# Newbie’s: Don’t make my newbie mistake



## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

Okay, I live in commercial meat goat country so when a Boerdoe walked by my house last November (2011) and this became her home, I startedgoing to feed stores looking for goat food, etc. I assumed the feed stores would sell me goat appropriatestuff. I was wrong. Feed store #1 located in the town closest tome sold me some pellets and my baby seemed to be doing okay but at that momentin time I had zero knowledge of goat care, except they eat weeds which is aservice I needed. A month or so latersomeone told I should get her some minerals so on a trip to the city I stoppedat Feed store #2, who sold me a 50 pound bag of loose minerals okay for allanimals (cows, sheep, horses, goats, etc.), which I later learned has nocopper. When I was given a week oldsolid black Spanish buck last May, store #2 sold me Unimilk (designed for allspecies). 2nd day on it hesuddenly refused to drink it but did gobble up 2% pasteurized cow's milk, so Iknew the Unimilk was the problem. So Iwas headed to the city and found Land O'Lakes Doe's Match at store #3 which isnow the only thing I feed newborns and is approved by my vet. When it was time to buy some more pellets I innocentlypicked up a bag at store #2. I was stillpretty naïve and ignorant, so I didn't think to ask what I was being sold. I asked for "goat pellets" but I was sold "goatand sheep pellets" which of course had no copper. Keep in mind store #2 is locally owned, has agood reputation, and several branches. Ibegin to realize there was a problem when my solid black Spanish buck wasweaned and immediately started developing a copper deficiency which I picked upon when reading a goat care book. Thatis when I learned store #2 was selling me copper-free food for my goats. So I did some research and started treatingmy boy for copper but I also decided to buy pellets somewhere else. So I went to store #3 and being wiser askedfor "goat pellets" and made sure they were goat pellets and only goat pelletswhich did contain copper. I got what I askedfor but these pellets were also medicated. The idea of feeding my goats antibiotics 365 days a year is something I willnot do. So when it was time to buypellets again I decided to return to store #1, which is not as convenient butthat first bag had said goat pellets on it. Well, the other day it was time to empty the new bag into the metal canand to my astonishment the ingredient label attached to the bag said "beefpellets" and copper is not included on the ingredient list at all.:veryangry: So I have started doing some research on alternatesas I need to find a product I like and stick to it. Next time I go into a feed store I am goingto ask if they have _____ by name and no more just asking for "undedicated goatpellets containing copper". So my adviceto newbie's is DO NOT TRUST feed store employees to sell you the rightstuff. If anyone has a suggestion on agood feed for goats, I would appreciate the advice.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

A good goat feed is ADM Dairy Goat Power 16%. Now this doesn't contain AC or medication. The meat goat formula is called ADM Meat Goat Power 16%. It does contain AC and coccidia medication. But, you can look up the label online and then compare what is in your area to it and buy something similar in comparison. I know there are other good goat feeds but this is what I feed and saw improvement in my goats when on the feed.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Boy do I sympathize with you Texas girl! If it hadnt been for my breeder turned mentor sending me home with the feed they are used to we would have been up the river without a paddle.
Ive heard "sheep minerals are fine for goats' from feed stores so many times I could scream.
Sure they're fine. If you want copper def in your herd.

Now this is just what we do here;
We do feed medicated feed with monensin, which helps prevent cocci. It is called BoerGoatDeveloper R20 by CHS Nutrition.
There's never enough copper in any feed unless you have a custom mix.
The also get OnyxRightNow loose minerals. Much higher copper than SweetLix, which we had been using for years.
If I need to bottle feed & dont have goat milk stored up they get whole cow milk from the store.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Feed stores know nothing. They don't realize that sheep and goats are so different. Why feed producers make feeds for both, I don't know. It is really hard for people who are knew, I think everyone here has been there and in the same position as you. I know I was.

As to the medicated feed, it is not an antibiotic. It is a coccidiastat which is very good to feed young goats to prevent coccidia so they won't get it and end up with damage to their intestines. IMO it is much better to prevent coccidia than to treat it. Kind of like getting vaccinated rather than not and hoping you don't get the disease or having to be treated for the disease.


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## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

ptgoats45 said:


> Feed stores know nothing. They don't realize that sheep and goats are so different. QUOTE]
> 
> I do not think feed stores (at least in my area) can claim ignorance. Manyof the employees/owners are ranchers themselves. They currently or in the pasthave owned goats. This is goat country. Goats are everywhere. I cannot driveanywhere without seeing herds of goats. They are in the country and they are in town,they are everywhere. About half the people I know at church have raised goatsor currently own goats. Goats (alongwith a few sheep and even fewer cows) and hunting are the two major incomeproducers around here. So how cansomeone who raises goats and sells ranch supplies have no problem sellingsomeone stuff for their goats that is guaranteed to cause nutritional deficiencies?


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