# How's my feeding...



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Hello all,

Being relatively new to goats, I thought I would see if my feeding program for my goats is correct. Our two Pygmy's are doe sisters, roughly 6 months old. One of them weighs 36 lbs, with the other weighing 32 lbs. I do know their exact weight cause I picked them up and stood on a bathroom scale just a couple days ago...lol. Their feeding is broke down to a early morning feeding around 6:00am, and then again around 5:00pm. Both goats are getting approx a quart of sweet feed every day between the two feedings, with grass hay always available and plenty of fresh water. They also have a mineral block at their feed station. The sweet feed I've been giving them is the Tractor Supply brand in the purple bag, and it runs 12% protein. At present they don't have any other type of food source such as browse. So.....how are we doing?...lol. 

Thanks
BJ & Debbie


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Well, I am not on good one to talk about Oygmy goas, so I am sure somone will jump in here, BUT, I think that is a lot of grain. I could be wrong, but that seems like a lot. I would really watch for bloat also, but that is just me.

Also, goats need a LOOSE mineral to eat. Blocks are ok, but they can not get the mineral that they need in a block only becasue the block has to be licked, and it can burn their tounge before they get what they need. So I would get a good loose mineral so they can have that all the time, and maybe some Baking soda. That is good for them to eat when they need it. It keeps the Ph in check for their rumen.


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Defintely too much grain... I have a group of three goats, a large myotonic hermaprodite, an adult nigerian doe, and an almost yearling doe. They get a cup of 18% grain and a cup of Alfalfa pellets, twice day, so that is a quart of feed, between the three, who are a lot older than your babies.

Also I would say you need a higher protein grain. Yes yes, some people feed goats straight corn. I wouldn't, and never have. My advice to you would give a good 16% mare and foal feed and add in a small handful of black oil sunflower seeds in their grain at feeding time.

Definitely need loose mineral, mineral for either goats or cattle. Sheep mineral does not have enough copper in it, as too much copper will kill a sheep. You can keep giving them the block, as it is also good for salt intake.


----------



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Ok folks,

The main place near me that has any kind of a selection of feeds is Tractor Supply. So if anyone knows their products well enough, could you make feeding suggestions from what they carry. I've looked for free minerals and didnt see any, and the store employee I asked knows less than I do...lol.

Thanks,
BJ & Debbie


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Tractor Supply should carry the Manna Pro goat minerals, they come in like 5lb bags.

They have Producers Pride 16% mare and foal, unless your TSC does not carry that brand, Purina or Nutrena may have a 16%......Or you could feed a goat feed that TSC has, but remember when switching over to a new feed, do it slowly and gradually.


----------



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Here we go,

I spent a few hours on the road today searching out all the goat food I could find..lol. It involved two different Tractor Supply stores and several feed stores. Below is listed what I was able to find. So which would be the right choice for our Pygmy's.

1. DuMor Goat Sweet Feed.. 16% protein... 50 lb bag
2. Purina Noble Goat Medicated... 16% protein.. 50 lb bag
3. Purina Goat Chow... 16% protein... 50 lb bag
4. Country Acres Sweet Goat Feed.. 18% protein.. 50 lb bag

5. Purina Cattle Mineral.... 50 lb bag
6 .Producers Pride General Purpose Mineral.. 50 lb bag
7. Manna Pro Goat Mineral.. 8lb bag

Thank you,
BJ & Debbie


----------



## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

GotmygoatMTJ said:


> ... who are a lot older than your babies.


Please correct me if i'm wrong but wouldn't a younger goat who was growing rapidly require more feed per pound than an older goat? obviously they might be still getting too much (I don't know about minis or does) but was just curious how much growth should be taken into account....
M.
p.s. I like the manna pro minerals!


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

NuMosaFarms said:


> Here we go,
> 
> I spent a few hours on the road today searching out all the goat food I could find..lol. It involved two different Tractor Supply stores and several feed stores. Below is listed what I was able to find. So which would be the right choice for our Pygmy's.
> 
> ...


Heres what I feed that is available at my local TSC... I feed Blue Seal Caprine Challenger BUT I have subbed with the DuMor goat Sweet feed.
I have also used the 8lb Manna Pro goat minerals....pricey for a small amount but it's got a high enough mineral content that goats need.
I've not heard of the Country Acres brand but if it's lower in price, compare the label with that of the DuMor and get it if the values are the same.
As far as how much feed...My babies get 1 cup of a mix of the Blue Seal, Calf Manna and Black oil sunflower seeds, 2x a day...at 4:30 am and again at 3:30 pm with alfalfa hay at both feedings and when suitable, all the browse they want. Your doelings are at a good weight for their age and it will seem as though they aren't growing over the next few months but they will have a growth spurt at around 9-10 months old. Decrease that grain amount, give them the freechoice loose mineral, plenty hay to replace the browse they lack and lots of love and they'll grow into healthy happy adults.


