Goat Sweet Feed

[laboroflove]

Please make sure you also feed them alfalfa. Yes bucks, including wethers, need alfalfa for the calcium Phosphorus ratio to be correct. The grain SHOULD be balanced but you mess that balance up feeding hay (which they need) and the alfalfa helps to keep that in balance. Alfalfa adds the calcium whereas other hay offers the phosphorus.

Ammonium chloride will help keep UC at bay as well. They all need grain for nutrients just like we do. Of course milkers need a lot more than others…

As far as sweet feed goes, I feed a sweet feed (textured feed) specifically for dairy goats, or one for growing goats for those not in milk. I have fed both sweet and whole grains. Although I prefer the whole grains to the sweet feed, being half way through my pregnancy makes it hard for me to bend over the 50 gal drum to mix it all so I went back to the easier sweet feed.

 

[HensAndFriends]

I don’t mind at all!
So I’ve pretty much always fed Dumor, it was what I started with and it just happened to work well
With that being said, my goats do get noticeable differences if I switch feeds for whatever reason. Coat quality goes down, the guard hairs go wiry and the goats get a “fluffy” look to them. I also notice hair loss on a few specific goats, especially around the ears and nose.

I always thought it was a copper deficiency, because that’s what you always hear about, until I had a necropsy done on a buck a few years ago. He died from unrelated causes, but I had a mineral screening done with the necropsy because my does were showing the symptoms above. All of his levels were good except for zinc, which was just barely in the healthy range. Everyone was getting the exact same feed, except that the does were getting extra calcium, which slows the absorption of zinc.

Very informative @QuailQueen75.

Thanks everyone for their input! It’s been really helpful

I decided to go with Dumor Goat Pellets, and not the Purina chow. The Dumor also has ammonium chloride in it.

I leave out Purina Goat Mineral for them, since it has high copper and selenium levels, but I have heard that there is too much salt in it. Which would probably mean that the goats eat less of it because of consuming high amounts of salt, and therefore don’t get the right amount of minerals?

Ugh trying to find that 'just right' combination of minerals and feed can be hard!!

 

[cassie]

I feed my milking goats and young stock COB. That is corn, oats, and barley. Since I fed very high protein alfalfa hay, I didn't think they needed a high protein grain.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I really need to learn more about it. My girls forage most of the day. They have hay (usually alfalfa or orchard grass - they are not fans of timothy) available 24/7, too. They really only eat it in the morning. They each get a handful of sweet feed at night with probiotics and goat balancer added. They always have minerals available, but rarely eat them. I hope I'm not depriving then of anything. Their vet says they look great.

 

[lomine]

All lots of great info from others. I just want to point out that a doe in milk needs protein and "sweet feeds" don't normally have as much protein as a dairy goat blend. Alfalfa is also a much better choice for a doe in milk.

 

[HensAndFriends]

All lots of great info from others. I just want to point out that a doe in milk needs protein and "sweet feeds" don't normally have as much protein as a dairy goat blend. Alfalfa is also a much better choice for a doe in milk.

Thank you to everyone that replied to my question!!

It is interesting to see how everyone feeds their goats!
I was actually planning on adding alfalfa to the diet of my does, when they are lactating but keep them on the Dumor Goat Pellets.

Have a great day guys!