# What do you feed your goats?



## LuvMyNigies (Sep 14, 2013)

Can we start a thread sharing our feeding regimens for our herds? 

Obviously everyone should decide what works best for their own goats, but I think it would be helpful to have a standard to look at and compare, especially for newer goat herders.

What to share:

- What you feed (grain, hay, minerals, etc..) and how much?
- How many goats do you have? 
- How often do you feed?
- What kind of goats do you have and what is their purpose (Kikos/Saanens/Alpines and Meat/Dairy/Pack)?
- Where you live (i.e. Southeast US or Georgia)

Thank you!


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## Kass (Apr 26, 2020)

LuvMyNigies said:


> Can we start a thread sharing our feeding regimens for our herds?
> 
> Obviously everyone should decide what works best for their own goats, but I think it would be helpful to have a standard to look at and compare, especially for newer goat herders.
> 
> ...


I am a new goat owner in Maine. 
I have 3 doelings right now. 
Nigerian 
Nigerian/Sannen 
Nubian
They each get a cup of Dumor dairy goat feed, sprinkled with BOSS and alfalfa pellets. Also a cup of alfalfa pellets to share. This is fed half in the morning and half at night. 6:30am and 6:30pm.
They will have free choice Sweetlix minerals as soon as I can find a bag. 
They are for dairy. Eventually carting as a hobby. Any unsold bucklings will be meat.

Note: Those grain amounts are not set. The nubian could use some weight but I am not home to change feeding regimen. I'll be revaluating when I get back from vacation.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

Food. We feed them food. :heehee:

But really, they get forage/pasture during the growing season. We feed a mix of alfalfa, timothy and beet pulp pellets daily to any skinny goats during the warm months when everything is growing. If a goat really needs weight then they get some daily Purina Miniature Horse & Pony grain. During winter everyone gets a mix of alfalfa, timothy and beet pulp pellets once daily (Purina Miniature Horse & Pony grain daily if they need it) and free choice grass hay.
They have free choice Purina Wind and Rain Storm minerals.
We use molasses sweet feed when we need to lure them into an area or something but not as a main feed.

We have 20 goats and their purpose is to spread goatie love throughout the land.
They are mixes of Nubian, Alpine, and Arapawa.

https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/trying-to-put-weight-on-doe.213943/#post-2400277


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I am in western NC. I have kinder goats (pygmy/nubian cross breed originally) for milk and meat. I have two does and two bucks.

I feed about one flake fescue hay twice a day when forage is low and once a day when there's lots in the pasture.

Belladonna (Bella) gets 1/4 cup of Blue Seal Caprine Challenger goat feed and a 1/4 cup of alfalfa pellets in the morning at around 11:30am . Primula (Prim) gets an 1/8 a cup of each. And then in the evening around 5:30pm Bella gets a 1/2 a cup of each and Prim gets 1/4 cup. They both get 2 tbl. of black oil sunflower seeds with their evening feeding too. I yell "Grain time!" when it's time for them to come and get their grain.

My bucks are not getting any grain right now except a little eenie weenie bit mixed in with their wormer applesauce they get weekly to entice them to eat it. My does get a wormer applesauce surprise in their grain weekly too.

As for minerals my does are getting a local co-op store mix and a small amount of Redmond goat salt which I wish I had more of, but is just too expensive for me to continue to get. My bucks are getting Sweetlix Meat Maker minerals and a Morton trace mineral salt that they don't like and doesn't seem to be doing anything positive. Does get Replamin every other week and the bucks get it monthly unless I feel like they need a boost. Everyone gets copper bolused every three months on the dot.

I think that about covers it! Everyone gets free choice water of course.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

I am in South Africa. I have a 5 month doe and 2 month wether. They get daily:
1 cup sweetfeed
1 cup free minerals
Quater cup grain
Breakfast

They have acces to gay and pasture

1 apple cut up
1 banana cut up
1 teaspoon garlic
1 onion chopped up
1 cup chopped green beans
1 cucumber chopped
Quater cup coco pops ( once a week)
1 cup free minerals

Lunch

My goats are spoilt


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

LuvMyNigies said:


> What you feed (grain, hay, minerals, etc..) and how much?
> - How many goats do you have?
> - How often do you feed?
> - What kind of goats do you have and what is their purpose (Kikos/Saanens/Alpines and Meat/Dairy/Pack)?
> - Where you live (i.e. Southeast US or Georgia)


We raise dairy goats. Lamancha, nigerian and a saanen and a few mixed of the two.
We live central Texas
We feed whole oats, BOSS and chaffhaye and hay
We currently have 18 goats..all girls..moms and spring kids


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

We are located in NC. We have ADGA Lamancha & Nigerians, MDGA mini Lamanchas.

