# gluten free feed?



## justafarmgirl (May 28, 2014)

Hello,
I am wanting to buy bulk feed from a local farmer. He has wheat, barley, peas and oats that he himself grows. I am gluten free and someone informed me that it makes no sense for me to feed my animals gluten if I consume their milk. I have some pretty serious sinus problems that we are still trying to clear up so I was going to try if it is possible without compromising the health of my sweet goats.
I currently feed them alfalfa hay, free choice minerals as well as a selenium salt block-which they don't touch, free choice baking soda, apple cider vinegar in their water and some beet pulp and boss in their grain which is currently just regular feed store grain (purina goat chow), I am also adding kelp but have not yet. They are also on pasture every day.
Would it be sufficient if I simply swapped (slowly of course) their goat chow with peas and oats from the farmer? I thought a ratio of 2#oats to 1#peas?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You would probably want to add some alfalfa pellets in there too.


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## justafarmgirl (May 28, 2014)

Alfalfa Pellets? In addition to the alfalfa hay? Not to sound dumb or anything but why? Is it because they waste something they need in the regular hay (they do tend to be wasteful)


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Would also depend on the quality of your alfalfa.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

You need to have a certain level of protein that the oats and peas alone will not provide. Alfalfa pellets have a certified protein % of between 15-17%, depending on the company. Do you know the protein % of your hay?

Also, do you have to go to that extent? I have friends that have celiacs and can have no gluten that drink their goats milk, and the goats eat a regular grain diet. They said that milk is gluten free no matter what the goat/cow eats.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Peas are 28% protein. I would actually go 3 parts oats to 1 part peas to make the grain around 15 to 16%.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

lottsagoats1 said:


> You need to have a certain level of protein that the oats and peas alone will not provide.


You might want to do your homework before making sweeping statements. ;-) Peas are a member of the legume family, and contain quite a bit of protein - like around 25%.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/sites/default/files/GoatNutrition0107.pdf


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## justafarmgirl (May 28, 2014)

ok, maybe I will go with 3:1 instead. Honestly I am not really sure I do need to go to that extent but some other people say I should, I figured I would see if it made any difference... the biggest thing with me is that it has to be non gmo.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I am really wanting to put my goats on a mix of 2 parts oats, 2 parts barley, and 1 part peas. Jill (goathiker) gave me that mix.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Corn, Soy beans/meal, and beet pulp are ALL GMO. Oats cannot be changed. The DNA makeup of oats can't be messed with. They will always be safe. GMO barley is being tested but, has not been released yet. GMO Bluegrass is being released as we speak...


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## justafarmgirl (May 28, 2014)

Thanks Goathiker! I was worried the beet pulp might be...I bought it for my milkers hoping it would put some weight on them but it doesn't seem to make a difference. They still seem thin to me. I definitely try to avoid soy and corn. Wheat is always something I am suspicious of as well.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I can't imagine gluten could be passed on thru milk. If it could, celiacs couldn't eat ANYTHING (all meat and dairy products would be off limits since those animals undoubtedly ate gluten). 

However, this whole thread has me re-thinking my feeding routine. I'd never even thought about GMO's in relation to animal feed. Ugh. Thanks a lot guys. :lol:


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## justafarmgirl (May 28, 2014)

So is protein the most important thing with my milkers? How much is too much and how much is too little?


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## justafarmgirl (May 28, 2014)

You are probably right farmer jen. I think I have developed a tendency to obsess over food; I was raised on a homestead where we raised most of our own food out of financial necessity but once I got on my own regular store bought food causes me endless problems. We started our own farm largely because I need to be able to eat something. I am not sure why I guess I am just super sensitive. So maybe I shouldn't worry so much about gluten in the animal feed. I could add barley but I think I will avoid wheat. Has anyone ever heard of a person being unable to eat something because of what the animal ate? I just came across the one person, and I don't know how sure they were.


