# My goats are almost 100% pasture fed but I’m curious...



## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

... I have only had my 4 goats for about two months. The people I got them from said - they'll just eat in the pasture and then in the winter you'll need to get them grain. Sounded simple enough! They have about two acres to roam in and eat and they have a barn for shelter. I provide a mineral block as well.

But I see so many people on here talk about feeding their goats grain. I'm confused! And any time I start looking at food threads or google my head starts spinning with all the options and different foods.

They are thriving right now. They look healthy. They're happy. They keep my pasture pretty clean. They get sweet feed every now and then for fun and sometimes orange and banana peels or fruit.

When winter comes (Alabama) and the grass is gone I will need to start feeding them. Dare I ask... what do you feed your goats and can I get it at tractor supply 

And what is the difference between a mineral block and loose minerals?

Oh and I bought bales of hay when I first got them thinking they'd eat it. I put one in the hay feeder and a couple of them just stacked in the barn. They sleep on the one in the hay feeder and I've never seen any of them eat any of it!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Well the problem is one shoe doesn’t fit all. There are so many different things to take into consideration when it comes to feed. YOUR pasture, if they are producing kids and milk, just kids blah blah blah. Example is I had some dry does and yearlings this year and I just had them out on pasture. They stayed nice and fat. My does with kids on them had pasture and I was feeding Hay and it was hard to keep them from wasting away lol feed is something your really going to have to play with to get what works for you and your Goats. 
A lot of people on here don’t have pasture, it’s more dry lotting and then there’s ones like me who breed their goats and even having pasture just doesn’t cut it.
What kind of hay did you get that they refused to eat? Also once the grass is gone they won’t be quite so picky. The grain again is going to be something you need to play with, you might have to look at tags and get the best grain tractor supply has, you might be ok getting a cheaper grain or you might not have to give grain at all. I don’t give any grain except to growing kids and sometimes my bucks when they get thin after breeding.
Ok mineral blocks and loose. First stick with loose  the blocks are usually junk and they have to work at it to get the minerals they need while loose is just there for them to get as much as they want without having to lick and lick or try and scrape it off with their teeth. 
But if you let us know what kind of Goats you have, if they are being bred or not someone will be able to help you out more.


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## shoafplantation (May 18, 2018)

dzt66 said:


> ... I have only had my 4 goats for about two months. The people I got them from said - they'll just eat in the pasture and then in the winter you'll need to get them grain. Sounded simple enough! They have about two acres to roam in and eat and they have a barn for shelter. I provide a mineral block as well.
> 
> But I see so many people on here talk about feeding their goats grain. I'm confused! And any time I start looking at food threads or google my head starts spinning with all the options and different foods.
> 
> ...


Lets start with hay. Once they pee on the hay, they won't eat it. If they get on the hay they WILL pee on it. So you will have to "guard" hay so they can get mouthfuls but not get onto it. Buy hay that had never been rained on. No molded hay!! 
Next, feed. Since you say that you have ample pasture, feed is not a necessity. However, feed is ok and useful in getting goats to come to the barn. About any commercial goat pellet is good along with pasture and hay. I do like the medicated pellets because the extra little maintenance dose of parasitic control that they get. 
Minerals: I still use the salt mineral block because it's easy. Loose minerals are better IF you can keep them dry and free of droppings/urine. 
Also, Though your goats seem healthy now, you will need to implement a worming program to keep them so.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Medicated feed is only for coccidia. And you have to feed it at the correct dosage to get the benefits. If you underfeed, then you are just making them resistant.


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

Your avatar picture shows a lot of trees in the pasture, these will provide the goats with dry leaves in the fall. I even rake some in the yard to bag up for the goats. Don't take where dogs are kept, the goats will not eat them. If you have magnolia trees, they love the leaves and blooms. Not only that, magnolia trees shed the leaves twice a year.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good advice by all.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Thank you so much for all of the great comments! To answer some questions:

1. The purpose of the goats: we will not be milking them or using them for meat. They will just be pets. We do plan on them having babies but to our knowledge none of them are pregnant. We have a four month old buck (who is as sweet as pie right now) with three females. The people we got them from said he wouldn't be able to successfully mate until he was about a year old. But I am seeing WAY different opinions on that on this forum so... ???

2. We have tons of trees and I didn't know they ate dried leaves! Great to know. Our dog is not kept in the pastures so hopefully they will eat them. We have 12 pecan trees in the pasture and the border fence is surround by oaks and other trees. I uploaded pictures.

3. Yes sweet feed definitely gets them to go wherever I want them. And certainly helped when I had to inject one of my girls 26 times this week with antibiotics and vitamin B, so glad to be past that!

4. I am not sure I would be able to keep their loose minerals clean and dry. I definitely have the space in the barn for it but they are so curious . I have a wood feeding trough that the former goat owners here said they used for grain in the winter. But not sure if the loose minerals would stay good in it. I could try. They go to town on the mineral block and it seems so easy and keeps them occupied sometimes, lol.

5. To be totally honest I do not know what kind of hay I bought - just whatever tractor supply had in bulk at their store. And when I put it in the hay feeder they climb up and sleep on it and poop on it. [eye roll]

Thank you SOOO much for all of the helpful input! I am all ears!


