# Weathers, grain, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar



## Geralyn (Jun 10, 2016)

I have 4 ND wethers ranging in age from 2 weeks to 3 and a half weeks old. The breeder recommended putting apple cider vinegar in their fresh water. What ratio do I mix the acv and water? Also they are bottle feeding every 5 hours and have free choice minerals and hay, but should I even offer grain? I don't want them to develop urinary stones, but I want to ensure they are getting everything they need nutritionally. Finally, there seems to be two camps for free choice baking soda. Should I offer it or not? Whew! Thanks!


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

No baking soda for wethers or bucks. I offer a little grain that has AC in it for growing wethers/bucks and when mature, slowly delete it from their diet. I do offer Alfalfa pellets, as my hay is grass hay and wont keep up the phosphorous to calcium ratio. ACV - how much - I just do a "glug" in the 2 gallon water bucket.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

Baking soda raises the goat's pH, where urinary stones dissolve in a lower pH (acidic conditions) so that's why it's not good for boys. 

I pretty much do the same thing with the apple cider vinegar and alfalfa pellets.  I also take some ammonium chloride (an acid) and sprinkle it on the boys' feed every once and a while, just to play safe. Ammonium chloride is also a treatment for urinary stones and I think it's a good thing to have on hand.


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## Geralyn (Jun 10, 2016)

goatblessings said:


> No baking soda for wethers or bucks. I offer a little grain that has AC in it for growing wethers/bucks and when mature, slowly delete it from their diet. I do offer Alfalfa pellets, as my hay is grass hay and wont keep up the phosphorous to calcium ratio. ACV - how much - I just do a "glug" in the 2 gallon water bucket.


I hope I'm not asking stupid questions, but if I offer grain with acv dashed on top, am I offering grain specifically for goats, or grain like I feed our horses? The alfalfa pellets I'm guessing are the ones we feed our horses?


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

The alfalfa pellets I feed are the same as the ones for horses. I get a goat-specific grain and then add ammonium chloride. There are also goat-specific grains that have ammonium chloride in them already.


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## Geralyn (Jun 10, 2016)

Thank you. I appreciate the info very much.


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

Have you ever cleaned a drain by putting baking soda in it, and then ACV? If not, go try it, and you'll see why I would never feeding baking soda and put ACV in a goat's water bucket. 

I don't use baking soda, as I read that it blocks the absorbtion of other minerals, and in my case, it appears to be true.


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

I put about half a cup of ACV into a five gallon bucket. Just offer a separate bucket of "clean" water too, as some goat's don't like the ACV.


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