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## Hockeydudde (Mar 2, 2021)

I know this is an old thread, but it exactly fits my question. I want to switch to feeding our ND does in milk a gluten free ration. Not because of worry about it passing through them, but rather the dust of it contaminating the milk, and my wife (who is celiac) having to handle the feed. Planning to try 3:1 whole oats to field peas with 10% BOSS. We also have free choice alfalfa and grass hay and free choice mineral.
Two questions:
1) anyone with experience in the last 7 years? Any updated advice?
2) we can only get whole peas. Will they eat them okay, or will we have to find a way to crack or soak them?
Thanks!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

@goathiker would be able to answer your question.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Hi there! I have helped a lot of people form “allergy friendly rations.”

What seems to work is oats (gluten free), alfalfa pellets, field peas (whole is fine), and a small handful of BOSS/few tsp flax. Add beet pulp if there are weight issues. Milo is another option to consider and does a fine job of keeping weight on goats! I’m not quite the same feed expert as goathiker so I can’t say the protein etc. but this is what works!


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## Hockeydudde (Mar 2, 2021)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Hi there! I have helped a lot of people form “allergy friendly rations.”
> 
> What seems to work is oats (gluten free), alfalfa pellets, field peas (whole is fine), and a small handful of BOSS/few tsp flax. Add beet pulp if there are weight issues. Milo is another option to consider and does a fine job of keeping weight on goats! I’m not quite the same feed expert as goathiker so I can’t say the protein etc. but this is what works!


Thanks!
We started with the diary ration to get a baseline. We should get the oats and peas next week, if anyone's interested, I'll post how it goes in a few weeks.


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## Hockeydudde (Mar 2, 2021)

We'll it's been a few months. We've been feeding 3 parts oats, 1 part whole peas, 0.4 parts BOSS. plus occasional flax seed. Girls seem to be doing well. They hated it at first, but love it after adjustment. The whole oats and peas are nice because they can't wolf it down like a pelleted feed. Our fastest eater finishes right when we are done milking. The slower eaters finish the grain off the stand. I think they are slightly low body condition, I'm thinking about adding some Milo or corn to the mix, but am going to do a fecal first.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad it is working out for you.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Milo is going to be a lot more nutritious than corn. Beet pulp would be good too.


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## km8goats (Sep 18, 2021)

Hockeydudde said:


> We'll it's been a few months. We've been feeding 3 parts oats, 1 part whole peas, 0.4 parts BOSS. plus occasional flax seed. Girls seem to be doing well. They hated it at first, but love it after adjustment. The whole oats and peas are nice because they can't wolf it down like a pelleted feed. Our fastest eater finishes right when we are done milking. The slower eaters finish the grain off the stand. I think they are slightly low body condition, I'm thinking about adding some Milo or corn to the mix, but am going to do a fecal first.


Hello! Thank you so much for sharing!! How is this working for you? I have celiac disease and milk my ND does, but I have a whole regimen that involves nitrile gloves and a delicate dance so that I don’t get glutened from their feed 😂 I would love for my kids to be able to help with milking, but I just can’t take the chance that they aren’t as careful as I am. I’d really appreciate an update on how this works as well as anything else that you’ve learned in the process. Thanks so much!


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## Hockeydudde (Mar 2, 2021)

We are still at it @km8goats !
Still mixing right the same ratio.
It does take an adjustment for them if you are feeding pellets, but they get used to it. 
The most difficult part is finding the peas. We get ours from azure standard, but they are over $1 /lb now!
But for us, it's worth avoiding the literal headaches.


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## km8goats (Sep 18, 2021)

Hockeydudde said:


> We are still at it @km8goats !
> Still mixing right the same ratio.
> It does take an adjustment for them if you are feeding pellets, but they get used to it.
> The most difficult part is finding the peas. We get ours from azure standard, but they are over $1 /lb now!
> But for us, it's worth avoiding the literal headaches.


Awesome! Thank you so much! My girls are not on pellets, but loose grain feed, hopefully that will help with the change a bit… do you also source gf oats, or not worry too much about the cross contamination?


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## Hockeydudde (Mar 2, 2021)

Lately we have been buying race horse oats. They are very clean and coated with an oil, so they aren't dusty. They are more expensive than the cheapest you can find, but cheaper than organic from azure.
I also meant to say that I got tired of weighing, so I figured out the by volume parts. It's 1 part peas, 4 parts oats, 0.5 parts BOSS.


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