How do I find out what's REALLY in the feed?

BrahmaMama · #1 11/22/05, 04:36 PM

I'm kind of new to goats too and I just read the thread on "What's Grain?"
I have a Pigmy goat (for 4 weeks now). When I went to the feed store to get him feed I asked "Do you have Goat Chow?" They said "All you need is this - Multi Purpose Livestock Feed"

Now, I don't know how your bags are labelled in the States, I imagine better because your food standards are higher than ours, but I want to know what's in this stuff.
There are no ingredients listed and when I do searches for feed content info on the Net, of coarse all of these sites are run by you know who, and to say the least, are VERY vague.
So, the stuff I'm feeding Nigel looks like this:
Lots of green pellets
a few crushed corn bits (he eats those first)
It smells sweet like molasses but not like sweet feed, I've seen that before. I once in a while add oats to it (he dosen't favour those. And he's really putting on the weight.
Should this stuff be okay? Maybe just reduce the amount? How many cups should a pigmy goat get?
Thanks in advance.

pookshollow · #2 11/23/05, 09:06 AM

I'm in Ontario too. My goats are getting dairy ration formulated for cows. I buy from a local feed mill, where the guys behind the counter actually know what's in the feed! Urea is very bad for goats, and it's a common protein source for cattle, so that was my first question to the staff - and, no, they don't put urea in their feed.

I'm guessing you bought at TSC? They're really bad for not labelling their feed, so I don't buy there.

A Pygmy goat shouldn't really need any grain, unless she's in late pregnancy or nursing her kids. My Nigerians, and my half-grown doelings only get a small handful twice a day, even the one who's still nursing - she's not letting them feed much now, anyway - and I don't have any skinny goats. Mind you, the hay I've got is fabulous. Polly, the Saanen, gets about about 4 lbs of feed a day, but she's producing about 8 lbs of milk!

I just re-read your post, your goat is a male, I'm assuming a wether? He doesn't need any grain at all! Good grass hay, the odd treat, such as Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, or a piece of apple is all he needs.

BrahmaMama · #3 11/23/05, 12:26 PM

O.K. Thanks for your help. It really cleared up a few things for me.
Now... if I can just get him un-addicted to it.
I'm also going to have to separate him from the ducks (bad time of year to buy a goat and build new runs!)

The ducks are getting some too and they are doing great on it. The prettiest duck poo I've ever seen!!!

(ya know your a farmer when...)

pookshollow · #4 11/24/05, 12:34 PM

LMAO - I have the same problem with my girls. Up until yesterday, my ducks were free-ranging and there was a container of (chicken) feed set out for them, just a little ways away from the gate to the goatpen. Well, about a week ago, I was working on the barn, winterizing, left the gate unlatched because I was going back and forth. Normally the weight of the gate keeps it closed, but it was a windy day. Got talking to the next-door neighbour, looked around, and there's Angel looking at us! ALL the goats were out, and they found the duck feed! Since then, there is a concerted effort to get out the gate and stuff themselves every time I go through the gate.

It's amazing how strong a 45 lb goat can be when she's got her head in a bucket full of "goodies"!

The Nigerian dwarf kids figured out that they can fit through the chicken door and feed on their feed too. Sigh. I already put a couple of boards across it to make it smaller to keep Sara out - I can't make it too small for the kids or the chickens won't fit!! LOL

Oh - I found my first duck egg this morning!

BrahmaMama · #5 11/24/05, 04:29 PM

They sure can be piglets, ay? Nigel is NOT impressed with his diet ! I'm wondering if In should put the ducks in with the chickens for the winter, there's lots of room but the calls ducks can fly over that fence cause it's only 4 ft. high. I did have them together at one point but nobody seemed happy.
I guess if I do some wing clipping, they'll just have to put up with each other. Nigel on the other hand loves his ducks and I'm worried he'll get lonely, I'm going to get him a friend sooner or later but I'm just not ready for it now.