# Boer show goats not eating well..



## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

So, these are my first show goats. I've got a doe and a wether. They are both about 4 months old right now. The wether weighs about 60 lbs and the doe weighs about 45. How much feed should they be getting each every day? They don't seem to be eating very much, especially considering I have them in a dry lot. I take them on a walk every day and they get a little bit of forage while we are on our walk, I wouldn't think it would make that much of a difference, soooooooo?


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

What type of feed are you feeding?


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

2 of our 4 show doelings are 3 and 4 months old and weigh 85 and 65 lbs. We give them 1/2lb of Boer Goat Developer, 1 ounce of Champion Drive and 1/4lb of calf manna each 2 x a day, and free feed alfalfa every day. I know it's crazy, we are working on simplification!  

They gained REALLY well on calf manna, so I would suggest giving that for weight gain. If you give your goats a feed that is low in protein, I would free feed, which is what us and most people do who have show goats. Now that our girls are on such high protein feed, we have been feeding twice a day instead of free fed. 

Best of luck with your show goats!


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

I am feeding a mix of Shawnee mill dominator medicated show feed (17% protein) and calf manna. They get it free choice, but they just aren't eating how I think they should be. I might be thinking they need more than they really do, but it surges seems like they just aren't eating.


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

Should I be free feeding them alfalfa? I think you Rae not supposed o with wethers cause it gives them a grass gut. I might have to start feeding the doe alfalfa cause she looks scrawny. She's not super wide anyway, but now she looks skinny.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Our kids are going through an exasperating stage. Some days they chow down the feed & at other times not. I just have to roll with it, so long as they all get a fair amount pr day.
When it's hot they dont seem to want as much grain.
They get let into the creep 3 times pr day.
They have free choice alfalfa, you could start there by giving him (them) maybe 1/4 that along with whatever hay they get now.
I wouldnt worry about"grass gut" until maybe a week before show. If he is worked up to it fairly slow it shouldnt be a problem.
I bring grass hay for my buck to the show so he doesnt bloom out rumen wise but other than that he gets alfalfa.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

^^^I was going to bring up heat as well. What one person I know did when it was hot was put just a normal light out in the creep feeder and turn it on at night, he said they ate way more that way. Maybe a fan would help?? My rabbits are sooooo hot right now, they are in a dog kennel with no wire or wood under them, every day I spray their pen down real well and noticed they are not suffering as much.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

If it's super hot outside take them out of the pen and give them a nice cold bath with the hose. Try exercising them early in the morning before it gets hot. Make sure that their water is CLEAN & COLD, they don't drink if it's dirty or warm. 

Another thing that was mentioned above, is Calf Manna for their weight gain. Calf Manna is excellent for helping weight! If Calf Manna is not available in your area, look for Excelerator it's made by Farmers Best Feed (Farmers Warehouse). Excelerator has a bit higher protein than Calf Manna, but still has all the vitamins, and minerals that the Manna does, and its cheaper!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with what has been said.

Also, you can give a Fortified vit B complex shot, it will boost appetite and help the rumen. Probiotics can be given too. If the gut is healthy, they have better appetites. 

Also make sure, they do not have worms or cocci.


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## heater (Jun 21, 2013)

Sorry for just jumping in here but I was wondering what you all thought about noble goat for weight gain?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

toth boer goats said:


> I agree with what has been said.
> 
> Also, you can give a Fortified vit B complex shot, it will boost appetite and help the rumen. Probiotics can be given too. If the gut is healthy, they have better appetites.
> 
> Also make sure, they do not have worms or cocci.


I was wondering about probiotics. As for noble, I couldnt tell you my kids refuse to eat it.


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

I've given a b complex shot, they've been getting probiotics, I clean and refill their water bucket 3 times daily, I give free choice electrolytes and they've been wormed. I guess heat is the main culprit.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Well, you've certainly done all the right things! How strange? I've never had goats that don't like to eat.  Must be the heat... ?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I have one doe that doesn't like to eat much , she eats like a dead bird.... all year round, so she might just want to be one of those super models. :/


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

Lol. I think that's what esarosa has in mind too! Lol. Kronk is staying a little fatter than rosa, but neither one is really eating much. I dunno. Crazy goats. Haha. I've added some pics of them that are from a little while back, but they basically look the same now. Rosa's just a little thinner. Rosa is the paint and kronk is the traditional. Maybe I'm just overreacting?


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

Fraud they are not very good pics. I can try to get some more later.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok, I dont show, but seriously I think they look just fine. No they are not these fat ticks but they for sure are not starving. The little doeiling if I were to guess is just a smaller build girl. I like the boy jumping around, you can see muscle


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

They both look great! 
One of my girls seems to want to keep her figure too. When she doesnt want to come into the creep with her sister & cousins I cant for the life of me get her in there she just runs.


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

Maybe they do not like the feed (may be time to change). Check to make sure the feed is not spoiled. Also have they been wormed?


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

Just for comparison my daughter also has a boer doe that is 4 1/2 months and she only weighed 55 pounds last Sunday when we weighed. Her 5 month old market boer wether weighed 92pounds at the time. Both have totally different body frames. I think your goats look good and healthy


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

Ok. Thanks y'all. I guess I'm just overreacting. The doe is a little smaller framed, but she's hollow looking between the ribs and the hip. They ate a little better today. I took away their electrolytes. I guess maybe they were filling up on electrolytes, so they weren't feeling hungry for grain.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

heater said:


> Sorry for just jumping in here but I was wondering what you all thought about noble goat for weight gain?


It is a good feed and can put on weight, it has a good protein %


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

I don't know why, but a few of my goats go through stages of looking "hollow" when it gets really hot outside. I just don't think they like to eat as much in the summer.


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## Xuxasmamma (Apr 14, 2013)

My goats are definitely not eating as much ss they have been. I figure it is the heat-its 100 here today.


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## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

All of my goats don't eat near as much during the summer...kids adults everyone just seems to pick at their food some days


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## Honeysuckle (Apr 11, 2013)

Yeah it's over a 100 here today too.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Heat doesn't help, that is for sure.


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