What is grain?

[MillsFarmFamily]

Ok, I'm new to all of this, but what is grain? I keep reading about feeding grain or other things, so it would help me if you could give me your definition of grain. Is that any grain? I thought it wasn't good for goats to get too much corn? Right now we are feeding store bought goat feed. We feed other animals that we have with something our mill calls "screenage". It's the left-overs from all of their grain silos....corn, wheat, oats, peas, and soybean etc. Only problem is there is never an exact ratio of each, so I'm not sure yet if it is safe to give to the goats. Thanks for all of the help.

[Teacupliz]

The grain we feed is a dairy blend made for cows but my goats are doing well on it.. There is goat feed, oats, corn ect. Many of is ball the feed all together as graining our goats. What are you feeding your goats?
Liz iN NY
Teacup Farm

[mygoat]

"grain" is just what most people call goat chow. It can either be actual grains or it can be ground up grains in pellet form.

[goatkid]

Grain includes COB ( a mixture of corn oats and barley), lactation pellets, goat chow, and any other cereal type feed. I feed my goats a mixture of COB and lactation pellets. It is very important to limit the amount of grain fed to a goat to prevent bloat. I feed their hay first to start filling them up and get their rumens working and then give them their grain.

[Rachel K.]

Grain is just another word for Goat feed. I buy Goat feed by 50 pound bags. In my Goats feed there are pellets, corn, grain, Molasses, etc.

I feed my Goats a cup full twice a day. They don't get very much grain during the warmer months when they are able to go out in their pasture and eat grass and weeds. During the colder months I have to feed more grain and also give them free choice hay.

[chamoisee]

Don't feed them screenage. I tried that once. Most of them wouldn't eat it, it wasn't consistent, and it isn't as high a quality as what they need. COB will cause trouble in time too, if you feed large amounts of it, especially if it has lots of molasses. I think that a 16% dairy goat ration plus some alfalfa hay or alfalfa pellets is good. You can feed a very good quality grass hay, but then they need to be getting the protein and calcium from somewhere else, namely, the grain, and it isn't good for them to eat too much grain.

I have heard of people feeding no grain at all, just alfalfa free choice, with excellent results. Never tried it myself.

[bill not in oh]

Originally Posted by chamoisee

I have heard of people feeding no grain at all, just alfalfa free choice, with excellent results. Never tried it myself.

This won't work well for long. Goats (all ruminants) need the fiber from grass hays/browse for good rumen health. IMHO a good mix of 50/50 to 65/30 mix of grass/alfalfa (pasture or baled hay) along with a good quality commercial feed to provide the grain-based nutrients and minerals they need for good health is ideal. Most important: plenty of clean, fresh water...