# In need of some help



## cinderrella123 (Sep 11, 2016)

Hi i know some of you raise dairy and Meat goats together I was just curious on what you guys feed your Meat does to get them to look there best. 

what do you guys feed your goats any breed Meat or dairy. I am in a little pickle right now.


I have been feeding my 2 girls sense they are dairy goats i have been feeding Purina goat chow and a 1/2 cup of black oil sunflower seeds but I am in need of a grain that i can feed my 7 month old Boer Paint doe i want to keep her fit but not fat to help her threw the winter months sense it is getting colder here it is only getting 46 degree's at night time and around 70 during the day. 


any help with what you feed it would be helpful and sorry if this is already posted.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

What kind of hay and/or browse are they getting? Do they get free choice loose minerals? 1/2 cup is way too much BOSS, I would cut that back to a few teaspoons.


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## siberian (Jun 8, 2016)

IMO, food is a killer on meat goats. Browze, hay, very little food


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## PippasCubby (May 13, 2015)

In my opinion, a good grass hay or pasture and good loose minerals are the most important part of the base diet for any goat; Meat, dairy, pet, growing, lactating etc.

If you feel like you doe(s) need(s) more, I would add alfalfa and/or a 16% or higher protein grain, depending on availability and your goals.

Purina goat feed is fine. Where are you located? Often, you can find a "locally milled" feed of similar or better quality for cheaper. I would look around and see what you can find.

My Boer does thrive on pasture 24/7/365. During winter, pregnancy and lactation, I supplement with alfalfa, and then a "local" grain if needed.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

PippasCubby said:


> In my opinion, a good grass hay or pasture and good loose minerals are the most important part of the base diet for any goat; Meat, dairy, pet, growing, lactating etc.
> 
> If you feel like you doe(s) need(s) more, I would add alfalfa and/or a 16% or higher protein grain, depending on availability and your goals.
> 
> ...


 Very well put.

I do feed alfalfa all year round, unless I am drying off my boers. Even my bucks get it. But I feed a grain that has ammonium chloride in it to the bucks.

Alfalfa is a good hay to help keep the goats warm in winter and give good nutrients, help with milk, pregnancy and weight gain. If they start getting too fat, I cut them back.

Having dairy goats and meat goats together, make it kinda hard sometimes. Dairy breeds need that extra for milk, when the meat goats don't and may get too fat and that can make things complicated.

Mine don't have access to a pasture, it is dry.

I do at times buy oat hay and will feed oat hay in the morning and Alfalfa hay in the evening. To cut the budget.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

All I feed is alfalfa and protein tubs while they are nursing. But I also don't want to have to go out and always milk the dairy girls. I mainly have them for if I have a orphan kid or one that is a triplet or quad. I usually have to milk them after they freshen, just keep milking less till they support what kids they have, and will have to do the same when I wean. I never have tried to milk and have them raise kids but they keep their weight on very well. When they are not nursing they get brows, basically brush and weeds all day long and since I cut their grain off will feed them alfalfa at night to chum them into coming in and also so it's not this big change when they are getting ready to kid and need to stay penned up


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## cinderrella123 (Sep 11, 2016)

Thank you to all your good advice. 


I ran out of there hay about a week ago and can't get anymore until next Wednesday. So they have been out on Browse all day long and when i can't let them out they get some grain and i know that's not enough i think i am going to buy either some alfalfa pellets or buy some alfalfa cubes but i am not sure if those will work. 


the 2nd reason i have been feeding my does grain is my Boer doe is sort of on the skinny side. 

thanks for everyone's advice.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Don't buy alfalfa cubes. Only the pellets.


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## cinderrella123 (Sep 11, 2016)

ksalvagno said:


> Don't buy alfalfa cubes. Only the pellets.


I thought so they probably wouldn't eat the alfalfa cubes any way but I may end up buying a few bags of the alfalfa pellets when i can't get to my local hay place.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Alfalfa pellets are good. 

How you are feeding is correct. You gotta do what you gotta do right?

If they have good pasture and are at good weight, you can feed them hay 2 x a week, 1 x a day.
They do good that way. 

Winter on the other hand, has not enough nutrients in it, it is mostly water. If there is no pasture to graze, then feeding hay or alfalfa pellets is wise.


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## cinderrella123 (Sep 11, 2016)

toth boer goats said:


> Alfalfa pellets are good.
> 
> How you are feeding is correct. You gotta do what you gotta do right?
> 
> ...


Yeah there is still a lot of green grass and black berry bushes there is black berry bushes and grass all winter long unless it snows this year but it didn't snow last year that much but we might get the worst winter here this year.

but Luckily my 3 girls aren't picky eaters they will eat anything i put in front of them except for the sunflower seeds they don't really like them. I can't wait til next year 2017 my 2 Lamancha girls are 6 months old as of the 21st of this month so by 2017 they should be able and ready to breed.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good deal.


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