# What do you feed your Boer Goats?



## HouseElfLamanchas (Apr 12, 2013)

I'm curious what do you guys feed all of your boer goats?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

The answers to this are going to vary, as with management on any farm.
We are on small place so they are dry lotted with 24/7 alfalfa.
The only ones who get grain (the equivalent of CHS Boer Goat Developer) are growing kids & lactating does. And the buck though he has pretty much slacked off of it for now.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

When I had Boers, they were fed the same thing my dairy does were fed.

Adult does got dairy pellets, mixed 16 and 20% to make an 18% pellet. Alfalfa pellets, mixed grass/weed hay.

Bucks got Meat grower pellets, alfalfa pellets and grass/weed hay

Kids got the meat grower pellets and hay until they were weaned, then they went to a 16% dairy pellet until they kidded.

My Boer does were milked, same as the dairy does, so they were treated the same.

A friend of mine, who bought my Boer herd when I sold out, had her herd on a custom 16% locally mixed grain and grass hay.


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## steeplechaser (Sep 21, 2013)

I only have a few boers(7 total) but have about 7-8 acres for them to eat. They will snack on whatever they desire out there...it's thick brush. So I rarely feed them anything since they have ample amount of land to eat off of on their own. Sometimes I feed them alfalfa pellets or corn as a treat but its rare. I also have a friend who gives me apples, carrots, etc in bulk when he needs to get rid of them an they love that as well. 


Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

My boers are unfortunately dry-lotted right now. They have free-choice grass hay. Lactating does and kids are getting a combination of alfalfa pellets, meat-grower pellet, soybean meal, and BOSS approximately a pound per head. Breeding bucks get a daily ration of alfalfa pellets to bump up protein and calcium.

Mine are commercial meat producers, not show condition animals. I have one doe who has a body conditions of maybe 1.5 or 2 on this, otherwise they are all 3 (or a couple easy-keeper fours).

Not my ideal system but until the delinquent pasture fence contractor comes through this is it!


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## REBurwell (Jul 22, 2014)

SalteyLove said:


> My boers are unfortunately dry-lotted right now. They have free-choice grass hay.
> Not my ideal system but until the delinquent pasture fence contractor comes through this is it!


Ahhhh, I'm in the same situation. I have five acres of lovely pasture but after the fourth time of goat hunting and chasing them down the road to get them back to our place I decided to shelter them in the enclosed vegetable patch (obviously not currently in use) until our fencing contractor who keeps promising me "next week" actually arrives. *sigh*
I'm looking at getting someone to come and do the fence posts for me and I can nail board/wire mesh myself!!!!!!!!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Make sure you tension the woven wire very well with a tractor, ratchet system, etc.!


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Ours are on pasture and get a 16% meat goat mix from our coop. I add calf manna to that. We tried giving them alfalfa hay but they weren't interested. In the winter we will add alfalfa pellets to the grain and give them 24/7 hay


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