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11/09/05, 12:10 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northeast Kingdom of Vermont
Posts: 2,680
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What free choice supplements should I offer?
I was told to offer my goats free choice baking soda and salt. What kind of baking soda and what kind of salt?
Is kelp powder a good supplement? What about a mineral block? If yes, what type? I know that sheep nd goats have different mineral requirements, especially of copper.
Anything else I might be over looking that is essential to the health of my goats?
Should I get those plastic divided tubs that screw into the wall?
TIA!
Blessings, Jillis!
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11/09/05, 12:47 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: North East, PA in Northwestern PA
Posts: 1,662
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Plain old Arm & Hammer works for me, and iodized salt. Don't give baking soda to the boys though!
Ruth
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11/09/05, 12:55 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,061
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I use gaot chow free choice loose minerals, and baking soda.
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11/09/05, 01:13 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northeast Kingdom of Vermont
Posts: 2,680
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One of my goat books said NOT to use iodized salt! Any input on this please?
Thanks again!
Jillis!
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11/09/05, 02:00 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,061
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yes, that is correct.
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11/09/05, 03:01 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,980
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I use kelp free choice and they really like it. I also bought a large amount of the Golden Blend minerals (sold thru a goat mag, and also direct from the mill down south) as they liked the first bucket and now they despise it. I also have salt blocks out.
__________________
ADGA Nigerian Dwarf and MDGA Mini Mancha goats for show, home use and pets www.dbarjacres.webs.com Located in North central Wisconsin
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11/09/05, 03:25 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: North East, PA in Northwestern PA
Posts: 1,662
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I use iodized salt because we live in the goiter belt. thyroid problems abound here.
Ruth
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11/09/05, 03:36 PM
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Caprice Acres
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MI
Posts: 11,232
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Moosemainiac said you should not give "boys" baking soda. As far as I know You can and should give Baking Soda to bucks. Never heard anywhere that you should not. Anyone else heard this? I think It would say online or in my goat book, but it doesn't, so i assume that you should, just like any other goat.
I have the tubs that you screw into the wall for permanant application. however, I did not like the fact that you cannot clean them out if a goat urinates or poos in there, so I put holes in the back of one of those storage bins, and put two bolts held on by knuts through the holes on the ends so they extended through the bin and through the mineral bin for supports, and the bolt in the middle has a wing nut so all i have to do is unscrew the wing knut and the bin slides off all thre of the bolts. I also put a 3/4" pipe hanger on the top back of the storage bin and pounded in a 1/2" pipe into thier pasture. I thin slid the storage bin right on to the pipe. makes it easy to clean and easy to move. It works rather well.
__________________
Dona Barski
"Breed the best, eat the rest"
Caprice Acres
French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.
Last edited by mygoat; 11/09/05 at 03:44 PM.
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11/10/05, 06:17 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northeast Kingdom of Vermont
Posts: 2,680
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Okay---so should I offer salt and baking soda, or salt and kelp, or all three? What about a loose salt and trace minerals blend instead of salt or kelp? I have heard that goats need selenium (but not too much). And that the soils in the Northeast (where I am) are usually deficient in this mineral. That is why I wonder about the loose minerals and salt. Or is there selenium in the kelp?
Help!
Blessings, Jillis!
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11/10/05, 06:24 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,259
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Most recommend free-choice baking soda for everyone; and free choice goat minerals. If you can't find goat minerals, then loose minerals for cows are a good second choice. Sheep minerals aren't so good, as the copper is not in proper amounts. You don't need to offer salt, minerals are better. HTH. Oh, and loose is better then the block. Lasts longer and they utilize it better.
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Originally Posted by Jillis
Okay---so should I offer salt and baking soda, or salt and kelp, or all three? What about a loose salt and trace minerals blend instead of salt or kelp? I have heard that goats need selenium (but not too much). And that the soils in the Northeast (where I am) are usually deficient in this mineral. That is why I wonder about the loose minerals and salt. Or is there selenium in the kelp?
Help!
Blessings, Jillis!
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11/10/05, 06:49 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 9,208
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jillis
Okay---so should I offer salt and baking soda, or salt and kelp, or all three? What about a loose salt and trace minerals blend instead of salt or kelp? I have heard that goats need selenium (but not too much). And that the soils in the Northeast (where I am) are usually deficient in this mineral. That is why I wonder about the loose minerals and salt. Or is there selenium in the kelp?
Help!
Blessings, Jillis!
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I don't keep baking soda out, but lots of folks do. I keep out free-choice kelp next to the free-choice goat minerals. No need to keep out salt if you have a good goat mineral out, it will have salt in it. Kelp has selenium in it and many people have found that by keeping out kelp free-choice, they eliminated the need for selinium shots they had to use in the past.
__________________
Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net
"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence
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11/10/05, 08:22 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Barker NY
Posts: 696
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baking soda
Baking soda acts as a roliad- it is good for both bucks, wethers and does
Liz in NY
Teacup Farm
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11/10/05, 08:26 AM
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Nubian dairy goat breeder
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: michigan
Posts: 4,465
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i don't keep baking soda out either. mine don't get grain with molasses in it. i believe this is the reason why so many goats need it. molasses change the ph in the rumen, makes it acid.
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11/10/05, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 9,208
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Teacupliz
Baking soda acts as a roliad- it is good for both bucks, wethers and does
Liz in NY
Teacup Farm
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How do you keep yours from caking up and getting dusty?? I had it out for several months and no one touched it in all that time. It kept caking up and collecting dust even though I kept changing it out for fresh. Finally I just stopped putting it out.
__________________
Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net
"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence
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11/24/05, 09:44 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Montana
Posts: 2,133
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I give feed grade sodium bicarb (it's cheaper and just as good as Arm and Hammer) and goat mineral, either Purina or West Feeds free choice. The goats have a salt block. My bucks get soda too. Some of my friends are also feeding kelp and yeast.
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11/25/05, 08:16 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: western NY
Posts: 1,507
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I don't keep baking soda out continually but offer it to my gang a few times a week. I have found they don't seem to consume much. Golden Blend is my goats' favorite brand of minerals but it can be a bit pricey. Otherwise I feed my nigerians a pygmy mineral blend mixed at my feed store which has a bit more copper and selenium and found they have done well on it.
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