# New Buck



## surveyman (Jan 19, 2013)

We bought a Boer Buck the other day. He's three years old and huge. He is really an impressive animal. We got a good deal on him because the fellow became disabled and needed to get rid of his goats. The buck's front feet were also horrendous, but I think we can fix them.

The point is this, since we brought this thing home, it doesn't appear he knows what pasture is for. All he does is lay in the shed and eat hay. The fellow we bought him from was feeding him 6 pounds of some sort of grain mix. We don't feed our goats here, except on rare occasions. I know I can't just cut this guy off on feed. Are there any suggestions on what I need to feed him? Will he ever start acting like a goat and try to eat weeds and grass?​


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Is he with other goats that can be his guide in the pasture? I would give him a serving of hay, then leave him the rest of the day to find his own food. Maybe even lock him out of the house, if you have to.

Another thing you could do is feed his hay out on the grass. While eating he may get a few bites of the tasty green stuff, which he'll fall in love with I'm sure.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Do you have his previous feed so you can slowly wean him off it?


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## surveyman (Jan 19, 2013)

We don't have any of his previous feed.

Here he is.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

He sure is a solid boy!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Nice buck!

If you have another buck or wether that you can put with him then that is definitely the fastest way for them to learn to browse.

I would follow the suggestions above and place a limited amount of hay out in the pasture so he gets used to going out there for food and may get the taste.

Definitely a hard change on his rumen to go from 6 lbs of concentrate per day to nothing...but if you've already had him a few days then the bacteria is on it's way to changing. You might dose him with some probiotics to aid the process.

Unfortunately I have a pair of does that were raised in a similar way to him and they will never be as good at utilizing pasture/browse as the rest of my herd. They just are "programmed" to check the hay rack first and pick around the shed and wait to see if I'm going to put feed out rather than hustling out to pasture. Meanwhile a few of my other does will literally RUN to the brush/tree line.

Best of luck with him! Is he registered? Purebred or Fullblood?


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Very good advice given.  I agree though... I had a doe who was raised on a "dry lot" where NO pastured was available. She was fed grain and alfalfa for the first 6 months of her life before we got her, and she never did go out and eat in the pasture with the others for weeks/months. She ended up being one of our thinnest goats just because when the others were out grazing, she would be standing in the barn waiting to be fed. I never did try to teach her to go eat as I figured if she got hungry enough she would go try it. She did start grazing more and more as the months passed and she started to figure out there is no hay given in the summer...


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

I brought home some Boers also, they hang out in the barn area and keep my milkers away from the hay, well I couldn't have that!!! So I put them in the pasture with a small amount of hay to get them started and then when hunger took over I saw them out munching grass, which is why I brought them home... I think given the chance that is all they will eat is hay, seem rather on the lazy side... LOL They are doing fine on the grass now, though I do still give them a small amount of hay every day.


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## surveyman (Jan 19, 2013)

SalteyLove said:


> Nice buck!
> 
> If you have another buck or wether that you can put with him then that is definitely the fastest way for them to learn to browse.
> 
> ...


 I'm not cutting him off of feed. I understand that would be too rough on him. What I would like to do is slowly transition him to little feed. My main problem is I'm not sure what feed to buy to do that. Right now he's getting 16% goat grower with Deccox from the local Farmer's Coop. I'm of the opinion that he doesn't need that much protein.

He's a registered fullblood. For all pratical purposes I rescued him. He was living in a 10'x10' dog cage and eating moldy alfalfa. His front hooves were problably about 5 inches too long. However, as you can see, he is impressive and he has good lineage. I figured he was worth the $300 I spent on him.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

He's gorgeous, and $300 is a good price! I'm guessing he is registered?

I'd make sure he gets probios. If it's a sweet feed you are feeding, you can go to TSC and get the powdered goat probios and just mix a scoop into his feed each day to help his rumen. At least, if he were here, that's what we'd do 

16% IMO is a good amount. You don't want him to lose too much condition. He probably will if he's not browsing/grazing.

IMO if you want him to browse/graze, then I'd get him a buddy that can show him how <as others mentioned>, and lock him out of the hay/house during the day. That's the only way we could get ours to go out and eat on their own instead of waiting for hay/grain.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good advice by all.

He is a nice buck


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

I think it is so stressful on them to move, more so when they get older. I felt bad for the doe I brought home, but now she is doing great and as long as she is stuck in the pasture she has no problem eating it. I like your buck, you got a good deal on him, I think after he adjusts and discovers all the wonderful things there are to eat you won't have any problems. Good luck with his feet, pictures of them before and after would be great!


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## surveyman (Jan 19, 2013)

UPDATE:

He's getting settled in. I've started kicking him out of the barn in the daytime. We're trying to get his feet in shape, but he isn't a fan of having them trimmed. We normally trim our goats in a Billy Gruff chute. If we have a few out in the pasture, I'll hold their head and the wife will do the trimming. Well, that ain't working with him. I can't hold him still long enough. Has anyone got any tips on how to do this?


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

**Please note that the following is an IDEA only, I have not done this with a goat, so I don't know how safe it is for them**

When we had a cow we had to doctor out in the field, we would tie them to a tree by their horns. We would position them with their forehead against the tree and the rope going around it and to each horn.

He looks like he is a stout fellow and is gonna take some "convincing" to get him to comply with your request!! :slapfloor:


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## SMB_GoatHerd (Jan 22, 2014)

I don't know how well you could actually do it, (not to offend you and your abilities, just the fact that he is a BIG boy) but flipping him. You may need a few people to help, but pull his legs out from under him and have him laying on his side, while one person has their knee on his neck to hold his head down, and one at his back end to help hold the other end down. And one more to do the trimming. I do this with some unruly does, and I also did it with my buck... Yet, he is much younger/smaller. I don't know, that's just an idea. As I do understand that he may be a little big to do that with...


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

If I have to trim feet without the stand I have then what I do is tie them up right and with their head up. They don't seem to move around as much like that. 
He's a big boy and I don't know if you could flip him BUT if you see him laying down you could jump on him and hold him down. 
I spent the first 6 months of goats doing their feet like that but I'll warn ya they will catch on fast 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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