grain free

TroutRiver · #21 12/06/11, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billooo2

From my experience, most people who want raw milk are either affiliated with or, at least, get their information from the Weston A Price Foundation. They sponsor a web site called, "Real Milk."
http://www.realmilk.com/

WAPF is a strong proponent of "grass-fed" milk and beef.

I called the national headquarters of the WAPF and asked if they also recommend that goats be "grass-only."

The gentleman that I spoke with said that they DO NOT recommend that goats be on a "grass-only" diet. In their opinion, most goats have difficulty maintaining their normal milk production and body condition.

I am not saying that it cannot be done, but I do not think that it is NOT good to just stop all grain without doing some very careful monitoring of the quality of the alternative approaches.

I have not seen any studies that actually document that there is an elevation of CL-4 in goat milk with decreased grain inputs. (I know it is well documented in cows, but I also know that "goats are NOT just MINIATURE cows.)

Besides, as someone else pointed out to me, goat milk is already the "good milk." For more information, the book is named, "The Devil in the MIlk."
http://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009/...-store-bought/

I just got "The Devil in the Milk" from my local library, can't wait to start reading it but I haven't had a chance to really sit down with it yet

There is a difference between "grass fed" and "grain free" here. Goats, unlike cattle, do not do well on grass. They can do great on a partial grass diet, but what they really need is forage more than grain. I think that grain is used my a lot of people in place of good forage, because either they don't know better or don't have access to high quality roughage to feed their goats. A balanced diet of fresh, healthy roughage, some grass in the right stages of growth, and alfalfa pellets and free choice loose minerals to supplement, is a lot different from "grass-only"

Also important to note that grasses have different nutritional values depending on their stage of growth.

chamoisee · #22 12/06/11, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wags

You must have pretty poor pastures in your area. When my pastures are at peak I only feed alfalfa pellets on the milk stand, and only the amount they can eat in the time it takes me to milk. They don't lose condition, and their production doesn't change. Of course my pasture is a mix of grasses, forbs and brushy plants too and I live where we have green growing grass most of the year too. (Grass seed capital of the world)

Or my goats milked 2 gallons a day and couldn't possibly eat enough grass to sustain that kind of production. They were top quality Alpines. Apples and oranges.