# Sweet Feed Or Not?



## simplynewt (Sep 5, 2011)

I had started giving my girls sweet feed mixed with this stuff called Motivator and they went crazy for the sweet feed and in doing so, have torn up just about every feeder I have built them trying to get the last morsal. 

Anyone else have a problem such as this? This weekend I decided to try something and I just gave them the Motivator and although the trips to the trough were not as frequent, they are still eating the feed.

Should I skip the sweet feed all together?

Also, they are not eating the hay as I expected niether. The browse is running low and I thought since they were going crazy for the sweet feed, they would tear into the hay (coastal bermuda) but have not done so yet. Is this typical for them to do this?


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## SkyesRanch (Nov 11, 2010)

Well your does need protein. I don't know what motivator is. What is the protein percentage in the sweet feed? I give my girls sweet feed. Does this motivator have any protein?


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

my goats are picky...they look at me like I'm feeing them poison if I give them any other hay besides alfalfa or an alfalfa grass mix. I personally am not fond of feeding sweet feed...only because it's filled with fillers instead of actual nutrients. I'd recommend a goat pellet formula if you want to grain.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Sweet feed should really be fed as more of a treat and not used as a regular part of their diet. I'd just stick with the other feed you have them on.

And just leave a little of the hay out and let them eat on it as they please until they get used to it. If they're hungry and it's clean, good quality hay then just give them some time to warm up to it.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

my goats only get grain when lactating or mid pregnancy. They get grain once or twice a day and yes they go nuts for it - they go nuts for their hay too.


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## SkyesRanch (Nov 11, 2010)

I only give mine sweet feed because all the other feeds are for meat goats and this is the only one that is a specific dairy goat formula. It isn't medicated or anything though.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

What brand is your sweet feed Orianthi? Is it just called "sweet feed"? I've never heard of a dairy goat specific "sweet feed".


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

If you're thinking the motivator is non-medicated, it is. It also contains liquid animal fat and questionable ingredients. I didn't even think it was legal to feed ruminates animal products anymore. Here the lable for it is the 3rd one down. http://www.tuckermilling.com/sheepgoat.htm


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I never ever feed sweet feed, and I would never feed corn either. That is ME, I am not saying that is anyone else. 

I was told years ago that corn is only good for those goats like the market ones to get them big fast and that do not have a long life span. He said the reason is it will firment in the rumen before it gets totally digested, and they have a nasty fat pocket when they are butchered or whena nercropsy is done. 

PLEASE that is JUST MY opionion. I have my own mix and I never use corn or molasses.


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## SkyesRanch (Nov 11, 2010)

KW, it is put out by Red Chain by Gorman Milling Company(Gorman, TX), which is a regional feed so you may have not heard of it. That is the website where you can see it. It is called 16% milking ration.

http://redchainfeeds.com/feedspeciespag ... onpellet16


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Ok cool. :thumb: Yep...we don't have that up here...at least that I know of.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I feed a textured sweet goat specific feed, it has pellets, very little crimped corn and crimped oats...it's 18%, DuMor also has a dairy specific feed called "Sweet Dairy Goat"...it too is textured. The 3 goats I have that are FAT do not get grain at all so I know it's not that small amount of corn that's in my feed because they only get browse and good quality alfalfa mix hay.

I do feed my boys grain through rut and my does only get towards mid pregnancy and throughout lactation.


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## rusirius68 (Aug 18, 2016)

So, I have 2 nigerian dwarf wethers nearly a year old (my 1st goats ever) I fed them pellets. So ok. Then I tried goat chow. OMG my goats have 3x energy! Like they were sleep walking before the sweet feed goat chow....Is this goats on a sugar high or are they getting something vital they were missing? Also the one is part fainting goat--he almost never goes "stiff" since the sweet feed! NOW I have bought producer's pride 12% sweet feed. They didn't touch it! spoiled? smart?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Just the sugar.


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