# Feeding horsefeed to goats



## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

I've reached the end of my rope trying to keep my horse from eating the goatfeed and vice versa.
So I think I'm going to look into buying a 16% protien horsefeed (same protien content as my goatfeed) and just feeding everyone the same thing.
I am not really worried about increasing my horse's protien intake now cause she has been eating a lot of goat feed and she's a high energy mare. She spends a good hour every day just freaking out and running around on her own. She's an arabian.
What do you guys think? It will be a little more costly for me, but then at least I'll know that my super-skinny recovering from worms doe will be getting enough protein. And the feed will likely have a higher fat content than my regular goatfeed.
I'm very concerned about my skinny doe. I'm following my vet's advice (after having a fecal run) but she just seems to keep losing weight.
I'm also going to be buying her a bale of alfalfa today and I'll put it out, free chioce in her little goat barn.
I need to put some pounds on my sweet girl. But she and my horse share grain, no way around it.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

There is no way to make like a 'creep feed area' for the goat. With the horse being her pen buddy I dont think it would be that hard to do. If you have old boards or poles, any thing you can set them up in a corner of the pen where the goat can walk under and the horse can not. If you have the time on your hands you could even tie both the horse and the goat up till the goat gets done eating her grain.


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## BlueMoonSpot (May 11, 2012)

I don't know what your housing situation is or how much grain you feed, but what I did for my goats and horse is I got one of those over-the-stall feed buckets for the horse, and the goats get their grain in little buckets on the ground. Then I throw down some hay to keep the goats occupied at until the horse finishes, at which point she comes out and steals the rest of the hay, haha. It works out well for me. =) I haven't had grain-stealing problem for months.

Anyways, that's probably a bit off topic, but I just wanted to throw it out there.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

I have a "creep feed" situation set up already, my goat barn, thirty feet from where the horse eats, but my girl wont use it. She HAS to eat with everybody else.
I went ahead and bought omolene 300 (I think) it's a 16% protien sweetfeed. Should be okay for everyone. And I bought the best looking hay my feedstore had, which in this case happened to be peanut. My goats have always loved leafy peanut hay. It's probably a more natural form of forage for them than the grassy hays I usually get.
I may try and make a "creep feed stall" out of some old and broken round pen panels. The horse wont be able to get in them but the goats could get through them.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Also, (still a pain lol) but with the ones ones that need a little help I just catch them put them some where that no one can get to them and give their extra good feed, then put back and they still get to eat what every one else is eating. Im just a total anti 'hot feed' on horse unless they really need it. It will still cost money letting the horse have the goods but maybe if you lunged the horse. Thats all I got lol


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Using two old, misshapen round pen panels of galvanised metal I made a very small "creep feed" right against the fenceline where the feedbuckets go. I hooked the small goat feedbucket right in the middle of the outside fence. I also threw a couple flakes of peanut in there.
My horse tried her best but couldn't reach the bucket. She could, however, reach some of the hay and when I was last out there they were all eating together. Except for my super skinny doe! Who walked off just as I was leaving :GAAH: .
In just over 2 weeks I'll be going back into the hospital for more surgery.
I don't know what to do.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

You can use a doghouse and put the food in there, then the horse can't reach? Maybe?


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Good thought, but Summer wouldn't go in one. Certainly not long enough to eat all she needs to eat.
For now the new "creep feeder" will help. She is willing to eat there and her food will last as long as it takes her to eat it and her hay will last two hours or so.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Lots of goat feeds arent suitable for horses, I'd say just for the peace of mind knowing your horse wont get sick if she pinches the goat food, I'd go with the horse feed for everyone


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## Goober (Aug 21, 2009)

I feed horse feed (Nutrena Safechoice) to both the horses and goats. I just mix alfalfa pellets in with the goats' to balance out the Ca.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks guys!
This morning I found that my makeshift creep feeder actually worked better than I thought it would. Turns out Fantasy (horse) was not able to eat all the hay in the creep. I think once Summer gets used to the idea that she can eat with everybody else, but that her food and hay are safe from Fantasy. This way I hope she learns that she can return to that feed and hay as often as she wants to.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I know with the kids it takes time for them to figure it out same with my 'need help' does takes about 5 days of chasing them down before they start waiting at the gate for extras.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Goober said:


> I feed horse feed (Nutrena Safechoice) to both the horses and goats. I just mix alfalfa pellets in with the goats' to balance out the Ca.


I'm thinking that I may switch to Safechoice 14% protein 7% fat and add alfalfa pellets. This new bag of Omolene 300 (16% protein) has mold in it and I had a TERRIBLE time with the goat feed I was getting being moldy.
I really hope that my goats will switch to the Safechoice being that it is a pellet versus the feeds I've fed before which were all grain.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I feed the nutrena senior life design, without molasses to my goats. Comparing tags to the purina goat chow, the senior life design is like WAY better feed anyway. Plus it doesn't have molasses, I think safe choice is kind of a lie, in that its not that safe for metabolic horses because it has molasses in it.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Well I did go with Safechioce High Effeciency (I think that's what it was called, I stupidly left the empty bag at the feedstore. I made them pour the whole bag into my can so I could be sure it wasn't moldy) and purina alfalfa pellets.
I'm mixing in a half a bag of alfalfa pellets to one bag of Safechoice.
I was really worried that the goats wouldn't like being switched over to pellets (Pan has never seen pellets in his life) but low and behold, they all liked their pellets ! In fact I would go so far as to say (knock on wood) that Summer prefers pellets to grain . She certainly ate them with interest.
So wish us luck?


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