# Newbie Question



## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

I've had goats now for about 7 years. I thought I was getting pretty good about raising them but after reading some posts on here Im not too sure about myself. There is so much on here that I have no experience with and I am so happy I found this site. My main question for the moment is regarding feed. For the last 7 years I have fed mostly just grain. I usually only supplemented some hay in the winter. I have had plenty of sick goats and a lot that has crossed the rainbow. After reading hundreds of post on here it seems like the main thing to feed then is hay. I kinda feel bad that I haven't been doing my job at taking care of them. I love my goats. My husband and i haven't been blessed with "human" kids yet so for now my goats are my babies lol. I have read on here about sunflower seeds and supplements and all sorts of stuff that I never knew about and that the main thing to feed them is hay. I had never heard if beet pulp but after reading about it on here I got some for my goats. Then I read it may give the bucks urinary calculi so then I got worried. So I'm just unsure if myself all the way around now. Maybe if I had more knowledge before hand I could have prevented some sickly goats. . What do you guys recommend and how much of each. My goats are all larger breeds. I have boer crosses and Nubian crosses. I haven't milked any yet other than special occasions but I would like to eventually. Also I've noticed that my goats' hair is no where near as shiny as some if the pictures I've seen on here. Is there something for that as well? Sorry for such a long post. 

One more question. I found the post in here regarding the medicine cabinet but is there any posts that describe what each medicine is used for? Thanks


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Heres a good website for the goat meds
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/goatmedications.html

Now on to the question of feed.
Hay and water, and loose minerals are the 3 most important things you can give a goat. Both should be available at ALL times. Hay provides the roughage for a healthy rumen and water sustains life. Minerals provide the rest of the building blocks. Goats can live their entire lives on these 3 items alone as long as they aren't bred or worked hard.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Don't feel bad, this is such a huge learning process :hug:

Hay should be the main part of all goat's diet. Grain should only be a supplement, if and when it is needed. I've only been raising two years, but I have collected some basic feeding info on my website. I'm hoping to have it for future buyers of my kids: http://theartofgoatcare.weebly.com/


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## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

Another good website with tons of info on meds,kidding,trimming hooves pretty much anything you can think You will find the answer on

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/medications.htm

I agree with crocee hay water and loose minerals. I feed my goats grain twice per day with free choice hay 24/7 and they always have water available.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Tabbytabtab Im sure we've all been there; learning about how everyone else does things then questioning our own knowledge & management. This can be a good thing on one hand. You have to look at your herd & decide what they might need.
All I can say is if your goats are healthy & you dont have alot of death or does with similar kidding problems you're doing just fine.
As for shiney coats, alot of that has do do with enough copper in their minerals as well as parasite control.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Oh, and all my wethers and bucks get beet pulp. Not alot, just a couple cups a day. I've never had a problem from it.


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

Thank you all for your responses. The websites are so helpful and detailed! Would it be ok to feed only hay and minerals and then grain occasionally? It's kind of expensive to buy both grain and hay all of the time. I have also seen people mention alfalfa pellets but I can only find them for rabbits. Is that the same kind? If I feed the pellets do I still need bales of hay? Also does the loose goat mineral have sufficient copper or do I need to try to find more? Does the sunflower seeds have a purpose? Also does the hay bales have to be alfalfa or just regular grass hay?


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

I just thought of another question. I seen some people mixes their own grain. What do you need for that?


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## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

-- somewhere to store it! Most of the elevators around here will only do a mix for you if you buy over 500 lbs at a time.


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## FreckledFarmer (Oct 27, 2012)

For my goats I have orchard grass hay, water, and minerals out 24/7 for the goats and I give them grain twice a day as close to 12 hours apart as possible. I learned a lot about feed from our breeder. During the warm/comfortable months I just give each goat a measure (mug) of sweet feed, a 1/3 of a cup of beet pulp, and a handful of BOSS. During the winter I add a 1/3 of a measure of both crumpled oats and barley. The boss and minerals help keep their coats healthy and shiny. I have 10 month old Nubians.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

If you find loose mineral with at least around 1800ppm copper that will work fine.
Because of my set up, does didnt get grain before kidding this year. So far the two that kidded did great. The mamas are getting grain now twice daily.
All have 3rd cut alfalfa 24/7.
In my opinion it would be better to not grain at all rather than occasionally.


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks. Do I still need to feed baled hay if I feed alfalfa pellets?


