Lets talk about goats!

[lizardandchicks]

Okay, thanks.

Why wouldn't you feed goat pellets?  I think there would be a goat rebellion if they didn't get them....they LOVE them. )

And why would alfalfa pellets kill a goat?  

X2, our goats love them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Because a goat has a four chambered stomach designed to digest poor quality forage, rich forage like alfalfa and goat pellets will throw off the system causing either acidity, or overeaters disease, both are quick and deadly. A handful won't cause too much trouble, but it's best to avoid feeding them at all, plus your goats will scream every time they see you if you feed them grains, for treats I give mine tree branches like willow or Apple.

 

[lizardandchicks]

We only give them a handful every now and then.
On another note, we fed our goats some bananas and their peels like we do occasionally on Saturday. Sunday one of them got diaria, and still has it. Was it the bananas that did it? Is there any thing we can do to make it stop, our help him? Thanks.

 

[chicken pickin]

Because a goat has a four chambered stomach designed to digest poor quality forage, rich forage like alfalfa and goat pellets will throw off the system causing either acidity, or overeaters disease, both are quick and deadly. A handful won't cause too much trouble, but it's best to avoid feeding them at all, plus your goats will scream every time they see you if you feed them grains, for treats I give mine tree branches like willow or Apple.

Ive never heard not to feed goats pellet feed. I have been feeding my goats a form of pellet feed daily for 2.5 years along with free choice hay daily. They also get loose minerals. I have never had health issues with my goats (knock on wood) nor do they scream when they see us out in the yard. They are fed on scheduled daily and know they get feed only in the morn, they remember routine.

I am all ears though if there is something I am doing incorrectly or if there is something I should change.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I feed old bananas occasionally, so I doubt it was that, there can be many reasons for diarrhea, cut out everything but good grass hay, maybe offer some baking soda, see if that helps.

 

[lizardandchicks]

I feed old bananas occasionally, so I doubt it was that, there can be many reasons for diarrhea, cut out everything but good grass hay, maybe offer some baking soda, see if that helps.

Thanks! I will try that.

 

[chickenewbee]

Because a goat has a four chambered stomach designed to digest poor quality forage, rich forage like alfalfa and goat pellets will throw off the system causing either acidity, or overeaters disease, both are quick and deadly. A handful won't cause too much trouble, but it's best to avoid feeding them at all, plus your goats will scream every time they see you if you feed them grains, for treats I give mine tree branches like willow or Apple.

Oh, okay. Yes, mine love their tree branches....I go out every morning and trim my Chinese elm and mulberry trees, rose bushes, and cut wild sunflowers for them. The Mulberry is their favorite...they strip off all the bark. But it's August, and less forage is available in the fall.

All the goat people where I live feed alfalfa, but maybe I need to reconsider it. I bought grass hay for them when I got them, but they really don't like it much.

I do break up the pellets into four separate feedings, and soak the alfalfa pellets to make them softer and easier to eat and digest.

I just bought a bag of Chaffhaye (chopped, fermented non-GMO alfalfa) and was going to try that out when the alfalfa pellets are gone. I would really prefer to just give them alfalfa hay, but I am having trouble finding non-GMO alfalfa.

 

[lizardandchicks]

Oh, okay.  Yes, mine love their tree branches....I go out every morning and trim my Chinese elm and mulberry trees, rose bushes, and cut wild sunflowers for them.  The Mulberry is their favorite...they strip off all the bark.  But it's August, and less forage is available in the fall.

All the goat people where I live feed alfalfa, but maybe I need to reconsider it.  I bought grass hay for them when I got them, but they really don't like it much.

I do break up the pellets into four separate feedings, and soak the alfalfa pellets to make them softer and easier to eat and digest.

I just bought a bag of Chaffhaye (chopped, fermented non-GMO alfalfa) and was going to try that out.  I would really prefer to just give them alfalfa hay, but I am having trouble finding non-GMO alfalfa.

I think @oldhenlikesdogs meant alfalfa pellets and goat pellets, not alfalfa hay.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

alfalfa hay is very rich as well, remember goats are made to eat poor quality browse, brambles, small trees, alfalfa is high in protein and will cause diarrhea, as an ex dairy farmer we would feed cows alfalfa because of the high protein content, made more milk, but also made loose poop, and all kinds of digestive health problems, my goats get pasture in the summer and grass hay in the winter, there will be a lot of waste with grass hay as they don't eat the stems, but for a long healthy life it is best for them. I also free choice feed baking soda and goat mineral, as well as occasional tree branches, old bananas, crackers and apples, bread, and a few other things, all in small amounts.

 

[chickenewbee]

alfalfa hay is very rich as well, remember goats are made to eat poor quality browse, brambles, small trees, alfalfa is high in protein and will cause diarrhea, as an ex dairy farmer we would feed cows alfalfa because of the high protein content, made more milk, but also made loose poop, and all kinds of digestive health problems, my goats get pasture in the summer and grass hay in the winter, there will be a lot of waste with grass hay as they don't eat the stems, but for a long healthy life it is best for them. I also free choice feed baking soda and goat mineral, as well as occasional tree branches, old bananas, crackers and apples, bread, and a few other things, all in small amounts.

Well, mine definitely don't like the bermuda grass hay I bought for them. Maybe I can find a better quality grass hay for them. That would eliminate the GMO concerns, as there is no GMO grass hay yet. They haven't had any digestive problems, but I break their feed up into five meals a day, with at least an hour between meals, and grass hay always available.

I know where I grew up no one fed alfalfa to horses...it was considered too rich, and only suitable for cows. But here in California everyone feeds alfalfa to horses as well.

Once it starts raining in December I will have some pasture for them. Lots of mustard plants, which they love....I was cutting those for them until they dried up. When I had horses my horses stayed fat on the pasture without any supplemental hay for about three months out of the year. I only grained them when I rode them.

What do you think about the fermented product? Do you think that would make a difference?