# Feeding Boers



## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

The breeder I bought my boers from recommends free feeding..

How much do you feed per day?


----------



## Catahoula (Feb 12, 2013)

I Started with couple cups and then up it as the kids grew. I free feed on hay but not on grains. Different people do it differently also.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

The breeder was probably meaning "free choice", which means don't ever let them run out. So how much would depend on how much they eat. You won't know the answer to your question until you see. 
How old are your goats?


----------



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

Well, I give them free choice hay and pasture, but never free choice/free feed on grain.


----------



## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

Tenacross said:


> The breeder was probably meaning "free choice", which means don't ever let them run out. So how much would depend on how much they eat. You won't know the answer to your question until you see.
> How old are your goats?


No, free fed. Which is basically the same as free choice anyway. 

They are currently 5 months old. Unlike my dairy goats, I cannot seem to keep feed in their bucket. Ever. And that's why I wanted to see what amount others are feeding.


----------



## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

Catahoula said:


> I Started with couple cups and then up it as the kids grew. I free feed on hay but not on grains. Different people do it differently also.


Thank you! They get free fed on hay currently.


----------



## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces-ADG said:


> Well, I give them free choice hay and pasture, but never free choice/free feed on grain.


And the more I read the more I notice meat goat breeders don't free feed grain as they'll always eat and eat.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

silveira_ranch said:


> And the more I read the more I notice meat goat breeders don't free feed grain as they'll always eat and eat.


A lot of Boer breeders free choice feed the *kids* using a creep feeder to keep the adults out. That's what I do, but I have a hard time keeping the feeder full. They do eat a lot, but I have 17 babies eating out of it. At five months, I don't feed that way anymore. I couldn't afford it. My go to amount for any growing goat, or lactating goat, or goat I'm trying to get fat, is a plastic cereal bowl twice a day of Noble Goat Grower. Your results may vary.


----------



## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

Tenacross said:


> A lot of Boer breeders free choice feed the *kids* using a creep feeder to keep the adults out. That's what I do, but I have a hard time keeping the feeder full. They do eat a lot, but I have 17 babies eating out of it. At five months, I don't feed that way anymore. I couldn't afford it. My go to amount for any growing goat, or lactating goat, or goat I'm trying to get fat, is a plastic cereal bowl twice a day of Noble Goat Grower. Your results may vary.


Noble has ammonium chloride in it, correct? Do you give your bucks any additional a.c.?

Also, what about just maintaining bucks/does? How much grain do you give them?


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I don't free feed ... cost too much with my piggies. 

I feed in quarts. I give anywhere from 1-4 quarts depending on the age. 2mknths-5months is 3/4ths quart and gradually increase to 1 and then up to 2 1/2. Basically what ever they eat at each feeding.. we feed twice a day. 

Yes noble has AC. I feed honor show show and only add acidity to the diet if the supplements and hay aren't well balanced with the calcium to phosphorus ratio


----------



## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

Dani-1995 said:


> I don't free feed ... cost too much with my piggies.
> 
> I feed in quarts. I give anywhere from 1-4 quarts depending on the age. 2mknths-5months is 3/4ths quart and gradually increase to 1 and then up to 2 1/2. Basically what ever they eat at each feeding.. we feed twice a day.
> 
> Yes noble has AC. I feed honor show show and only add acidity to the diet if the supplements and hay aren't well balanced with the calcium to phosphorus ratio


Perfect! That's what I've actually been doing.


----------



## goatgirlzCA (Mar 9, 2011)

There is also a formula to use if you are showing market, with feeding I think its 3% of their body weight per day for gain, pushing it to 3.5% if needed right before fair, or backing off to 2.5%. Depends a lot on what you are using them for, because competitive market goats don't get much hay, where pasture pets can have all they want. Everybody does it different depending on what you are going for.


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I also add 1/4 quart calfmanna and a handful of BOSS.... BOSS is usually for young kids or.ones that need a little more fat on them


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I treat my show wethers like goats. They get to browse and get a couple handfuls of hay sometimes. Someone told me my goat would place last because he had hay. Wrong. He won four grands. Its more about.moderation than completely cutting stuff out. Also you have to watch how wethers are fed and base it off of exercise too.


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Nine 3 & 4 mo olds going through 18 lbs a day, divided up into 3 feedings.


----------