How many goats? Right now too many! 
Milking does get Blue Seal Caprine challenger, amount depends on the goat. I bring 4-6 up at a time for milking (milking 30) and they eat what they want while on the stand. 

Kids get FREE CHOICE Blue seal Grow & Finish + alfalfa pellets. 

Bucks get the same. Some bucks get the feed free choice, other have it limited. Dry yearlings are on this feed as well. 

Mineral is Southern States Traditions weathershed 2:1 beef mineral. 

Everyone gets free choice orchard grass hay. I do feed alfalfa hay when needed. This year since we aren't doing any shows, appraisal, or milktest (due to C19 & to relocating our farm). I do feed beet pulp shreds & alfalfa pellets when needed.


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

Oh! We pull & bottle feed all our kids. While on milk, kids take either Calf pro OR Pro Bac C in their milk for coccidia prevention.


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## Chelsey (Dec 7, 2018)

I have ten goats, six are Nigerian, three mini Nubians, and a La Mancha. I have four adults and the rest are babies. I milk my goats and they are pets (almost misspelled that pests which works too ). The does are all in the process of being dried up, the babies get separated to work on friendly-izing them and help wean before selling. We live in Northern California and it's just beginning to cool down. I feed when I lock everyone up for the night, but they have roughage all day. I feed Alfalfa hay with the goal of giving enough that there is some leftover in the morning so that ends up being by weight, but I have no idea how much cause it's by what feels right to me. They also get Purina WRS minerals free choice and the babies are getting a small amount of Dumor goat grain fed from the hand.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

I have wethers  very different diets!!


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

I live in central texas by the way! 8 goats, 5 nigis, 2 nubian/nigerian mixes, and a nigi, alpine, nubian mix
feed 2x daily, and i have dairy goats

Adults get That aren't in milk: handful of grain to get them into the pasture in the morning, then free choice hay and alfalfa all night after grazing all day

milkers get 1 c oats 1c barley 1/2 c calf manna 2x daily, plus grazing all day and free choice alfalfa and grass hay at night

Weaned growing baby gets 1/4 c oats 1/4 c barley 1/4 cup calf manna 2x daily and he takes all day to eat it

and sweetlix and cargill onyx minerals with a Redmond block cobalt block and a mineral block.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

I Live in upper middle of Oklahoma State. I have Fullblood Boers..& fullblood myotonics
2 young bucklings..creep feed Purina goat grower. Feed 1 scoop Show feed, I cup.alfalfa pellets, 1 cup calf manna 2xs a day..
Does..get 1 scoop each Show Feed, 1/2 cup alfalfa pellets 2xs a day.

Myotonics Buck..1/2 scoop Show feed, 1/2 cup alfalfa pellets
Myotonic does..1/2 scoop Show Feed 2 xs dailey.
Kiko x Boer does..same as fullbloods. 

All have Dumaferm Minerals free choice. 
All are on 10 acres pasture browsing dailey until November. Then they receive Round bales of 16% prairie hay unlimited amounts. 
Does that have kidded receive a flake of alfalfa along with feed & free access prarie hay.
Any kidds recieve Purina Goat Grower creep feeder until sold or 6 months old.
Each receive BOSS top dressing after birth, or if getting thin.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

I have 8 does, 4 doelings, 2 bucks, 1 wether. They are all Nigerian Dwarfs and are for pet/milk/show. I live in Florida.
*Dumor Goat Pellets*
How much...
- 4 quarts currently to does (am going to start feeding each goat individually soon)
- kinda eyeball the rest for the bucks and anyone not with the does
How often...
Everyday anytime from 4 to 7 pm eastern time
Sometimes...
Will occasionally mix with 12% sweet feed
*Minerals*
- Either Sweetlix Goat Meat Maker or Purina Wind & Rain
- Pour little piles around the pen on these square pieces of pavement that are scattered through the place
- Daily at feeding time except when it's raining
*Hay*
- Coastal hay free choice* 
- *Lactating does, babies, and anyone at shows gets peanut hay and alfalfa pellets at feeding time in addition to the coastal
*Extras*
- Sometimes I will add in Black oil sunflower seeds or selenium powder
- They get to eat lots of Tahabouia tree leaves and seed pods
- In winter or summer if everyone is being good they will be allowed to graze and browse on the other side of the fence for about three or so hours per day
- After kidding moms get molasses water
- Before going in the show ring the goat get a spoonful of molasses if they want it
- Goat safe kitchen scraps or old food are also given whenever we have it.


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

We have some kidding going on right now so the numbers are in flux but last count was 63 total (does, kids, and bucks)

Free choice hay. Most of the time this is coastal bermuda, but it can vary based on the time of the year. Somtimes a timothy orchard blend and we have had some oat hay, rye hay and even red clover hay this year.

Carolina Pride 18% goat feed.

