The new, cheaper feed I am using that boosted production is. . .

KrisD · #21 07/24/11, 11:23 PM

Hmm I am going to try it for my new doe. She needs the weight anyway and she isn't thrilled with Alfalfa pellets. She is only eating goat chow so the other 2 can't have any. Maybe this will do the trick. Thanks Creamers!

PrettyPaisley · #22 07/24/11, 11:48 PM

Alice-yes. SAD is Standard American Diet.

And I think chickens are nasty but I simply could not find a chicken in town that wasn't raised on soy. I did the only logical thing to do. Like in the last election, I held my nose and pulled that lever.

But that's another thread drift ....

hardworkingwoman · #23 07/25/11, 09:35 AM

Love all of the above. As hard as it is to stay away from the poisonous foods it is all about educating yourself and others.

KrisD · #24 07/26/11, 05:03 PM

Creamers, I gave the Strategy Healthy Edge to my new girl ( since she didn't care for the Goat Chow much) hoping it would help her put weight on. Well she LOVES it and her milk doubled in 3 days. I have been in goats 10 years and if I didn't see it I wouldn't have believed it. I'm speechless. I am now giving it to my kids, slowly of course, and I completely expect my June kid to be breeding size by late fall now.

Thank you so much for this info. I have tried so many grain mixes it is unbelievable. And this stuff works! I actually feel confident now that I can keep milking my doe and still put weight on her.

Kris

Heritagefarm · #25 07/26/11, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Estrogenic effects, just like in humans. Messes up their hormones.

"Perhaps the most disturbing of soy's ill effects on health has to do with its phytoestrogens, which can mimic the effects of the female hormone, oestrogen. These phytoestrogens have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues, and drinking only two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a woman's menstrual cycle."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/022630.html#ixzz1T51UXC2A

There is also some discussion of whether feeding the dams soy causes goiter in fetal kids.

Then, there's always the GMO issue.

Hm, yes, the GMO issue is a biggy. However, I am rather skeptical of NaturalNews, myself. They like to hang the truth on the clothesline and flay it... Also, what is wrong with a little corn for people? I myself am quite fond of corn as a veggie, though the goats do not produce very well on it at all. Seems to be great for chicken food, though, and it is quite productive.

Creamers · #26 07/26/11, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Creamers, I gave the Strategy Healthy Edge to my new girl ( since she didn't care for the Goat Chow much) hoping it would help her put weight on. Well she LOVES it and her milk doubled in 3 days. I have been in goats 10 years and if I didn't see it I wouldn't have believed it. I'm speechless. I am now giving it to my kids, slowly of course, and I completely expect my June kid to be breeding size by late fall now.

Thank you so much for this info. I have tried so many grain mixes it is unbelievable. And this stuff works! I actually feel confident now that I can keep milking my doe and still put weight on her.

Kris

I'm glad it is working well for you, too - it has been a great choice here. I've updated my website - that is one of the number one goat sites in our state - to recommend it.

motdaugrnds · #27 07/27/11, 06:28 PM

I'm certainly going to try it. I've been mixing different feeds for the goat herd; however, with the ingredients of "Purina's Strategy Healthy Edge", I can leave off some of what I've been purchasing, i.e. alfalfa pellets and cracked corn. I'm certainly not afraid of feeding soy and corn ... in moderation. Thanks Creamers for letting us know about this item.

LoneStrChic23 · #28 07/28/11, 12:22 AM

Hmmm.... I may have to look for this.

My feed mix is mostly whole oats, beet pulp shreds, & Purina Dairy Parlor. Used to have BOSS but I can't afford it anymore with the price jump.

The Dairy Parlor has to be special ordered, rarely comes in on time & my order is usually short at least one bag. I was buying a dry grain mix that was barley, oats & a smidge of cracked corn that I was using for the oats part of my mix....really liked it until this last bag was like a block of molasses....apparently they are not carrying the dry version anymore & I'm stuck with this bag of molasses goop

Using it up ond handful at a time & soak a pan of it in milk for the chickens (they love it!)

I tried just whole grains but my heavy milker (Alpine) simply waste away into skeletal condition rather fast on just whole grains alone (she gets rice bran & beet pulp to maintain weight since I can't cut her production back-- I tried).

We have loads of horse folks & events in this area though so I wonder if I could try this in place of the dairy parlor in my mix (basically mix this in with my whole oats & ditch everything else) and not have to worry about special ordering anything?

