NIGERIAN DWARFT GOAT

[H Diamond]

That person has no business breeding goats, lol.
If I could only buy my goats one thing to eat, it would be dairy quality alfalfa, hands down.

 

[Stacykins]

Im a newbie. Thats just what the person who sold my goats to me said.

And that is why you should always do some of your own research before making such a claim. Because another newbie might've believed what you said as truth, even if you had no factual information to back up your claim.

 

[waddles99]

She says that it is too rich and that they get sick and may have to be euthinized.

 

[Stacykins]

She says that it is too rich and that they get sick and may have to be euthinized.

Any goat that has a sudden feed change (doesn't matter if it is hay, grain, etc.) and isn't slowly acclimated to that feed can have problems like bloat. Or any goat that is allowed to stuff themselves silly on a feed. They are a lot more delicate than a lot of critters. It is not alfalfa alone that causes the problems, it is owners that don't know how to adjust the item slowly into their diet.

Yes, frothy bloat can result in a dead goat (been there, despite emergency veterinary care. My goat escaped her stall, popped the top off the grain bin, and gorged). But introducing alfalfa will not cause that if introduced correctly.

 

[Rhandi74]

My goats get alfalfa pellets in their grain mix. My Nigerian Dwarfs got 1 cup a day of grain and alfalfa pellets mixed 50/50 until their kids were nursing then I slowly adjusted feed. My first timer needed 4 cups a day to keep her body condition while nursing her oversized buckling. My other 2 does only needed about 3 cups a day while nursing their twins. Every goat is different, a lot of their grain needs depend on how much milk they are producing. I did not go by a specific amount, I just watched their body condition and slowly adjusted according to their needs. It is very important not to over feed in the last month of pregnancy or the kids could grow to large. It is equally important to make sure thy are getting enough in order to prevent pregnancy toxemia, alfalfa will definatly help prevent this.

 

[waddles99]

Any goat that has a sudden feed change (doesn't matter if it is hay, grain, etc.) and isn't slowly acclimated to that feed can have problems like bloat. Or any goat that is allowed to stuff themselves silly on a feed. They are a lot more delicate than a lot of critters. It is not alfalfa alone that causes the problems, it is owners that don't know how to adjust the item slowly into their diet.

Yes, frothy bloat can result in a dead goat (been there, despite emergency veterinary care. My goat escaped her stall, popped the top off the grain bin, and gorged). But introducing alfalfa will not cause that if introduced correctly.

I think there may have been a misunderstanding. She might have said don't suddenly switch to alfalfa and i misinterpreted it as don't feed alfalfa. Anyway, I am sorry if i gave bad advice I was just trying to help since she said they could possibly die from it.

 

[cassie]

don't feed alfalfa. that stuff is junk for goats

Really?? Where I come from that's primarily what the dairy goats, including mine, were fed.

 

[waddles99]

Really?? Where I come from that's primarily what the dairy goats, including mine, were fed.

Read the above posts. I misunderstood what someone told me and dispensed the wrong info.

 

[cassie]

Read the above posts. I misunderstood what someone told me and dispensed the wrong info.

A lot of people think that though. Others think corn is bad. What is bad is sudden changes in diet. After reading the rest of the posts, which is what I should have done before I posted, that has been covered also.

 

[waddles99]

A lot of people think that though. Others think corn is bad. What is bad is sudden changes in diet. After reading the rest of the posts, which is what I should have done before I posted, that has been covered also.

I think that the person i talked to said, only feed alfalfa easing it into their diet, or it can bloat them and they will have to be euthanized.