Alfalfa pellets.

Shredded beet pulp (no mollasses)

We mostly have Nigerian Dwarf, but we have some Toggenbergs and some experimental Togg/Alpine crosses. Our last purchase was a Toggenberg buckling.


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## KST Goat Farm (Jul 29, 2019)

I live it the sand hills of northeast Colorado. I have 20 goats most of the time 2 of those are bucks. They are Boers, LaManchas, and Boer / Nigerian dwarf crosses. 

They get pasture in the summer. They get alfalfa hay in the winter. I fill their feeder full once a day and it is almost empty by night time. 
For minerals they get Purina Wind and Rain free choice. 
When I milk the LaManchas, they get a 2 cups of half alfalfa pellets and half corn.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Tanya said:


> I am in South Africa. I have a 5 month doe and 2 month wether. They get daily:
> 1 cup sweetfeed
> 1 cup free minerals
> Quater cup grain
> ...





Tanya said:


> I am in South Africa. I have a 5 month doe and 2 month wether. They get daily:
> 1 cup sweetfeed
> 1 cup free minerals
> Quater cup grain
> ...


Your wether need ammonium chloride because he does not need that sweet feed hon. This diet will most likely end in stones for him.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

He gets his ammonium chloride in his botle currently and once he is completely weaned the vet keeps special pellets containing this. So he will start those in two weeks.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Tanya said:


> He gets his ammonium chloride in his botle currently and once he is completely weaned the vet keeps special pellets containing this. So he will start those in two weeks.


Make sure to still balance the grain - ammonium chloride is no guarantee.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

I promise I will.


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## cybergoat (May 9, 2018)

LuvMyNigies said:


> Can we start a thread sharing our feeding regimens for our herds?
> 
> Obviously everyone should decide what works best for their own goats, but I think it would be helpful to have a standard to look at and compare, especially for newer goat herders.
> 
> ...


We currently have 4 does boer/nubian and nubian.

We dry lot our girls. They are fed beet pulp and a little local stock feed twice a day with XP yeast added and have free choice timothy and alfalfa hay. They also have free choice kelp and Sweetlix meatmaker.


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## Payntr (May 11, 2018)

I have 3 Nigerian wethers. 
1/2 c. Dumor feed. 2x day 
Pasture and hay
Minerals
Lots of veggies from garden right now, including yellow squash, green beans, tomato, eggplant
Mint, oregano, parsely, sage, thyme
Peanuts in shell and boss for treats

I live in East TN. My goats are pets and extremely spoiled.


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## tammyd57 (Jun 28, 2018)

Hi All.
I've been lurking about here reading and learning for some time now in preparation for getting some goats of my own. About 6 weeks ago I did finally take the plunge and bought 3 goats. (dance) They are Angora wethers--two yearlings and a 6 month old kid. I keep them as pets and fiber producers (LOVE that mohair for spinning and weaving)
I feed what the breeder I bought them from fed:
Alfalfa hay free choice
Dumor 16% complete goat pellets 2 cups each
Manna Pro goat minerals free choice
Several handfuls throughout the day of animal crackers in an attempt at bribing them to love me.
We live in Central California.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Payntr said:


> I have 3 Nigerian wethers.
> 1/2 c. Dumor feed. 2x day
> Pasture and hay
> Minerals
> ...


Do you have hard well water or very calcium heavy water?


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

tammyd57 said:


> Hi All.
> I've been lurking about here reading and learning for some time now in preparation for getting some goats of my own. About 6 weeks ago I did finally take the plunge and bought 3 goats. (dance) They are Angora wethers--two yearlings and a 6 month old kid. I keep them as pets and fiber producers (LOVE that mohair for spinning and weaving)
> I feed what the breeder I bought them from fed:
> Alfalfa hay free choice
> ...


Hi there!

My main focus is wether care -

Do you have hard water or well water with high calcium? You'd notice white residue on sinks and dishes perhaps?


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## tammyd57 (Jun 28, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Hi there!
> 
> My main focus is wether care -
> 
> Do you have hard water or well water with high calcium? You'd notice white residue on sinks and dishes perhaps?


I have well water that is so high in calcium that it ruins fixtures and clogs small hoses very quickly. It also has a lot of other minerals in it. I use the Dumor feed with AC in it to try to counteract all that calcium. From what I've read, the urinary calculi problem can be made better/worse by how early the goat is banded. One of my goats was kept intact as a possible herd sire until he was over a year old, when I had him banded at purchase. His urethra should be pretty robust and able to pass the crystals okay. The other two were banded at 3 months I think. I know I'll have to keep an eye on those two. I also keep a bag of AC powder if I need it.
These things are the reason I've been lurking and reading for so long before I had the confidence to buy goats. I wanted to be as fully prepared as I could be so that I didn't mistreat goats through ignorance of their needs. 
Having said all that, I AM still a noob, so any and all advice is appreciated.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

I would switch to grass hay immediately, and cut out half of the grain and replace that half with alfalfa PELLETS.


