# feeding wether lamancha's



## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

Hi,
I need some advice on what I am to feed wether kids lamancha.

I live in Quebec Canada and really find it hard to understand what I am to feed wether boys, I want to make sure they will get enough and not only have to eat hay, I would like to give something extra to feed but here in Quebec they don't have feed with the ac in it and when I spoke with the feed store that is an hour away from me they have no clue on what to give wether boys either.

A while back I did find a place somewhere in Quebec that had a fed with the ac but for the life of me cannot find where I seen it. I have been researching all over the place and nothing has come up again in Quebec.

I was wondering if I can give plain oats to the boys along with their hay?
Can someone please give me your imput on what I can give as extra for them as well as minerals ect...
Thank you very much in advance!


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

I have 3 mini wethers and they get hay, browse (in summer months) and very little grain (only in the winter and then only a hand full per boy....they really don't need it, but makes me feel better and makes them happy boys!)........Hay only is fine for wethers, my boys are actually on the fat side. I also order AC from Heoggers online mail order and then add it to their loose minerals, it comes with directions on how to mix. Now, I do give them treats every now and then....they love raisens, sunflower seeds and I buy them Manna Pro licorce (sp?) flavor goat treats that my feed store sells.


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

I just re-read and saw where you said kids.....not knowing how old yours are, I brought mine home at 12 weeks and vet told me to give them each about half a cup of grain and free choice hay until they were a year old and then I could back off on the grain......not sure if that is right or not, but my boys have done fine.....I recently loss all my confidence in vets when it comes to goats.


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## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

cdtrum said:


> I just re-read and saw where you said kids.....not knowing how old yours are, I brought mine home at 12 weeks and vet told me to give them each about half a cup of grain and free choice hay until they were a year old and then I could back off on the grain......not sure if that is right or not, but my boys have done fine.....I recently loss all my confidence in vets when it comes to goats.


Hi,
Here the vet that i have don't really deal with alot of goats and especially pet goats, they really don't have a clue on what to feed wether boys.

They are just young boys that I am bottle feeding and I want to make sure on how to go about this. I no longer raise goats only have them as pets to love and enjoy around the home.
Thank you for all the great advice!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

will Hoeggars send to CA? I would check into that because they sell the AC by like the 2lb bag and you mix it into their loose minerals or top it on their grain.

The boys wont need grain their whole life but like denise said they should get some while they are growing. You may have seen a medicated feed wtih AC in it -- this is ok but not the best. I know Purina makes a medicated feed for goats that has AC in it as does Blue Seal. not sure if you get those feeds there though


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## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

StaceyRoop said:


> will Hoeggars send to CA? I would check into that because they sell the AC by like the 2lb bag and you mix it into their loose minerals or top it on their grain.
> 
> The boys wont need grain their whole life but like denise said they should get some while they are growing. You may have seen a medicated feed wtih AC in it -- this is ok but not the best. I know Purina makes a medicated feed for goats that has AC in it as does Blue Seal. not sure if you get those feeds there though


I have been on the phone calling different places for purina and again getting no where, I keep searching , I am sure something will pop up...lol
I am looking at a french site here in quebec, I am reading through the site and they have three types of blocks of minerals that each recommend but all say different blocks ... We have a white block salt and a blue block and a red block?? it really gets confusing! which one is better for goats??

I will write them to ask if they know of a purina in our area.

Thanks so much!
keeping my fingers crossed


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

They really need a loose mineral, better than a block.....with a block they would have to lick sooooo much before getting their needed requirements....make sure you get a mineral with copper in it.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The blue block you mentioned isn't something I'm familiar with BUT if you have no choice but to go with a goat mineral block...be sure it has copper in it, and what I have dione in the past was to smash the block with a hammer, MAKING it a loose mineral :wink: 

As far as very young boys, even bottle fed, leave hay out free choice and a small pail of water. 

As Stacey said, Hoeggers Goat Supply carries AC in 2# bags, fairly cheap in price too. Check your feed stores, even if they have no clue as far as what you are looking for, ask them to name all the types of stock feed they carry...brands, species etc.


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## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

liz said:


> The blue block you mentioned isn't something I'm familiar with BUT if you have no choice but to go with a goat mineral block...be sure it has copper in it, and what I have dione in the past was to smash the block with a hammer, MAKING it a loose mineral :wink:
> 
> As far as very young boys, even bottle fed, leave hay out free choice and a small pail of water.
> 
> As Stacey said, Hoeggers Goat Supply carries AC in 2# bags, fairly cheap in price too. Check your feed stores, even if they have no clue as far as what you are looking for, ask them to name all the types of stock feed they carry...brands, species etc.


Hi,
yes I did get to speak with them on the phone and he looked through all he had and said only the sheep feed looked to meet more the needs that were 2:1 .it also had a bit of copper in it.
I have been trying to find a purina here somewhere but nothing, I'll go take a look at Hoeggers and see what their shipping rates are to send down here. and keep searching for this place I did find a while back that carried a feed for goats with A/C in it. I just don't remember the brand otherwise I would have found it by now...lol
A Big Thank you to all of you!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Off the top of my head, there is a brand of feed that is available here but not too wide known. Kalmbach brand...it's a complete goat feed with added AC
Like I said, it's not a very wide spread brand but maybe it's readily available there?


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## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

Hi,
I was wondering ...if I am able to feed sheep feed that had the A/C in it from what I remember the guy said it is 14 % protein ... would this be ok to feed wether boys and also give them their loose minerals? now I know the sheep feed don't have the right amount of copper in it, does the loose minerals have the copper that they need?

or should I buy the goat feed that they sell here that is 16% and then just buy the A/C to add to it?

how much would you feed 3 lamancha wether boys each of the grain? and for how long? I would like to still give treats later on when they are older, A little something extra for the boys as we don't have the fields for them so I have to give extra here. We have a farmer close to us that sells just plain oats and had mention this to my husband, I have no clue if its ok for them to eat as a treat? 
Please let me know how I should go about feeding them, 
Thanks so much again!
Your Canadian Friend! :wave:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I would feed the sheep feed IF you can get the loose minerals for goats which will have the copper in it.


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## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

StaceyRoop said:


> I would feed the sheep feed IF you can get the loose minerals for goats which will have the copper in it.


Perfect!
How much would you think would be best to feed each boy?
I am going to call the co-op and ask about the loose minerals, is there a certain type that is made for goats?

Thanks so much again for all your wisdom!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Brands down here that carry Goat specific minerals

Purina
Sweet Lix
Southern States
Golden Blend

those are the ones I know off top my head

as to how much I would start them off with a hanful each and work up to 1/2-1 cup a day till they are a year old and then wean them off it and only give as a treat or during cold winter months


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## nublynn (Dec 11, 2009)

Well back to square one, phone the co-op and spoke to the guy and now he says theirs no A/C in the sheep bag... so he said he has a feed that is made for goats and their needs that has= Corn, Oats, Barley, Wheat in it they only sell this one type for goats, then I ask him what the ratio was with calcium to phosphorus and he had no clue and its hard speaking with him as he only speaks french and I have to keep trying to repeat and make sure he understands my brocken french...lol but in the end he did. so now do i buy this type and have to buy the A/c to put in it? 
and as for the loose minerals the only thing he has that has more copper in it is a block for cows theres 3 blocks one is 250 copper and 2nd one is 500 copper and the 3rd is 1000mg copper in it. no loose minerals for goats... here they don't really keep goats as pets so its kind of hard to find a place that will have the proper feed for pet wethers.
greatly appreciate all your help!
Thank you!


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