# Best Supplements for Show Wethers



## Scottyhorse

This year is my first year with market wethers, and of course, we have had record high temperatures this summer. The average day temperature is 90-115 degrees.... All the goats are spending all their energy on keeping cool, even with plenty of shade and water. 

Markets wethers (home bred, siblings) have almost stopped growing at this point. I have about a month till they sell; and I NEED something different for them. Currently they have free choice alfalfa and get grain 1x a day. It is 2 parts sweet feed and 1 part AniMax, which is like a 27% protein pellet that also has a high fat content. 

I have two questions. Would it be beneficial to switch them to a pelleted show wether or even a show lamb feed? And since I am behind and limited on time, should I add a supplement? I know they're expensive but if it would even bump me up a few placements it would be totally worth it at this point. Our feed store has all the Purina supplements in the tubs, the whole line, so whatever would be best I will buy. They have a really good selection of show feeds as well. 

I'm fairly desperate at this point! One sells the end of the first week of September and the other the next week. 

I will add pictures soon.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

Keep in mind too much protein causes them to loose weight too. What's the sweet feed %, you don't want to go over 20% total. But consider switching to Honor Show Chow, by Purina, if you're going to switch. It has Tasco in it which helps keep their body temp run lower during heat stress. 
I would just try your best to keep them drinking, and keep them cool. Try electrolytes, or kool aid in the water to keep them hydrated. 
Bluelite electrolytes are a huge hit here, and the fruit punch kool aid is too. Refresh it throughout the day, they don't drink as much when the water warms up.


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## loggyacreslivestock

Feed grain twice a day, very little hay for market goats, clean water. Vitacharge is a good appetite enhancer. Feed what your goat needs- higher protein for more lean muscle and frame, higher fat content to finish out or gain weight...look at your average daily gain and determine what weight you want to show them at, then add grain till they are gaining at a rate to get to that weight. Here, grand champion goats usually weigh around 80 lbs. Use fans on them to keep them cool. I use Purina Champion drive to bring them to the right cover, then switch to Fitter 35. Power fuel is good for filling them out and is high fat content. Depth charge fills in holes if used properly right before going into the show ring....


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## Scottyhorse

Which one would be best for a good combo of both fat and muscle? I think they probably need both. When I go out to feed in the morning, I'll get some pics.


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## loggyacreslivestock

Probably Champion Drive.


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## loggyacreslivestock

Sure champ from Vitaferm would be good too.


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## Scottyhorse

Should I move them onto a different feed?


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## loggyacreslivestock

What do they weigh now?


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## Scottyhorse

65-70 pounds maximum.


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## Brink4

We had a hard time getting weight on my daughters wether this year. We switched from our pricey show feed to kalmbach breeders plus pellet which we fed everyone else and lots of exercise which increased his appetite. We also added calf manna. This worked better than our usual pricey feeds and top dress.


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## Scottyhorse

Going to get a supplement on Monday when I go into town and maybe a new feed... An actual 'show' feed. Any semi-final recommendations?


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## Scottyhorse

Here's a few pics.... I'm going to get some more tomorrow when I work with them.

Hopefully this will help. At this point should I be working on putting muscle on them? Will there be a noticeable change in the few weeks left? Pouring the grain on and minimizing hay.


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## loggyacreslivestock

They definitely have hay bellies. Minimizing the hay should help with that, just keep an eye on them that their rumen doesn't get "off". The light headed one is thin. I definitely think the supplements will help. Weigh them every 3 days to determine if what your feeding is helping them gain. Goats tend to gain around half pound a day on good show feed and supplements. So in 30 days they could potentially gain 15 pounds...


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## loggyacreslivestock

Make sure they have been worked well. Check eyelids.


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## Brink4

Start running them. Intense short work outs are best. If feeding a complete feed you should be able to back off of some of the hay (but never all) our wethers get a handful a feeding. Remember fresh cold water. Keep feeders and buckets cleaned. Do you feed 2 times daily?


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## loggyacreslivestock

Geez, I just read my post. Stupid phone. That was supposed to say wormed, not worked.


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## Brink4

loggyacreslivestock said:


> Geez, I just read my post. Stupid phone. That was supposed to say wormed, not worked.