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## Payntr (May 11, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Do you have hard well water or very calcium heavy water?


We have a rain barrel for water. In dry spells we use our city water.


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## alwaystj9 (Apr 10, 2019)

My goats would love to move in with any of you!
I have 14 mixed miniatures: 4 weanlings, 2 yearlings, 1 buck, 8 does. Nothing is bred right now.
My adult goats & the yearlings get: Nothing. They have full access to the pasture, with Purina wind & rain free choice plus white, mineral & selenium blocks. They are all fat and shiny and my fence rows are immaculate. One ancient doe does get a large handfull of something every day, mostly to get a good overall look at her because she's 12 or so.
My buck, currently penned separate, gets about 1 lb. of alfalfa pellets/day split into 2 feedings, and I toss a big handful of either senior horse feed, goat pellets, calf manna...some type of grain in each feeding, I mix it up. Free choice salt & minerals. He gets cut brush daily, today was oak and privet with random vines. He is currently on a no-treat diet because he is getting fat, probably going to no grain until winter.
My weaners (from March 2020) get let in to the creep pen at night only, they share 1 1/2 lbs. of alfalfa pellets with a cup of calf manna and 2 cups of goat pellets mixed in. They are with the does in the pasture all the time. They are about to outgrow the creep entrance so they will go on pasture only.
Copper boluses, usually 2x year. Replamin as needed. Alicia/bermuda hay at night in winter for everyone, start at the first freeze or when the pasture isn't sufficient.
Pregnancy/lactation gets fed alfalfa pellets & goat pellets & calf manna; whatever nutritional support they need. I do feed individually then based on their needs, some stay fat on air but at least one doe gets almost skeletal if I don't throw the groceries to her as soon as she kids (luckily she's a dominant goat so I can just put a full bowl out for her and No One Else Gets Near - Ever).
Full access to water all the time. South Louisiana doesn't get very cold for very long, first frost is often late November, early December and pastures green back up in early February. I have started using some protein pails in the winter, they worked out very well, plan to use them again this year.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Payntr said:


> We have a rain barrel for water. In dry spells we use our city water.


I see A LOT of phosphorus in your diet, I would highly recommend adding some sort of legume for calcium. Lespedeza pellets are a good one to feed half and half with your grain. Some alfalfa pellets would be ok too!


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## LuvMyNigies (Sep 14, 2013)

Thanks for all the great responses and advice, folks!!


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## tammyd57 (Jun 28, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> I would switch to grass hay immediately, and cut out half of the grain and replace that half with alfalfa PELLETS.


The grain I'm feeding has Ammonium Chloride in it. And doesn't alfalfa pellets have just as much calcium as the hay? 
This is why I've been reading so long before I got goats--everyone has a different opinion on feed. I know that you are experienced and knowledgeable from the many threads on here. The breeder I bought my goats from is THE breeder of Angoras in this country, so I'm assuming he also knows what he's talking about and has a great deal of knowledge.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

tammyd57 said:


> The grain I'm feeding has Ammonium Chloride in it. And doesn't alfalfa pellets have just as much calcium as the hay?
> This is why I've been reading so long before I got goats--everyone has a different opinion on feed. I know that you are experienced and knowledgeable from the many threads on here. The breeder I bought my goats from is THE breeder of Angoras in this country, so I'm assuming he also knows what he's talking about and has a great deal of knowledge.


Does your breeder raise wethers?

Not calling out your breeder - but the best breeder may know nothing about wether care simply because they haven't done it.

And if they have, they will likely only say a diet is safe if they used it - and completely forget independent variables that can switch a diet from safe to unsafe in an instant.

The reason why alfalfa pellets are different than alfalfa hay is because you want goats to eat a TON of hay, it should be at least 90% of their diet. We should never limit hay consumption.

Alfalfa pellets we can monitor and limit and feed at the necessary rate to balance a diet. It is a controlled factor.

Ammonium chloride is not the be-all-end-all to prevent UC, it helps, but a balanced diet is the most important.


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## dchemphill1 (Jul 25, 2013)

I have a saanen wether that gets pasture from April-Oct when pasture is good. Hay the rest of the winter months and off and on in summer. Usually not interested in hay when pasture is available. He gets a mix of dumor pellets and sweet feed on Saturday with probiotic powder and natural dewormer added. 
Just got two Nigerians 2 months old and they are getting a little Purina /dumor pellets mix (transitioning) each evening with some mineral added to bowl for free choice. They are on pasture and get grass hay. Will feed pellets less when they get 6 months old.


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