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## teejae (Jan 21, 2013)

I guess it would depend on the cost? Ifeed all my goats on this mix,Boiled whole barley splash of Apple cider Vinegar,handfull of Mega Min(loose minerals) Copra meal or Soy bean meal(depends on cost) Lucerne chaff and in winter I add cracked corn and Black Sunflower seed(a good handfull in the mix) Sunflower is for selenium and good for a nice shiny coat.Mine need the high protien feed for milk production/long lactations and wont touch the pellets  but prefer chaff. They also get Lucerne hay every day and do go out in 40 acres to graze and come home at late afternoon to be fed and milked and locked up for the night(to many feral dogs).Ive used this mix for over 20? years of breeding goats and show quality Toggenburgs.BUT!! it also depends on what you want out of them? Are they just pets of are you a Stud?For milk pruduction for yourself?If they are pets and depending on their pasture they will get by and be in good condition on a small amount of grain mix and hay once a day,Teejae


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Here is my feeding regimen...so far this has made my goats look great...

Grassy hay 24/7
Manna Pro loose minerals at .5 gram a head each day (on grain)They get grains at 4 pm (it's what works for us)Here is how I mix it:

1 cup sweet goat from Agway
1 cup Dumor pellets from TSC
Loose minerals on top
Soon to be adding 1 cup alfalfa pellets
Each goat gets 2 cups total of mixture (and that is probably more than enough for my buck and wether!

When I get closer to milking I will increase the mixture amount and see how it works for them.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Goats need hay at all times even if on pellets or grain.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

From what I understand they need the long fibers of hay.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

nancy d said:


> From what I understand they need the long fibers of hay.


Thats my understanding as well.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

goat-link.com is another good learning web site...just do not get over whelmed with all that is out there..there is so much to learn and you will as you go..never stop learning and asking and sharing. This is why forums such as this are such a huge help. I even started a face book goat emergency site for us local goaters..we need to be here for each other sharing what we learn and knowing you will be here for us when we have a need...On your feeding..as stated above..Hay water and loose mineral along with a salt block and baking soda free choice is the best start..add feed as you see the need...Good wormer to be used as needed..we choose Ivomac plus Sub Q and Valbazen oral. There are many other wormers and you should find out what is working and not working in your area. We add Beet bulp and black oil sunflower seed in our winter ration mostly because our ladies are heavy bed and need the extra...we raise Nubian, lamancha and saanen a couple of oberhalsi sister...so all good size goats...Our Bucks only get coastal and a small amount of feed...feed is given only through rut then they are on coastal and graze only....minerals and salt and baking soda for them as well....


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

I don't feed hay at all during spring and summer. We have 60 acres for them to roam and they only get grain once or twice a week to keep them coming to us. It's just the winter months that I'm trying to decide. I've found that there is much less waste with the pellets like there is with hay and the pellets are much easier to store. I can only afford one or the other.


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

Thank you for the website goatbleats


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

Tabbytabtab said:


> Thank you for the website goatbleats


I mean happybleats


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Is there any grass left in the pastures at the moment? Even that has nutrition and will help the rumen function. I would feed mine the hay even though some is wasted. I personally feel its better than the pellets alone.


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## Tabbytabtab (Jan 13, 2013)

crocee said:


> Is there any grass left in the pastures at the moment? Even that has nutrition and will help the rumen function. I would feed mine the hay even though some is wasted. I personally feel its better than the pellets alone.


There is some grass left but not much to brag about. More than half of their area is more like a forrest than pasture. In the summer they spend all their time in the hills and I don't see them until supper time. I cut pine tree branches for them in the winter. They eat the needles and bark.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

The leaves from the trees have good nutrition in them. Mine eat dried oak leaves like potato chips. What grass and leaves you have is a lot better than no hay at all.


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

crocee said:


> The leaves from the trees have good nutrition in them. Mine eat dried oak leaves like potato chips. What grass and leaves you have is a lot better than no hay at all.


I didn't know dried leaves were good for them. We have a lot of maples, boxelder and ash(most dead or dieing from the ash boer). Are those good for them too?
Also, we have a newly planted cherry tree near where we are going to keep our goats. I thought I read something about choke cherry being poisonous. This is a cherry that we would eat...


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## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

Here's a link for poisonous plants for goats http://www.elwoodranch.com/goats/age-poison/

We keep hay out year round for our goats. Your goats will tell you what kind they like. Mine hate bermuda, fescue and rye. But love orchard, crabgrass and peanut hay. We also keep water and minerals available and give sweet feed once a day - about 2c per goat. They have about 1.5acres to browse and love oak leaves and pine needles.

You'll probably wan to try getting just a few small square bales of hay until you find out what they like, then buy in quantity.


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