[lauraanimal1]

Ok my 1 boer girl for sure was bred, the other one haven't seen any action yet. When this buck leaves will be bringing a different one in for my Lamancha girls. What I would like to know now is how and when should I start increasing there feed? I know slowly as far as grain and such, but aprox how much should they be fed and whats the best kind of feed? I have a mix I give my does now I will describe below. Also should I feed just grass hay or alfalfa/hay mix or straight alfalfa? I have been feeding an alfalfa hay mix, however I ran out and in this Valley you cant find alfalfa let alone alfalfa mix, I have found a place (thanks Goatcrazy) to get alfalfa haymix or straight alfalfa but it is 3 1/2 hours away. I will only be able to get there 1 time a month and unless this friend of mine goes with me I can only get 2 maybe 3 small bales a month. If she goes with me then I can get 1 big bail a month. So what I was "thinking" :slapfloor::thinking::roll: was free feed as much grass hay a day as they want and then a couple leaves of alfalfa 2 times a day? However if it is best for straight alfalfa as much as they want, with some hay or a mix then I might be able to get they grass hay and get alfalfa chaffehay to mix it with, I can get them both delivered to my door. So I kinda need to figure out whats best for them before it gets to late. I get paid once a month so I kinds need to know asap since its coming up this weekend.

The feed mix I feed right now is 3 parts wet cob, 3 parts Kountry buffet, 2 parts boss, 1 part beet pulp, 1 part whole oats 1 part whole rye.

When I feed this I feed equal parts feed and alfalfa pellets.

I also feed them daily a mix of fresh greens (spinach, salada greens {anywhere from iceburge to muslin and anything else used in premade salads} variety of herbs, kale, greens, carrots, apples, pears, oranges, pineapple, celery, radishes, cucumbers, squash, etc.) I usualy make up about 3 5 gallon buckets of this a day and they share this with about 50 chickens and 9 ducks. plus right now just hay but try to keep them with hay/alfalfa mix.
I know the mixed greens sounds like a lot, however the foul usually eat the majority of it cause I cut up the larger items except for the carrots.

I should say the Boers get 1 5 gallon bucket of this to share between the 3 of them right now. The 3 Lamancha's 1 alpine and 1 ND and the 59 chickens/ducks share the 3 5 gallon buckets
So please tell me how you think I should fine tune my feed and what I should use as far as hay/alfalfa.

I have to say I must be doing something right because all of the goats are looking better then when I got them and 1 was from a Judge. And the chickens eggs are awesome too much more rich in color and flavor with the addition of fresh produce.

 

[kccjer]

I have no problem with what you are feeding....others will...lol. we don't usually feed ours anything but grass hay cause alfalfa is expensive and hard to come by. They get a treat this year cause we were given 50 super nice alfalfa squares as a trade for sorta boarding some horses(we're trading horses out with a friend who works in a feedlot...my horses get ridden and trained his get a break). However....the alfalfa is more for my old horse than the goats (regardless of what hubby thinks!) I don't really measure so can't give you amounts. Free choice hay....we cut and bale the road ditches. Approximately 5 cups if grain mix per head. If they start losing weight increase grain, if they start getting too fat decrease it. If you have the alfalfa a couple flakes daily should be enough. The fresh produce won't hurt them either...mine love that kind of stuff

 

[ksalvagno]

Don't fix what isn't broke.

 

[lauraanimal1]

Got an awesome call today, the owner of one of our towns restaurant and brewery called me back today and said that I can have some of her spent grains when they brew which is 2-4 times a week. I can have as much or little as I want at no cost :dance:. SOOOOOOO how much should I feed of this too my girls? I do not want to over do it, and while I know this stuff is great for the girls I know to much of a good thing is a bad thing. So what kind of recommendation would you give? This will help me cut down on feed bill to, so if shifting more towards this and less of what I mix already would be better then I can do that!