# Feed - Bar Ale - Rations



## GoldenCreek15 (May 13, 2015)

So for my first market goat project I fed my wether the Bar Ale Final Drive Mac Goat with Rumensin and top dressed with Milk Plus pellets and black sunflower seeds and got an amazing rate of gain of .88lbs daily. I recently picked up my market wether for the Silver State Youth Livestock Show in Yerington Nevada and he currently weighed in at 75lbs. The show is August 13 - 16 and I am semi worried about him being over finished or over the weight of 120lbs. 

My questions concern his feeding. I currently only have him on a diet of high quality pure Alfalfa (I am waiting for my first paycheck to come in before I go and purchase his first bag of grain). Our local milling company has a show goat feed that has produced the 2014 Reserve Grand Champion market goat and the 2015 Grand Champion market goat and I am somewhat wanting to switch to this feed but should I after having produced a fine quality product with the Bar Ale feed? I'm also worried cause I've also heard rumors that Bar Ale has discontinued this feed. Also there is Brewers grain available in out area priced at $30 per 55 gallon barrel. I have researched brewers grain and found high amounts of protein in it but have been told by some people that it is nothing more then chicken scratch. 

So for his feeding I would like an approximate daily rate of gain I should be aiming for, about how much this ration should be, should I add the milk plus pellets, whats your opinions of brewers grain (moist), should I add it to my feed, and should I switch over too this feed provided by our local milling company? 

P.S. I cant remember the name of this feed at this time, I'll update once I can.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like you are doing a good job already. I tend not to fix what ain't broke but others may think differently.


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

So if he's already at 75lbs, and the show is in roughly 11 weeks, about 80 days give or take until your show, he can only gain 45lbs before he hits 120lbs. So you want him gaining absolutely no more than 0.56lbs a day. So what I would be doing is feeding a maintenance ration until about 3 weeks before the show, then up his protein to bring back some fresh muscle. 
So I would only feed about 1.5lbs of feed a day, plus some hay, not too much because most judges for market goats don't like they hay belly look. Reweigh him in 2 weeks to see how much he's gaining, adjust to get him gaining more or less.


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## GoldenCreek15 (May 13, 2015)

I maintained his weight fairly well and on July 8th weighed him at 80lbs and he is now on a free choice diet of high protein grain mixture (Farmers Best Goat Ration 16%, Milk Plus Pellets 21%, and Purina High Octane Championship Drive Top Dress 31%) he did get a bit fat and so I upped his water intake and exercise regiment and now it is back to a sleek muscular look for him


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

Glad you were able to keep him held back, good luck at the shows!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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