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

The oak leaves and acorns could be a problem if the goats gorge on them their first time. The tannin in the oak is poisonous to them if not gradually building an immunity. The oak will be beneficial to the goats for the same tannins, as they are worse on worms than they could ever be for goats. Your goats should be ok because the are probably getting some of the tannin through the forage in your pasture.
I had a dog and a 2 month old buckling gorge on acorns last year, side by side, and they pulled through ok.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Dwarf Dad said:


> The oak leaves and acorns could be a problem if the goats gorge on them their first time. The tannin in the oak is poisonous to them if not gradually building an immunity. The oak will be beneficial to the goats for the same tannins, as they are worse on worms than they could ever be for goats. Your goats should be ok because the are probably getting some of the tannin through the forage in your pasture.
> I had a dog and a 2 month old buckling gorge on acorns last year, side by side, and they pulled through ok.


Good to know! I have never seen an over-abundance of acorns drop but I will keep an eye out. What happened to your goats that gorged themselves? Did they require treatment?


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

dzt66 said:


> Did they require treatment?


Yes , my first medical emergency. Charcoal paste to absorb the excess acid, probiotics to keep his rumen healthy and mineral oil drench and milk of magnesia to make everything exit quickly.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Dwarf Dad said:


> Yes , my first medical emergency.


How could you tell they were sick from that?


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

dzt66 said:


> How could you tell they were sick from that?


Projectile vomiting acorn smelling stomach contents. Dog and goat.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Your 4 month old male could get the girls pregnant.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> Your 4 month old male could get the girls pregnant.


I thought so too.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

You will definitely need to locate a good source of hay during winter.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Minerals are a pain in the behind but they are do able you just have to be creative. One person I know has a tire hanging from a barn beam and has it at head level and puts the minerals in there. Other people use PVC pipes where it goes down then a elbow at the bottom so really all they can put in the hole is a nose. This is something I found and am going to make








Instead of the barrel I have a bunch of empty protein tubs and I'm going to screw it onto a round of wood for the outside and I'm thinking have some more and screw then right onto the side of their "barn" (it's not really a barn but long story lol)
This is the first time I have ever heard of acorns causing a goat a problem! I know for a fact it causes issues with other animals, cows, and horses but mine won't even touch hay till they have sucked up every single acorn there is to get. Maybe different kinds of oak trees cause different issues??? I'm not sure all I can say is I have never had a issue with them. 
I agree you need to get some good hay for the Goats especially if they could be bred. Look on Craigslist or any local feed stores. If you know anyone with horses ask them where they get their Hay from. I think the little bundles TSC has is kinda junk and probably why they were not overly thrilled about it, or it could be that you just simply have a good pasture. Mine usually won't touch grass as long as there is hay out but the leaves brush anything like that they will walk away from the hay to eat it so that might be what's going on with yours too.


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

The bare basics: They must have greens (pasture or hay) all year. This is the bulk of their diet. 

Grains/feed/sweet feed are a supplement for when the greens aren't enough, or you need to bribe them with a treat. When the greens are or aren't enough depends on individual metabolisms, whether or not they are pregnant, lactating, or in rut, etc. Get to know your goats and what they look like at a healthy weight. Most don't NEED grain/feed unless they are producing for you, and some don't even need it then. Producing being pregnant, lactating, or in rut. Depends on metabolism of the individual, and the quality of pasture/hay. If the people you bought the goats from meant for you to only feed grain and not hay in winter, they were sorely mistaken. 

Loose minerals really are best, if you can at all make it happen. I used to keep just a small amount at a time in a dog bowl and I had to refill it frequently. Now, I keep minerals in a PVC pipe with an elbow joint at the bottom that they can stick their noses into. The opening is just above pooping height so it doesn't get dirty.


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

I forgot to mention this. There are lots of different kinds of hay. Hay just means dried plants wrapped up in a bale shape. Tractor supply won't have the best stuff, and it's WAY overpriced. As you were told above, Craigslist and word of mouth to your horse-owning friends are a great way to get good hay. If you see "Goat hay" or "cow hay" it's usually bad quality or moldy. Goats can't do mold. Cows can survive mold because their rumen is HUGE. Goats can't. Don't let them convince you otherwise. Horse hay is good stuff. 

Good hay smells good, slightly sweet, clean, and fresh.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I kept a goat for years that thrived on just hay and pasture with no access to special minerals other than the trace mineral block we put out for the horses. He was sleek, shiny, and never ever got sick. I never treated him for worms his whole life and he was fit as a fiddle. But he was also a wether and we had good pasture in dry country where worms are not much of an issue. 

Things changed when I started breeding and raising dairy goats. Pregnant and lactating females require a lot more maintenance than wethers and dry does. They also tend to be the ones that harbor more parasites in the herd because of the demand placed on their bodies when they produce offspring. So yeah, what your goats require depends a lot on what you're doing with them, how many you have, what type of pasture/browse they can get, and your geographic location.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Thanks guys! I found a local feed supply here so I feel good about that.


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