----------



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Hey Liz,

When you say give them "free choice loose minerals", you don't mean "all they can eat" do you? Especially when some of the minerals come in 5 lb or 8 lb bags. When I was looking at the feeding directions on some of the mineral bags, it was calling for very small amounts per head. I'm just trying to get a better understanding.

Thank you,
BJ & Debbie


----------



## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

Most people do feed minerals on an "all they want to eat" basis. I find my boys are good at regulating.. some days they don't want any others they are very enthusiastic... I just but out about 2-3 tblspoons (for two goats) at a time and refill when ever the bowl is empty...
M.


----------



## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I let my girls and the kids eat free choice minerals... they like the manna pro, but dont like purina. The up-ed their intake when they were pregnant and now while lactating, and the kids eat a fair amount too. I have to refill my container every other day!


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes..."freechoice" means to place a mineral feeder where they can have access to all they need...not neccesarily want, goats are good at self regulating minerals, you will find that they will go through more mineral when you first put it out because they haven't had something they really need, they'll eat what they need then leave it, I find that mine go through more at certain times of year than others, for 5 does and 7 kids, my feeder holds 8lbs and it's lasted for 2 weeks...but I also have does in milk so their consumption is greater.


----------



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Been shopping...lol. I picked up a 50 lb bag of DuMor Goat Sweet Feed, a 20 lb bag of BOSS, and a 8 lb bag of Manna Pro Goat Minerals. After I get my goats initially switched over to the DuMor, I will probably then start adding the Calf Manna. Didn't want to give them too big of a change at one time. I really do appreciate all the responses and all the help. You people are great.

P.S. Liz.... out of a cup of the sweet feed, how much of that would be BOSS. I plan on giving my goats 50/50... half of their old feed and half of their new mix for at least a full week.

Thank you,
BJ & Debbie


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Beings as I mix the 10lbs of BOSS with the 50lbs of feed...I can't really be sure on the amount if you give it without mixing. Going by how a cupful of what I mix looks, I'd say theres maybe a tablespoon of BOSS in the cup of grain. Too much BOSS will make them fat, just enough keeps the skin healthy, coat soft and adds selenium and vit E.

Doing a gradual change in the next week from old to new should help avoid any digestive issues like diarrhea, See how they do with just the BOSS...You may not need to add the Calf Manna.


----------



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Thanks Liz,

You a sweetie....lol.

BJ & Debbie


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

naturalgoats said:


> GotmygoatMTJ said:
> 
> 
> > ... who are a lot older than your babies.
> ...


Yes and no :laugh: I keep my goats on half sweet feed and half alfalfa pellets. My babies would get about 1 cup (half and half) twice a day. So if you put it that way, yes two of my own babies would be getting a quart. But not just of sweet feed. But by the time they are 6-7 months, and out on pasture, getting hay, grass, and mineral, it is cut down by half, because they are out with the big girls(if they are doelings) and my does would happily eat everything you put in front of them, fatties :slapfloor:


----------



## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Which is better; peanut or alfalfa hay?


----------



## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

for a cup of feed if you are doing the ratio that Liz does you want 13.5 tblspoons of not boss with 2.5 tblspoons of boss... 
M.


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Zarafia said:


> Which is better; peanut or alfalfa hay?


I've never used peanut, maybe someone who has will chime in. :? 
But I think I would choose alfalfa over peanut, just my opinion.


----------



## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Thank you


----------



## NuMosaFarms (Mar 26, 2012)

Well,

My goats have been fed their first feeding on the new feeding program.... and they are PO'ED....lol. I've cut their grain to half of what they were getting... meaning each gets one cup of grain, and they are not happy with me at all. They looked at me as if they were saying..... "Come on Dad, you cant be SERIOUS"....lol. But I do think they forgave me just a little, cause after they vanished their feed I cut a couple full branches of wild rose bush and gave to them..... which they of course stripped like piranhas....lol. 

Thanks again for all the good advice,
BJ & Debbie


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

LOL.... I bet they looked at you like you still had more!

It's funny how they have such personality!
When I mix my feed...I see more of the sweet feed in a cup than I do the BOSS, the textured sweet has pellet, oats and sparse crimped corn...the BOSS looks to be sparse through the cup full.

If you are inclined to do so... do the ratio that Miranda suggessted...13.5 TBS of the grain and add 2.5 TBS BOSS, mix both together and see if it fills a dry measuring cup. I use Dollar Store baking/kitchen measuring cups and spoons, plastic and cheap to replace if need be.


----------



## GoatMann (Mar 28, 2013)

I have Bore Goats & i bought MannaPro Goat Mineral,I was wondering how much of the Goat Mineral do i mix with 50lbs. of pellets


----------

