Feeding Wether Goats

[Ohio 4H Mom]

Hi all - my daughter has three wethers, one Nigerian and one pygmy cross which are strictly pets, and one Alpine wether who is being used as a 4-H pack goat. The two smaller goats are two years old, the Alpine is about 18 months and around 125-150 lbs. We were new to goats when we got these guys, and started them on Purina Noble Goat and free choice grass hay as kids. We have kept them on the Noble Goat (which I know is probably not the best idea) just because there are so many opinions as to what to feed wethers and we were afraid to be constantly switching up their diet. I would like to stop using the commercial feed for them but am trying to determine what is the best thing to do instead. Thinking about doing a small amount of rolled oats, with possibly some alfalfa pellets and free choice grass hay? Also reading about beet pulp and BOSS? They don't have a huge amount of browse in the summer, and none available in the winter. They also have free choice minerals with ammonium chloride at all times. Any help you could give would be appreciated!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have kept wethers for years without seeing any stones. It's simple, grass hay, and grass pasture, alfalfa is too rich, and zero grain, though a handful here and there doesn't hurt. A good goat mineral and free access to baking soda. Mine also get occasional tree trimming, and some stale bread or tortillas when we have them.

I think the zero grain and rations is the main thing. After the first year a weather doesn't need the extra calories anyways.

 

[cassie]

One thing to remember with wethers in particular is to make sure they have plenty of clean fresh water at all times. In all the years I had goats, I only had one goat that ever got stones, and in his case the automatic waterer in his pen broke and nobody noticed the malfunction for quite some time. I am sorry to say the poor fellow was without water for an undetermined period. Just a comment. We fed all our goats alfalfa because that is what we could get. Most of the time grass hay was either not available or in such poor quality that the goats wouldn't eat it. If alfalfa was a significant cause of stones in wethers, I would have seen more than the one case in the 40 years I had goats. That said, non milking goats really don't need alfalfa. I would have fed my bucks and wethers grass hay if I could have found any on a regular basis. Once your wethers are mature, as oldhenlikesdogs said, they don't need any grain either. Good hay, a salt block, maybe some minerals, and plenty of clean fresh water should do it. Worm them regularly and vaccinate them for tetanus and entero. Get a vial of CD/T from the feed store or livestock supply and that will take care of that.