turned brown and it must be too much because they are getting too fat already. My point being their requirements change with age, whether lactating or not, time of year and what they get from the forage and browse.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Alec, pics sure would be great. Remember, Kikos are slower growing than Boers & somewhat smaller boned.
And well put, Tim!


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

I found some pictures of Alec's goats from other threads. They look happy and healthy.


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## primal woman (Sep 17, 2011)

If I am thinking of the same person, yes Alec's goats look great. I was surprised at the shiny coats on the white goats. Silky looking. 

I too try to raise my animals on natural food. They do grow slower, but I have very few issues. They don't produce as much milk either. But it is real milk with wholesome nutrition and yummy goodness. They don't get fat which is good; I don't want fat unhealthy animals. 

And I have found that if I feed any animal such as a chicken or a goat, they tend to expect it and won't go out to browse and eat. I have never had that problem before moving to this place. So weird.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Mine are fed the same way as yours, just a little bite or grain every night so I can lock them up. Mine are smaller then some one here, and some on here IMO are really fat lol. But my goats are also bigger and fatter then others that are around here, actually most of everyones around here. I am not bad mouthing anyone on here to start with, but if your goats are like mine they are not too fat, and are very healthy because they have to walk around and eat not stand at a feeder and wait for food. When I first started to come on here I could not belive how much my goats looked thin compared to others goats, but now I am very happy with the way my goats look, not to fat not to thin. And with the kids if you are not pouring the grain to them they will grow a little slower, but here, the price of grain is not worth feeding them like that, (I sell at the sale barn). Feel them and if you are happy with the amount of fat on their bones for what ever your goal is with your goats, dont stress. Every one has goat for different reasons, and every one feed different because of the set up they have (lack of pasture ect.) To me, with all that you have listed that grows on your place they should be healthy. and yes I always like to see pic too


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

I've got 2 Nubian wethers born on Good Friday (April 7th). Dam raised and grazed on pasture exclusively. No grain or extra hay. We weighed them this weekend using a dairy goat wt table. They weigh about 90 and 100#. They look pretty chunky for dairy goats even on just browse. I'll be processing them next Monday at exactly 6 months. If your interested I'll keep you posted on their hanging wt and a final cut/wrapped wt. 

Have you thought about just giving them a good dewormer? I didn't see that mentioned anywhere yet.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It is my understanding that any animal strictly grass fed will be slower growing but that certainly doesn't mean unhealthy or anything. Just means it will take a little longer for meat in the freezer or a bit less milk. If you don't care, then you got yourself some really nice healthy food sources.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Just thought I would throw this out there... Coni Ross raises most of her babies on pasture and she runs a large number
of does... She *swears* by putting out rumensin blocks for the dams and babies to eat/nibble/lick on with just pasture.
She claims it makes as much as 10-20lbs difference at weaning just adding those blocks.

http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Cattle_Rumensin%20blks%20help%20stockers....pdf


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I get the protein tubs from tractor supply, I like to have it out during the summer when there is not much good in the stuff they are eating, I get the ones from tractor supply because they are way cheaper. Its funny you brought that up becuse I was just looking at pics of my goats last year at about this time of year, and I can tell the difference in them with putting out those tubs


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## pennyspasture (Dec 22, 2011)

Hobbyfarmer said:


> I've got 2 Nubian wethers born on Good Friday (April 7th). Dam raised and grazed on pasture exclusively. No grain or extra hay. We weighed them this weekend using a dairy goat wt table. They weigh about 90 and 100#. They look pretty chunky for dairy goats even on just browse. I'll be processing them next Monday at exactly 6 months. If your interested I'll keep you posted on their hanging wt and a final cut/wrapped wt.


Please keep us posted. I'd like to know how they turn out.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

pennyspasture said:


> Please keep us posted. I'd like to know how they turn out.


Will do. They are scheduled for 10/8. I'll start a thread under Meat Market once they're back.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

For a dairy breed that is good. I was proud of my 4 month boer at 90lbs, but being dairy that blows them away. I always sell at 3-4 months and I ended up getting a few dairy does that turned out to be bred and I think they were about 40 maybe 50tops at 4 months, so good job.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

My understanding is you would be looking at around .2 lbs per day gain on grass fed only. Maybe .25 on a better grower and less than .2 on a slower grower. That is compared to .4 to .6 on grain fed Boer kids. Not saying that is a bad thing, But you aren't going to get a half a lb a day gain on grass fed animals post weaning.


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## Farmgirl675 (Oct 21, 2010)

My feed program is strictly forage/grass based. As with ANY feed program your yeild will be reflective of the foodstuffs quality and nutrient value, be it grain based or forage. If you are wanting to do forage based diet and get higher yeilds then you need to KNOW what the nutrient and protein content is in the forage they eat. I get as good if not better yeilds from my pasture raised animals than some do on grain based diets, the reason is I have done alot of research and put time and effort into maintaining high yeilding nutrient and protein rich pastures and hay feilds. I do not rely on "native" pasture (meaning whatever happens to grow) I plant specific grass/legume mixtures and maintain healthy soil. If you want to rely on native pasture that is fine but you still need to know what the plants are and the protein/nutrient levels it contains, animals can certainly be happy and healthy on native pasture but depending on the pasture they may be slower developing. Your county extension can help you in identifying plants and having a test done to determine the nutrient value of your pasture/browse. I realize not veryone can plow up and plant and maintain a pasture as I do (I have a large farm and do generate most of my income from it) but most everyone can find out what is in your pasture and then "top dress" (meaning seed is spread on top of the ground) or frost plant (if you live in an area that freezes) at minimal expense and effort to increase the value of the pasture, or at least know what amount of supplemental feeds like alfalfa pellets/hay would be beneficial but not wasteful.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I know you said you have clover, and imo that is good stuff, I have had calfs that did better on that then anyting else I could feed them. And it gets better with the rest of the stuff you say grows on your place becuse that will help them not bloat on the clover, yes I have had them bloat on clover more then anything else as well. Lots of people say I have nice looking goats, but even then I sold a doeling to a friend that feeds some kind of show feed and alfalfa and is in a pen, and I kept that ones sister. Hers is a round little thing, but mine is not that far behind her, and when I think about dollar for dollar Im good with how my girl looks. And she did get choice and picked the better one.


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