# Pellets vs. loose hay and pen cleaning



## luvthegoat (May 21, 2012)

Hello! I am fairly new to goats. I have 3 fainting goats, all wethers - one is almost 2 yrs old and 2 are kids - just hitting 10 weeks. The little ones are both weaned. All are healthy - current on vaccines, been checked by a vet, etc.

The oldest one is used to a varied diet of goat feed (supplemented with ammonium chloride, has never gotten UC), alflafa hay and orchard grass. The 2 kids are used to an almost all dried grass diet. Although we have 5 acres and let the goats roam, we live in high desert so there's not much grass for grazing. I am trying to get everyone on the same food. So far, they all will eat the goat feed, all will eat black oil sunflower seeds, and all will eat Alfalfa Hay #1. They all also like eating flaked alfalfa and oat cubes we feed our horses and 1/4 inch alfalfa pellets. They also have free-choice baking soda and salt.

Would it be appropriate to switch completely the loose alfalfa hay to 1/4 inch alfalfa pellets? 2/3 of the bale goes to waste because the goats will nibble off only the leaves, leaving the rough stems. I'm thinking of continuing to supplement the pellets with the goat feed and adding free choice loose minerals . Thoughts?

Lastly, what do folks do to keep the pens clean? Their pen area is almost 300 square feet which includes 1 bay of the horse barn. The floor is all dirt. I've been raking and shoveling poop pellets to clean the pen. This also means I am shoveling away some of the dirt. Am I overdoing it or not doing enough? Is there a tool like a giant cat litter scoop that will sift the pellets out from the dirft? Should I add inert lime to the dirt to remove the smell of goat pee?

Thanks in advance for your input!

Jemy


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Hi Jemy, Good questions! My goats basically have a 30x150' space, but their "home" is a 5x10 chain link kennel with a tarp top, and a dogloo inside. It's messy, and there is so much hay waste, when I go to rake it, I picture it in a year, about 1 foot lower than the rest of the yard  I am in the high desert too...in the Antelope Valley. Where abouts are you?

Mine are Nigerians, 11 weeks, one wether (with his goods just barely hanging on now), and one doeling. I just wrote a big ol post today too, about feeding them. I worry about the UC's, yet want the doe to get her nutrients too. Then I read different things, chow mixes are no good, yes they are fine. No grain for wethers, yes give them grain.

So I will be watching your thread here closely  Glad to know there are other desert goaters out there. I am a little worried about the heat. Today was okay, but a few days ago, they were panting like crazy, which I have since learned is sort of normal. Poor doeling, she was Maaa-ing while panting, which I thought was an opened mouth pant...I thought she was going to get heat stroke. I grabbed her and just put her under the faucet. That did not make her happy. She was fine  They seem to do okay, and hang out in the shade.


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## luvthegoat (May 21, 2012)

Hi Dandilyun,

We live in Acton! It sounds like you have a nice set up. I'll post pics of my brood soon. One of the kids, Obi, who was banded, fainted and hit THAT area on Thursday last week. Sure enough, the area got infected. We had to have the vet do a ranch call and complete the removal process so we've been doing wound management and infection control. Little guy is doing okay but we hate having to do the penicillin injections. We're getting really good at giving injections and doing wound management on them!

I have not started the food regimen switch yet - finishing out the last of the alfalfa bale. It does get a bit confusing because I've read 3 books on goat care and read several online forums. Most seem to say feed would be ok for wethers that don't get to graze much only if the grain is supplemented with ammonium chloride, which our goat feed is. We made sure when we got the first bag of feed. Our oldest one we've had for a little over 2 months, also a wether, has had the goat feed all his life and has never had UC. I think they will be ok as long all the supplements are there and we don't over feed one vs. another. 

Take care,

Luvthegoat


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## Dandilyun (May 21, 2012)

Hi Jemy, awesome, Acton! My brother-n-law is in Acton, he delivers water, so if you are on a well or tank, you may see him  We are in Quartz Hill, only about 15 mins from you.

My wether's banding finally came off. It was weird...wasn't looking right to me. It was hanging there, by a "string" of tissue that went from the body down to the center of the banding. It was hanging about an inch...like it was stretching. It was red and irritated looking up close to the body, and just not coming off. Then last week, I gave him a bath. I had been handling some jimson weed, pulling it, then I scratched and petted him. It occurred to me that I rubbed the oil form the plant all over him. Duh. Instant bath. He was so good. Then later that afternoon, it was gone! But the place where they were attached was red, swollen, but not warm. SO I have been keeping an eye on it. Two days ago, by daughter noticed that it was bleeding, or had been. I think he scratched it, or jumped over something and bumped it. Since the blood was dry at that point, I left it alone. So far so good. 

So which vet do you use? Can I ask that on this forum? I forget...can we say names?  I have heard there are no good caprine vets up here so if you know of someone....Let me know! 

I am just finishing the first bale of alfalfa hay. I plan to stick with that. They also sell alfalfa and oat pellets...was thinking of getting some of those too. But my garage is getting kind of full with the barley and oat bags. They are 50 and 75 pounds. For two goats lol. I have come to realize that they just always act hungry. They are gaining weight, and look fat and happy. I have offered small bits of strawberry tops, cucumber, squash and they aren't interested. The only thing they want to eat are my trees lol. My doeling will take her minerals free choice. My wether...I haven't SEEN him eating them yet, but who knows.

Trying to clip them down for the summer, since it's going to get HOT every day now. I started clipping the doeling, the clippers died, and now she looks ridiculous lol.

Take care, 
Dani


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

As for the hay situation: It's best to feed alfalfa, baled. It's a pain because they DO waste a lot, but it's a lot better for them vs. pellets. If you wanted to do pellets, then i'd go with probably 50/50 on baled and pellets. I personally don't use pellets...just baled alfalfa and my goats do waste quite a bit. The best thing you can try and do is get a good feeder that allows minimal waste.

For cleaning, I personally have very large pens, so when I do cleaning, it's with a loader or tractor with a bucket loader. I scrape the top of the dry lot and pile the waste. For smaller pens, raking and shoveling. I would just get in a routine of doing this once every 1-2 weeks depending on how much waste there is. 

Yes, if someone wants to recommend a vet they can post here or pm you their info. :thumb: I don't know of any good goat vets in your area, but you could try posting an ad on craigslist or start chatting with breeders in your area. They may know of a good one.


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