I knew what you meant


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## Scottyhorse

Just got two bags of lamb feed (same protein content, just a higher fat) and then Fitter 35 as well. I'll keep adding the AniMax (off brand calf manna) and run them. Should I run them and then feed them? 

I'm slowly working them down to less hay.


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## Scottyhorse

Oops I'm a dork, I got Power Fuel, not Fitter35


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## Brink4

Power fuel has high fat content plus you said your feed does. You will really need to increase the exercise.


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## loggyacreslivestock

The power fuel is good for filling in and adding weight, just exercise them well.


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## Scottyhorse

The new feed is 17% protein and 4% fat. 

I add in AniMax, which is 28% protein. 

And then of course the Power Fuel. 

I'm feeding my two market wethers and a young buckling I got as a bummer kid from a friend. 

Tonight I gave them 3lbs of the lamb feed, 1.5 pounds of the AniMax, and 12 ounces of the Power Fuel. That was two share. I'm planning on giving them this amount 2x a day, or should I change it? 

Also, should I run them, and then feed them immediately after? 

Will putting the 10-15 pounds on make a big difference?


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## loggyacreslivestock

We run twice a day. Doesn't matter if before or after eating. 10-15 pounds in the right places can be the difference between last and first. Have you been exercising them up to this point?


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## Brink4

Make sure you don't feed then run them right away because this can make them sick. We always run then feed soon after. We run them in the morning and at night. Make sure to make any feed changes slowly. Agree 10-15 pounds will make a difference. Keep an eye on loin area run your hand down it. It should feel like rolled coins. "Not too much padding or not too little padding between the coins".


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## Scottyhorse

I have not been running them as much as I should be, no. But now I am running 2x a day. 

But I have encountered a problem... They're not wanting to eat this new feed.


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## loggyacreslivestock

It will take a few days. Feed them less for one meal so they get hungry. The next meal they should eat better. Then they usually adjust.


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## Scottyhorse

They are starting to eat more. I feed them the most in the morning, and they work on it till the afternoon.... Then in the evening I feed them their night ration and it's gone within a couple hours.

Here's some updated pics, too.





































Pictures are not flattering, especially for the light headed one, but I think they are putting on some weight! What do you think?


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## loggyacreslivestock

Yes they do seem filled out a bit more. They still have round bellies though. I would worm them now. Because of meat withdrawal times you can't wait much longer. That may help get rid of the hay belly a bit. With wethers, you want a nice straight underline and no belly sticking out on the sides. Sometimes they just puff up right while/ after eating and then it goes away. If that's the case, then don't worry about it.


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## Scottyhorse

What's the withdrawal times? I have safegaurd, ivomec and ivomec plus. 

Just took them to the FFA pig barn and the light headed one weighs 85 and the other 87, according to the scale there.


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## loggyacreslivestock

Those are good weights. Now keep them there and run them to make muscle . Withdrawals are listed on the package.


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## Brink4

Keep exercising. Are they pastured or dry lotted? Hay bellys are still pretty big. When is your show? Are you picking one or allowed to show both?


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## Lone Wolf

Hi everyone. Just a word about calf-manna products. I recently purchased some milk replacer from calf-manna due to emergency. While feeding the milk product I found 2 round rubber balls torn in the bag of calf-manna replacer. I called manna pro and they promised to call the next day which never happened. I sent a text and did get a response and the lady there said that she was new to company and would check into my complaint and promised to get back with me no later than Tuesday. That never happened. To make a long story short Manna-pro does not care about the small farmer nor their product. I would find a different product than any manna-pro product that cares what they are selling and I am sure it would be a lot cheaper also..


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## HoosierShadow

Sounds like you had a bad experience Lone Wolf, sorry to hear that, and sorry they are ignoring you, that is awful! We've never had an issue when we've used Calf Manna. We don't use it regularly, but have used it off and on this year with goats my kids have shown. We switched to a store brand version, but left that feed store after having feed issues, although my friend picks me up a bag or two of it as needed (hour drive away), and it breaks down to dust so easy - similar to the grain issues we had from there. Seems like sometimes you just can't win - always something.


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