# All Grain, Hay Stretcher, Beet Pulp?



## jrf2013 (Oct 17, 2013)

Just out of curiosity does anyone feed their goats this? I was at Tractor Supply getting my 2 growing wethers more Alfalfa Pellets and oats for their feed mix and came across Producers Pride All Grain and Hay Stretcher both bags labeled for goats. Also Beet Pulp. Anyone feed this? Any of it beneficial? I know the Hay Stretcher is most likely not a base source of food. Just curious and still trying to soak in all the info I can! Thanks


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## chuckles (Aug 7, 2014)

I feed beet pulp when warranted - usually to lactating does in the winter time. I'm not familiar with the other 2 products you mentioned. If I need to conserve on hay, I substitute 2 lbs of alfalfa pellets for 2 lbs of hay.


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## jscharling (Jul 10, 2014)

jrf2013 said:


> Just out of curiosity does anyone feed their goats this? I was at Tractor Supply getting my 2 growing wethers more Alfalfa Pellets and oats for their feed mix and came across Producers Pride All Grain and Hay Stretcher both bags labeled for goats. Also Beet Pulp. Anyone feed this? Any of it beneficial? I know the Hay Stretcher is most likely not a base source of food. Just curious and still trying to soak in all the info I can! Thanks


What is the feed mix that you mix up for your wethers?


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## jrf2013 (Oct 17, 2013)

jscharling said:


> What is the feed mix that you mix up for your wethers?


I've been doing a 2:1 ratio of Alfalfa Pellets and Oats with a small amount of BOSS mixed in. I just feed it in the am. Plus they get free choice hay and loose minerals. It seems to be working for them, nice weight and good coats


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## chuckles (Aug 7, 2014)

I don't mix feed for anything - it isn't economical or practical for me because I have to many goats, I do not have the means to store the grain, I'm not set up for custom mixing, the custom mixes I've tried do not work as well as plain old alfalfa pellets and beet pulp, and I generally don't feed grain/pellets. My wethers/bucklings are fed a 16% medicated pellet made by ADM along with straight alfalfa hay from weaning until I ship them to market. My doelings are fed the same 16% pellet along with straight alfalfa hay from about 2 weeks prior to weaning, until a month following. At somewhere around 9-12 months old they are transitioned to grass/alfalfa hay. My does are fed only hay - regardless of whether they are dry, bred, or lactating - unless the weather is whacked, there are a lot of wild temp fluctuations, or I screwed up and allowed them to be bred back while still nursing kids. In any of those situations lactating/heavy bred does receive about 1 lb of alfalfa pellets and 1/2 lb of beet pulp in addition to 5 or 6 lbs of good grass/alfalfa hay per doe per day.


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## VillageCreek (Aug 17, 2014)

I have heard that beet pulp is a good source of fiber, which would help stretch hay. I know that a lot of people give it to does in milk. but I don't know why. I was going to buy some to add fiber to my mix, but alfalfa pellets were cheaper, with more fiber. The only reason I mix my own feed is because I cant find what I need in this small town. All of the goat feeds I find are upwards of 15% protein, and a dry doe only needs 10% for maintenance. I also like a feed with a little higher fat than avg. for breeders (those babies will really suck it out of them), and that is nonexistent.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Stick with what you are feeding and don't add the other stuff. I'm a strong believer in don't fix what ain't broke.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I feed a commercial dairy ration, alfalfa pellets (when I can afford them) and soaked beet pulp. I mix the beet pulp with the feed and add the alfalfa pellets to it also.

I used to feed the hay stretcher pellets to my horses, but they got more expensive than feeding the hay! The goats never wanted to eat the stretcher pellets and the price was similar to the alfalfa pellets, so I stuck with the alfalfa.

I don't feed TSC feed, I don't like their quality. I feed Blue Seal/Kent products.

I manage my feed on a tight budget. I would love to be able to feed whole oats and barley, alfalfa and beet pulp, but I have to go with what I can afford. The commercial feed is cheaper than the whole (native) grains and they are balanced for a milk producing animal. I don't have to add extras, except the loose minerals I keep out for them.

Beet pulp is high in calories and contains some calcium. It has both soluable and insoluable fiber. I love soaking it so the does get that bit of extra fluid in the cold winter months when the girls may not be drinking as much as I want.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I feed shredded beet pulp dry, to does that are on the thin side from milking. In the winter, I mix
shredded beet pulp in hot water for the goats as a warm up, and to help increase their water 
intake.


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## chuckles (Aug 7, 2014)

VillageCreek said:


> I know that a lot of people give it to does in milk. but I don't know why.


I think a lot of why people feed beet pulp to lactating does is because it helps them convert feed to weight better. That's why I feed it when necessary.


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## In_Clover (Feb 28, 2013)

I feed soaked beet pulp to all my goats during winter months and straight through my doe's lactation. It's extra nutrition for pregnant does, low sugar, highly digestible and a nice little calcium boost. I serve it nice and steamy with add ins like yeast, maybe some carrots, BOSS, herbs, and any supplements I might want to add. Black strap molasses is very high in iron and makes a delicious batch that they slurp up. (I make mine very soupy.) It keeps the rumen working which provides winter warmth. They really enjoy it on those cold winter days. I love it.


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## jrf2013 (Oct 17, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> Stick with what you are feeding and don't add the other stuff. I'm a strong believer in don't fix what ain't broke.


This is very true! I was just curious and making sure I wasn't missing anything.

Thanks for all the replies!


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

I feed it to my lactating doe because it helps her to keep the weight on better. I was feeding it to my wethers when I first got them and it gave one of the wethers a partial urinary blockage. So now I am only going to feed it to my lactating goats.


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## jscharling (Jul 10, 2014)

Amanda83 said:


> I feed it to my lactating doe because it helps her to keep the weight on better. I was feeding it to my wethers when I first got them and it gave one of the wethers a partial urinary blockage. So now I am only going to feed it to my lactating goats.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


Which gave your wethers a blockage, beet pulp or hay stretcher?


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## Buckleberry Woods Farm (Dec 20, 2013)

Beet pulp 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## chuckles (Aug 7, 2014)

Most cases of UC is caused by phosphorous. How could beet pulp cause UC when it only contains between .1% and .20% of phosphorous? I suspect something else caused it, and you are blaming the beet pulp because it was what you added the most recently.

http://www.goatworld.com/nutrition/beetpulpshredded.shtml

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/sugarbeets.htm


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## Hollowdweller (May 5, 2011)

I love that tractor supply all grain for the bucks. It does not contain enough protein for milking goats.

I would be cautious of feeding beet pulp to wethers due to the high calcium content and the predisposition of wethers to get kidney stones.onder:


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