[freetorun35]

Up until now I have just been giving my goats Purina goat chow as their grain because it has been what is convenient.

I am to the point where I would really like to either find some good organic grain, or come up with my own recipe and have it mixed...since I am not a nutritionist I have a lot of research to do...so I would love to hear what you all do!

Thanks!

 

[goathappy]

http://sandylanefarm.blogspot.com I have our feed recipe on there. the only thing that we have changed on it is we now add a little corn, and more oats. I have to go right now, but if you have any ?? about it, let me know, we have been using it for about 2 years now

 

[fcnubian]

Oats
Rolled Corn
Provider 38 KENT Dairy Pellet.

My mix is an 18% Protein and 2.7% Fat. Not all my goats get that grain. I also feed alfalfa pellets and beet pulp.

 

[StaceyRosado]

I am about to do my own mixing for the first time.

I will be doing

1 bag (50lbs) select horse feed (by southern states)
1 bag (50lbs) sweet goat feed (by southern states)
BOSS (not sure the amount - probably like 25lbs)

This is still in the thinking stages - but I have to go get feed tomorrow so we shall see how this all works out.

 

[sparks879]

I mix one fifty lb bag of dry or wet cob depending on the time of year, during the winter they get dry because they get beet pulp during the warmer months they get wet cob. One fifty lb bag whole or rolled oats. one twenty lb bag viger plus, one fifty lb bag alfafa pellets, and i top dress with sunflower seeds.
beth

 

[sparks879]

Sarah, I just read your goat grain mix and am very much interested in it. My biggest problem is i have to buy at the local feed store i don;t have a mill anywhere near me. How much of the mix do you give your kids? That is one of the biggest problems i face is slow growing kids. They get the same grain mix my adults do and i start them on it at about two to three weeks of age, usually when i see them nibbling on stuff.
And where do you get your kelp?
beth

 

[goathappy]

Ask your local feed store if they can order the ingriedients for you, we mix our own, we just buy the ingriendients(except oats, we grow them) We have a mixer, but what is more economical for smaller batches is a cement mixer, those work great.

We give our kids 2 cups a day(I think, we go by the Fiasco feeding chart) and barley really makes them grow. We start our kids on grain, hay and minerals at a week old, they don't eat it but by 2 weeks they eat it realy good. We also give them a homeopathic remedy to help with their growing and maturing.

We had our feed mill order kelp for us, that was the cheapest way to get it.

 

[sparks879]

Yea i looked into the kelp last night i can get a twelve lb bag through hoegger for a little over thirteen dollars plus shipping.
What is the homeopathic remedy that you give your kids just out of curiosity. The last show i was at the judge kept calling my goats frail which they arn't but they are small. Some of the jr. kids born in late april and may were bigger then my march kids. I do offer grain free choice, give milk free choice up until they are four months of age, the get wormed and treated for cocci on a regular basis. And free choice hay and minerals from three weeks on. They look good act healthy fecals always look good, i just have a hard time getting them to grow.
thanks in advance
beth

 

[goathappy]

The remedy is Calc Phos 30c, I'll have to double check, but we give it to them once a day for a week, then once a week for a month or two. It helps to promote the healthy development of bones, muscles, digestive system etc, and help them to develop into a stronger adult.

 

[Sybil]

I'm just feeding dry cob, with BOSS, alfalfa pellets and started Fastrack as I have 2 kids that are on the small side. Just started the Fastrack last week. They also have free choice orchard grass hay and trace mineral salt blocks. I'm looking into a loose mineral to change to. I don't have anyone milking and the girls are not due to kid until April.
Sue

 

[sparks879]

Sarah os rolled barley ok? i called my feed store and that is what they have.
thanks
beth

 

[goathappy]

Yep! My goats will only eat rolled barley, sometimes we can only get crimped and they won't eat it as well. With barley, it has to be rolled or crimped because otherwise it will just pass right through them because their rumen cannot digest the whole grain and break it down.

 

[sparks879]

Im going to get one bag for now and see if they like it, how little or how much should i start them out on?
Thanks
beth

 

[goathappy]

Are your girls pregnant right now? How much are you feeding them right now? Depending upon how much you are feeding, probably start them out on 1/2-1 cup for now

 

[sparks879]

yes i have pregnant does right now, some more then others. They are getting about one and one half scoop of alfafa pellets one scoop is probably about foyr measuring cups. And half a scoop of dry cob, one handful of BOSS all they hay and minerals they want. Im working on getting some kelp as well.
beth

 

[goathappy]

Probably replace a cup of something you are feeding now with barley

 

[sparks879]

My does didn't seem to notice a difference in feed. I gave them less cob and a little barley. Little bit was practically climbing into the barrel before i could get her dinner dished up and her where she was suposed to be. I just hopes this helps with the kids growth...
thanks sarah
beth

 

[goathappy]

Your welcome

 

[Dover Farms]

I am interested in feeding your recipe Sarah. We aren't happy with our feed. It's 14% feed from our feed mill....it's their feed for goats. It has corn, oats, soybean pellets, and molasses. I can't tell you how much, as the feed tag in front of me doesn't say. Are girls just don't gain weight on it, especially while milking. I am sure it didn't help the hay that we are feeding(almost done with it now! ). It is 3rd cutting Alfalfa hay, but it got rained on and I think it is worse than 1st cutting.

Your goats eat that feed without molasses?!! Ours would probably stick their nose up at it without molasses. :roll:

 

[sparks879]

You know i thought my goats would turn up their noses if i gave them something without molasses, but they dove right in. I like it because it doesn't seem to have the sugar content. I started giving barley only a few days ago and im already seeing a difference in the weight of my girls. I had a friend over yesturday to see my does, and she asked what i was feeding.....she is thinking about changing as well.
beth