Posted by Jess on August 2, 2012 at 4:50pm in Goats 101
When I joined this group about 3 months ago I quickly learned that I was over feeding my 1 and 4 year old girls. So I have been decreasing there food until all they are now on is hay and water. Now I feel so bad everytime I feed the chickens or water them and they stand on there toys in the backyard stare at the house and holler at me. :( you all really don't feed them any grain, boss, beat pulp or anything? They look healthy and are acting fine. I'm just having a hard time excepting this. Thanks.
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I didn't know that corn was a hot food. I've only had my goats through one winter and I haven't given them corn even though they love it and steal as much from the chicken bucket as posable. I was told that corn will make the goats feet grow faster but I don't know if this is true.
Along those lines, feeding for warmth, does any one use plain corn for this purpose? I know corn is considered a hot feed and if to much is given in hot weather it burns the poor animals up terribly bad. So I have been wondering with all the feeds we discuss I NEVER hear comments like "I give them a handful of cracked corn to help keep them warm". I am really surprised at that and often wonder does NO one do that? I guess we are wimps in the south about cold and I have grown up with people always giving all the farm animals corn. We have like a couple months of winter HEHE! 20 degrees (+ not -) and we think we are freezing! LOL! But then that may be the only thing we are wimpy about, so don't laugh to hard we rednecks are a pretty tough bunch!
Any way if anyone gives there babies a handful of corn when it's cold, please tell me, I am curious!
I'm on the Canadian prairies so it can get awfully cold here too. On really cold days, really cold being relative depending on where you live, but for us is lower than -20 Fahrenheit, we do give everyone, including pregnant does and bucks, grain for extra energy.
Thanks guys it helps to know that I'm not the only one with spoiled baby's. So my next question is this. I live in Maine and it gets very cold here in the winter sometimes hitting 15-20 degrees below zero at night. So I would like to grain a little for warmth. Alphelpha pellets are a great idea mixed with boss, beat pulp, and a small amount of grain. BUT they will both be bread in the fall. One as a first freshened and I don't want larg baby complications. Do you think this is a good feeding plan?
Jess, I would have to second just about every sentence Debbie has written.
It is tough and I can sympathize with you the same thing is going on here. The bad part is we spoiled them when they came and then realized how much we were over doing it and cut back to hay water and supplements just like you did. Now they stand around all the time staring at us hollering. It is awful.
So I have decided to find a middle ground. For starters since I worry about the consistency of the hay I have started back giving them alfalfa pellets. I feel sure that a reasonable amount of alfalfa pellets will be very beneficial since we rarely see alfalfa hay here.
I have also come to realize that vitamin C is used a tremendous amount for a real wide variety of problems and so I have decided to start using some fresh foods high in vit. C as regular supplements.
I have not tried beet pulp but I believe I am fixing to do so. I will resume some grain. I guess what I am saying is that I think after talking to people who actually use a small amount of grain all the time that I think I am going to use grain regularly but in small amounts. I am sure that it is not always right for everyone but in my situation I think SOME is best and only you know if that is right for you too. It is ultimately a decision that you have to make based on your circumstances. It is a decision made based on many variables.
You must do whatever is right for you and your herd. You needn't feel badly just because what you do is different from what MOST do. What most people do is right for most people and their herds. What most do is NOT right for EVERYONE.
I agree with Debbie Lynn, but if just giving them a very small handful of grain would make you feel better, I don't think it will bother their health. Before my doe gave birth and was dry, I would give her and my wether just enough grain to cover the bottom of their feed pan (about the size of a cereal bowl) to get them into their barn at night. It didn't seem to bother them at all, and gave them just a tiny taste of grain to satisfy them:)
There are so many opinions on how to feed goats, when to feed, how much, with what, yada, yada, yada....lol.
Some say no feed to any dry doe, wether, buck and stop feeding grain to kids after 6 months old, etc. Well to me there are many variables in each of our situations. Questions are .......Do we have enough pasture browse, what is the quality of the hay, sometimes the quality can vary from year to year. Is our ground deficient in Selenium, is it a hard winter, and if not winter, like now, many of us are experiencing drought, we may have to feed differently too. And then if you feed no grain, how do you give them supplements and add goodies such as BOSS, Beat Pulp, and the list can on and on?
I think one of the best advice that was given me years ago is to feed an animal to a good body condition. Not too fat and not to thin. This was not just for goats, but for any animal we have owned and raised. I think if we would feed our one dog, who gains weight so easily by what the dog food bag says to feed, she would be huge. Do we always get it right with our animals, well no. I have two goats now that no matter what I do, particularly these two that get no grain, and they still are a bit over conditioned. We are still learning ourselves and I'm a firm believer in listening to the advice of those that are more experienced than I but taking that advice and deciding ultimately what benefits our particular goats, their body condition and doing what I think is best for their well being.
