# Feeding with medicated feed



## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

I have a question about feeding Rumensin and Decoquinate.

I currently feed a mix with Purina Noble Goat with Decoquinate, Dumor Complete Goat Feed, Dumor Sweet Feed, and BOSS. I mix all this and give to the whole herd.

I have lost a few kids this summer and I have read some good things about Rumensin. So I went and bought a bag of the Sweetlix Meat Maker with Rumensin. 

My question is, can I add the Sweetlix at 2lbs per 50lbs of feed in with my current mix? Or should I take out the Noble Goat Feed from my mix? Is it ok to feed Decoquinate and Rumensin at the same time? And would this feed be ok for the whole herd or just the kids?

Any input and ideas are welcome


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Not ok to feed both coccidia meds. Use one or the other. You also have to put some days in between feeding so the one is out of their system.


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## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

Ok thank you. Do you know why its not ok? do they cancel the effect of each other out? or does it become harmful rather then helpful


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They are 2 different types and will be harmful.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I agree with Karen on feeding 2 different coccidiostats together. I would strongly suggest feeding the mineral free choice, rather than add it to feed. That way each animal can satisfy their individual need for the mineral, as opposed to having to fight other animals to get the mineral. Another problem is the number of different feeds you are mixing together. For a coccidiostat to be effective it has to be fed at a certain amount as stated on the label. By mixing 2 or 3 different kinds of feed you are decreasing the amount of medicated feed and creating a situation whereby the cocci are going to become resistant to the medication. A 3rd problem is that unless all of those feeds have the same protein content, by mixing them together you are also reducing the protein content your animals are receiving. I would suggest that you decide whether you want to feed a medicated feed or not, and if you do stick to the medicated feed only. If not, decide what protein level your animals need and stick to one feed that provides that protein level.


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## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

I would like to try the Meat Maker with Rumensin. I would take out the noble goat. Would it be ok to feed the complete goat feed along with an added sweet as well as BoSS? Then have rumensin as either free choice or mixed with feed. And should this be free choice only to babies or whole herd?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is the sweetlix meatmaker a feed or mineral?

Where you are going wrong is adding in the other stuff.


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## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

It is a mineral a fine granular formula. What should I feed if I am using this mineral with rumensin


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm hoping someone else will come on here because I don't feed any medicated feed or mineral. 

The importance of the medicated part is that you get the right amount into them daily. I'm not sure if you feed medicated mineral free choice or need to make sure each goat eats the proper amount.

Really only kids should need the medicated feed. Adults normally can handle a small coccidia load. This has been a bad year for coccidia and even adults are having problems with it though.

I wouldn't feed adults the medicated feed or mineral. Just the kids. 

The biggest thing about it is that they are eating the right amount per day so that it doesn't build an immunity with not getting proper amount.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

You can get the sweetlix unmedicated. That's what I do. That way only my feed is medicated, not both.


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## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

Yea my local fees store carries the unmedicated. I had them order this bag for me. My main reason was the difference in size of my January kids and April kids. My 4 1/2 month old kids from April aren't as big as my 3 month old kids from January. We have also lost 4 kids recently. I thought switching them to a feed with rumensin would be a way to help keep the cocci down as well as get more out of the feed. I don't know what I should do now. I just bought another batch I feed. But luckily I have not mixed them yet. I believe I will only feed the rumensin to the kids though. But maybe I'm doing more harm than good but mixing the medicated feed and decreasing the amount each goat is getting.

Thank you all for helping me figure out my situation


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Feed the kids only the medicated feed. Just the one type of feed and don't mix anything else in.

To use up the mineral you bought, I would feed that to the adults and skip the medicated feed for them. You can do a feed mix with the adults minus the medicated feed.

Do you mean that you bought more Dumor feed? Feed the Dumor feed to the kids and only the Dumor feed. Give the adults the medicated mineral to use it up but don't buy anymore. 

When feeding the medicated feed, it is very important that that is the only feed that they get and no mixing. I do know that much. 

The problem you ran into was that you diluted the medicated feed so the April kids weren't getting enough medicated feed to prevent coccidia.


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## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

Ok, thank you for your advice. It is very enlightening.

Just to make sure I dont screw up again let me get this straight in my head. haha

It is ok to feed the big goats a feed mix containing, dumor complete goat feed, dumor sweet feed, and BOSS

And only feed the kids medicated feed

Leave out free choice minerals unmedicated for all goats


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You got it.


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## dontrun07 (Oct 1, 2013)

Thanks for all your help and advice


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