Ever since having goats - 4 years now - I've not ever been able to get my goats to eat their minerals.
I announced it to the forum recently and in an email to a friend and within hours - a couple goats were eating minerals. That was 2 weeks ago or so. NOW everyone is eating their minerals - not excessively but regularly.
SO - is this a spring thing? Is it a sign of something I should be concerned about? I'd delighted thinking they are now getting those things they need but it is a change. This includes my yearlings, my wethers, and my pregnant does. Everyone!
I did recently start feeding a fresh bag of food. Maybe the food balance changed from the last bag?
Comments?
Judy
Replies
Mine definitely increase drastically when they are pregnant and lactating. Other than that they don't eat very much of the minerals.
Mine always eat more of everything right after I freshen the bowls, especially true with the kelp.
I have noticed that goats consume more minerals in late pregnancy and in early lactation than they do in late lactation and early pregnancy. I haven't noticed a correlation with season. Wethers sometimes don't need minerals, and I would think that dry does that are not growing wouldn't consume much either.