So just today, i started giving my goats their herbal dewormers in their grain, and i used crisco canola oil to help the powder stick to the grain so they cant eat around it or blow it out when they breath. I used 3 cc in each of their servings. But i want to use an oil that is a bit healthier than that. I was thinking something like flaxseed oil? Will they gain much weight by getting 3-6 ccs per day? Any other oils that are a bit healthier, and not super expensive? I wont be giving their herbals daily for much longer, but i want to mix kelp in their food for some extra iodine, because mine always lick the iodine teat dip i have, so that makes me think they need more iodine. Maybe this is a stupid question LOL! But any advice is appreciated! Thanks! Nigerian dwarf goat
I will say, i do have one that i want to gain weight, so i could give her a bit extra oil if it will help...
Olive oil is a good healthy fat..you can use spray on for the ones that don't need extra fat. I buy the spray canister that I fill up so I know its pure olive oil.
I use applesauce to mix the herbal wormer into. (Nigeriandwarfowner707's idea) I've heard that some people just use water to make it stick to the grain. I hope you see good result from it.
I have actually been LOVING my herbals! Cricket had a 2 FAMACHA, and after starting to give herbs, she was bumped up a to a 1!!! YeeHaw!! My only complaint is making their treats to put them in. I make such a mess, so this is me trying to get around it! lol! I had no idea flax went bad so easily! Thanks for the tip! I will pick up some olive oil next time i go to town, but for now, i will just keep up with the veggie oil.
I used sunflower seed oil for a while. I read a study that concluded feeding sunflower seed oil had about the same health benefits for goats as feeding BOSS (and the oil was cheaper, so I gave it to them, instead). I found a more reasonably priced source for BOSS, so now they get that and I like it better because it doesn't make a mess of their bowls. But I would think sunflower oil would work for your purposes.
My goats wouldn't eat it in treat form! So I totally get it! Great to hear you are having such good results!
but i am giving BOSS to 2 of my does, just a 1/4 cup 2x daily, and i have heard that too much BOSS can coat their stomach, and prevent them from absorbing nutrients, so if i gave sunflower oil in addition, would that be too much?
I'm not sure about that. Feeding too much BOSS will throw off the calcium/phosphorous ratio of the feed, so you have to be careful about that, regardless of whether you're giving it in oil or seed form. I gave my goats about 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. a day sprinkled on top of their feed. I don't give the oil any more since I now give the sunflower seeds. You might try experimenting with cutting the seed amount down if you decide to go with sunflower oil. Honestly, though, I think something like olive oil would work just as well. I suggested the sunflower oil because I know it works. and you don't need much of any kind of oil to make sure that the herbal powder sticks to the feed.