Wonder how the price compares to DP in my area?

Creamers · #29 07/28/11, 01:56 AM

Quote:

I tried just whole grains but my heavy milker (Alpine) simply waste away into skeletal condition rather fast on just whole grains alone

I had this happen, too.

Now I am using this about 1/2 with the southern states brand dairy pellet- it runs $11.99 and the Stratey HE runs $12.99 here.

beewench · #30 07/28/11, 12:09 PM

Amazing the price difference, Strategy HE runs $21 for a 50lb sack here!
Currently I mix the following:
75 lbs "sweet feed"
40 lbs dairy 20% pellets
10 lbs BOSS
10 lbs Manna Pro calf manna

Each doe gets about 4 lbs a day plus about 1/2 lb alfalfa pellets and free choice alfalfa hay and forage hay. I'm not unhappy with their condition but think they could stand to put on some weight. Creamers(and others) how would you say this feed compares to my current diet?

natty threads · #31 07/28/11, 12:45 PM

I don't know now
but about a decade ago
EVERY major stock horse show person
it seemed
fed Strategy, alfalfa, and oats,
in varying permutations.

I used to reschool/resell OTTB's and Strategy was an awesome
addition to the feeds available.

I am currently feeding all local OR organic/non GMO

but if I weren't
I would think Strategy
would still be a top choice.

Alice In TX/MO · #32 07/28/11, 01:55 PM

My feed store doesn't carry it, and they are a Purina dealer.

Heritagefarm · #33 07/28/11, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

My feed store doesn't carry it, and they are a Purina dealer.

They could probably get in for you if you asked them, perhaps. I know many a store that does not stock entire inventory of some things but can special order small amounts of things that they don't carry. I don't know if they'd have to order a small amount or a whole pallet.

SherrieC · #34 07/28/11, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

SAD is Standard American Diet?

Just the other day, I was wondering if I could live on goat milk, cheese, and fruit. Oh, and a bit of dark chocolate.

Sorry for the thread drift!

I think if you add in Spinach and Chard, and green beans, with the occasional rabbit, I could live quite nice. My Hubby however would die.

susanne · #35 07/28/11, 07:43 PM

sherrie do you have rabbits? love to eat rabbit in red wine sauce with spaetzle and red cabbage

SherrieC · #36 07/28/11, 07:46 PM

Yes, we have rabbits, we love cabbage, and a little red wine : )
is spaetzle, those little pasta noodles? If so Grandma used to make them

susanne · #37 07/28/11, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SherrieC

Yes, we have rabbits, we love cabbage, and a little red wine : )
is spaetzle, those little pasta noodles? If so Grandma used to make them

yes, little pasta noodles topped with butter

Creamers · #38 07/29/11, 12:54 AM

Quote:

amazing the price difference, strategy he runs $21 for a 50lb sack here!

thunk - wow!

Creamers · #39 07/29/11, 12:55 AM

The Health Edge is a lot different than the reg. Strat. feed, which I like that, too.

NewlandNubians · #40 08/02/11, 04:41 PM

Well strange as it seems, I have had good luck with commodity pellets. And believe me I've tried them all, expensive Blue Seal and locally ground favorite calf starter. And many a custom blend by the ton. If you look at the ingredients list of the commercially-produced pricey sweet feeds, they all say "processed grain byproducts" as one of the first ingredient. Guess what that is? You guessed it, commodity feed (or sometimes brewer's grains or distiller's grains, basically the same thing). I hate soy and corn as much as the next guy, but truth is you are only supposed to feed them a little bit of grain and a lot of hay/browse, so if they are eating the diet they are supposed to then they should not in theory get a lot of soy/corn in their diet. And the great thing about the commodity feed is they only need a tiny bit of it because they utilize it so well. I think a small amount of soy/corn is not harmful. Especially in the form of corn gluten, which is a good source of bypass protein. I think that is what makes my goats utilize and perform so well on the commodity feed, truthfully I think the corn gluten is the key, not the soy hulls or wheat mids, but I have noticed that because it's the hulls and mids, the animals do not seem to suffer from the loose stools so much when they are working and getting a bit more grain than usual and on the fresh green grass. They hold their weight pretty good on this feed without the chronic indigestion they can get when eating pasture and molasses-coated sweet feed.

Sorry to ramble, I'm tired of proofing today.