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Aug 28, 2022
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You guys helped me out last time I had a goat related question! Thank you!

My goats:
Three doelings ages from 8-11 months old
One wether 8 months old

All of them have been getting 2 cups of Purina Goat Grower in a communal trough.

Since they will be a year old soon, and I plan on breeding and milking, I wanted to switch off from the medicated grower and to a feed that is more ‘adult’/‘maintenance’.

Feed considering switching to:
Purina Goat Chow

I chose this since it has added Vitamin E for their coats (which need some supplements). I found out it is a ‘sweet feed’ and am now vary wary about the Purina Goat Chow, since ‘sweet feeds’ have a bad reputation for causing issues. Maybe I should try DUMOR Goat Feed? (Only other brand that I can get a hold of)
 

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You guys helped me out last time I had a goat related question! Thank you!

My goats:
Three doelings ages from 8-11 months old
One wether 8 months old

All of them have been getting 2 cups of Purina Goat Grower in a communal trough.

Since they will be a year old soon, and I plan on breeding and milking, I wanted to switch off from the medicated grower and to a feed that is more ‘adult’/‘maintenance’.

Feed considering switching to:
Purina Goat Chow

I chose this since it has added Vitamin E for their coats (which need some supplements). I found out it is a ‘sweet feed’ and am now vary wary about the Purina Goat Chow, since ‘sweet feeds’ have a bad reputation for causing issues. Maybe I should try DUMOR Goat Feed? (Only other brand that I can get a hold of)
Sweet feed is fine in moderation. All grains are fine in moderation.

Your does will be fine. I know wethers are prone to urinary calculi if the ratio of calcium and phosphorus is off. I know lots of goat owners who forego the grain entirely and only feed hay (not alfalfa, though) because they have wethers. I wish I was more knowledgeable, but I think as long as the feed has ammonium chloride in it and you don't feed more than the bag (or better yet, your vet) recommends, you'll be fine.

Let me tag a couple of folks who might be able to offer more insight.

@1cock2hens
@TheDawg
 
Sweet feed is fine in moderation. All grains are fine in moderation.

Your does will be fine. I know wethers are prone to urinary calculi if the ratio of calcium and phosphorus is off. I know lots of goat owners who forego the grain entirely and only feed hay (not alfalfa, though) because they have wethers. I wish I was more knowledgeable, but I think as long as the feed has ammonium chloride in it and you don't feed more than the bag (or better yet, your vet) recommends, you'll be fine.

Let me tag a couple of folks who might be able to offer more insight.

@1cock2hens
@TheDawg
Thanks for the tag! Unfortunately I don’t really know very much either. I don’t have goats myself, just really like them and have done some research, so I know about as much as you. Probably less since you have them and I don’t. I was gonna say the same though.
 
Thanks for the tag! Unfortunately I don’t really know very much either. I don’t have goats myself, just really like them and have done some research, so I know about as much as you. Probably less since you have them and I don’t. I was gonna say the same though.
Yeah, honestly, I'd be tempted to forego grain altogether if I had a wether, but again, idk much.

My girls get a handful of Purina every night before being put to bed (I lock them up because of large predators). And that's it. Some nights, I only bribe them into the barn with carrots or dates. They eat hay and whatever they can find on the property.
 
Yeah, honestly, I'd be tempted to forego grain altogether if I had a wether, but again, idk much.

My girls get a handful of Purina every night before being put to bed (I lock them up because of large predators). And that's it. Some nights, I only bribe them into the barn with carrots or dates. They eat hay and whatever they can find on the property.
Yeah, I think I would get rid of grain too but for milkers I’d maybe give them some to help production?
 
Thank you for chiming in guys!

my goats live in a a paddock that has very little grass and pine needles. So, I want to give something to supplement the grass hay and mineral, since they don’t have huge fields of shrubs, bushes, different trees, and other browse.

I was nervous about using boss since people say you have to feed alfalfa to balance the ca : ph ratio.

Thanks for being patient with me guys! Just don’t want to make a fatal mistake, especially after reading scary stories about UC, polio, and listeriosis from feeding sweet feed 🙁
 

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