# Horse feed, all stock feed, shelled corn



## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

I have a relative that works at one of the large national farm chain stores. They are supposed to throw out any bags of feed that mice chew on or get hit with the forklift. The district manager told him he could sell it if anyone was interested. I could get anything damaged for at least half off. Right now he has several bags of 11% horse feed, some all stock feed, and some shelled corn. I would tape up the holes in the bags and store it in an old freezer in the barn so I'm not too worried about mold/bugs/mice. The donkeys aren't getting a choice, they are getting whatever he has available. I would like thoughts/opinions on feeding some/all of this to the goats (4 % boers, 2 boer/nubian). I do have minerals, salt, and baking soda available free choice. They also get grass hay and whatever they browse.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

hmmm.. not sure about giving a 'throw' away feed to goats if it has a chance of having mice poop in it I know I would definitely not want to give it to them. If it is just a ripped bag then may not be as bad. I am trying so very hard to keep mice and rats out of the barn and have the feed in metal garbage cans. One of my biggest worries with goats is always...'poop' sources from either mice, rats, bats and even cats. I think Listeria comes from rodents.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Goats do so very well on browse. If you have good browse that is super! We raised our meat wethers on only browse and a bit of pasture at a neighbor's blackberry pasture. They had no extra grain or supplements. We didnt even worm them. They were butchered out healthy with dark meat.
Our does have to have supplemental feed as they have NO browse this time of year but a little bit of grain goes a long way and corn is sometimes a problem for goats.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The All Stock is usually around a 10-12 % feed...the 11% horse feed should be ok but do check the label ingredients and compare it to the label of your normal feed, if you see any questionable ingredients, don't use it the cracked corn will add calories but really nothing more , once you check the label, you can mix the all stock with the 11% and gradually get your animals on it...any abrupt change with feed can cause diarrhea.
I would feed "reduced price" feed ONLY if the bag was ripped accidentally with no chances of vermin contamination.... Listeria is carried by rodents and birds.

If the horse feed has the same ingredients as the All Stock, it should be ok...there are some who feed horse feed to their goats due to the price differences between Equine and Caprine specific feeds.


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

I knew that corn was "bad" for goats. The donkeys will get the corn mixed with the other stuff. Most of what I saw looked like a forklift driver was a little inexperienced and missed the pallet. The mice chewed ones were still stacked on a pallet and I could see where about a cup of feed spilled out. There was no paper or anything inside the bag. I think I'll try a couple of bags and see how it goes. 

Once I get any feed home, I store everything in a non-working chest type freezer. It's the cheapest feed storage I've found and I can stack 8-10 50 lb bags of feed in it. Of course there are no little kids of the human kind running around to get trapped in it.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Just remember to mix it in slowly. A little corn is ok but it really is just a filler. 
Stay far away from stuff that mice may have been in; you don't want to loose goats trying to save money.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

yeah i would definitely do it! just watch the prktejn level as i find a lot of horse feeds and all stock feeds are too low for goats - minimum 12% i prefer 16%. you may need to add some lupins or other protein source


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