On a side note, goats will cry and cry over any new change that is for sure, they just love routine. Mine can wine about even when the hay is a slight different quality!! But I turn away go back into the house so I can't hear them tugging at my heartstrings...........the little buggers........lol :)
Replies
Along those lines, feeding for warmth, does any one use plain corn for this purpose? I know corn is considered a hot feed and if to much is given in hot weather it burns the poor animals up terribly bad. So I have been wondering with all the feeds we discuss I NEVER hear comments like "I give them a handful of cracked corn to help keep them warm". I am really surprised at that and often wonder does NO one do that? I guess we are wimps in the south about cold and I have grown up with people always giving all the farm animals corn. We have like a couple months of winter HEHE! 20 degrees (+ not -) and we think we are freezing! LOL! But then that may be the only thing we are wimpy about, so don't laugh to hard we rednecks are a pretty tough bunch!
Any way if anyone gives there babies a handful of corn when it's cold, please tell me, I am curious!
I'm on the Canadian prairies so it can get awfully cold here too. On really cold days, really cold being relative depending on where you live, but for us is lower than -20 Fahrenheit, we do give everyone, including pregnant does and bucks, grain for extra energy.
Jess, I would have to second just about every sentence Debbie has written.
It is tough and I can sympathize with you the same thing is going on here. The bad part is we spoiled them when they came and then realized how much we were over doing it and cut back to hay water and supplements just like you did. Now they stand around all the time staring at us hollering. It is awful.
So I have decided to find a middle ground. For starters since I worry about the consistency of the hay I have started back giving them alfalfa pellets. I feel sure that a reasonable amount of alfalfa pellets will be very beneficial since we rarely see alfalfa hay here.
I have also come to realize that vitamin C is used a tremendous amount for a real wide variety of problems and so I have decided to start using some fresh foods high in vit. C as regular supplements.
I have not tried beet pulp but I believe I am fixing to do so. I will resume some grain. I guess what I am saying is that I think after talking to people who actually use a small amount of grain all the time that I think I am going to use grain regularly but in small amounts. I am sure that it is not always right for everyone but in my situation I think SOME is best and only you know if that is right for you too. It is ultimately a decision that you have to make based on your circumstances. It is a decision made based on many variables.
You must do whatever is right for you and your herd. You needn't feel badly just because what you do is different from what MOST do. What most people do is right for most people and their herds. What most do is NOT right for EVERYONE.
I agree with Debbie Lynn, but if just giving them a very small handful of grain would make you feel better, I don't think it will bother their health. Before my doe gave birth and was dry, I would give her and my wether just enough grain to cover the bottom of their feed pan (about the size of a cereal bowl) to get them into their barn at night. It didn't seem to bother them at all, and gave them just a tiny taste of grain to satisfy them:)
Jess,
There are so many opinions on how to feed goats, when to feed, how much, with what, yada, yada, yada....lol.
Some say no feed to any dry doe, wether, buck and stop feeding grain to kids after 6 months old, etc. Well to me there are many variables in each of our situations. Questions are .......Do we have enough pasture browse, what is the quality of the hay, sometimes the quality can vary from year to year. Is our ground deficient in Selenium, is it a hard winter, and if not winter, like now, many of us are experiencing drought, we may have to feed differently too. And then if you feed no grain, how do you give them supplements and add goodies such as BOSS, Beat Pulp, and the list can on and on?
I think one of the best advice that was given me years ago is to feed an animal to a good body condition. Not too fat and not to thin. This was not just for goats, but for any animal we have owned and raised. I think if we would feed our one dog, who gains weight so easily by what the dog food bag says to feed, she would be huge. Do we always get it right with our animals, well no. I have two goats now that no matter what I do, particularly these two that get no grain, and they still are a bit over conditioned. We are still learning ourselves and I'm a firm believer in listening to the advice of those that are more experienced than I but taking that advice and deciding ultimately what benefits our particular goats, their body condition and doing what I think is best for their well being.
On a side note, goats will cry and cry over any new change that is for sure, they just love routine. Mine can wine about even when the hay is a slight different quality!! But I turn away go back into the house so I can't hear them tugging at my heartstrings...........the little buggers........lol :)
I only grain mine when they are on the milk stand....or if is a small baby that is not growing right. :-)