Protein block question

greyhound girl · #1 03/27/06, 07:42 PM

I am attempting to switch my goats over from grain to a protein block. I cut their grain down to once a day, then every other day, and then quit. How long does it take before they will use the block? It's been four days now and they aren't trying it at all. They do get hay and are out browsing most of the day - things are starting to grow here. I've never not fed grain before and it makes me a bit anxious - altho they are all overly fat. (Boer goats)

dosthouhavemilk · #2 03/27/06, 09:22 PM

Wow, you have stuff seriously growing already?
Our grass is finally started to green, but it isn't near where I would let the goats out in yet. The cows are enjoying it though.
The only time of year I remove grain from the goats is summer. When they are out on full browse (access to 80 acres or so). Since mine are raising kids and they are growing kids right now I am graining them. When the browse is ready I will cut back on their grain this spring. Then again, I have a percentage of dairy breeding in my does so they are going to require more for their production than most Boers most likely would.

I'm surprised they aren't touching the blocks. Are they Sweetlix blocks? Do they have other minerals available?
Ours go through the blocks big time in the winter. Especially when they are heavy bred. Not so much when they have good browse.

greyhound girl · #3 03/28/06, 02:23 PM

Roseanna - thanks for the response! Yes it is a Sweetlix. The multiflora is already leafing out and they are finding honeysuckle left over from last fall. Yesterday they were all nibbling stuff on the ground - dandelion maybe. The grass is growing pretty good in places. They do have mineral blocks, plus loose minerals. I've never used a protein block before - they looked at it like it was going to eat them!

gccrook · #4 03/28/06, 04:47 PM

Try breaking some off, and offering it to them, then leave some loose on top of the block. This worked for me.

witchysharon · #5 03/29/06, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Yes it is a Sweetlix.... I've never used a protein block before - they looked at it like it was going to eat them!

Is this the protein 'block' or the protein 'tub'?

Block
http://www.sweetlix.com/products/pro...hp?recordID=83

Tub
http://www.sweetlix.com/products/pro...hp?recordID=42

If it is the tub, my goats reacted like it was going to bite them too! Maybe they didn't like the color of the tub, but they wouldn't come near it for days. I even scraped off chunks thinking once they tasted it they'd eat it. They wouldn't touch the stuff.

So, a month later i ended up giving the tub to a friend who runs a farm animal haven and he has over 100 goats. Figured since he feeds them hay ONLY, they'd go nuts over the protein tub....NOT. He left it out for weeks. They wouldn't touch it. He even broke chunks off....wouldn't eat them.

If it is the tub and not the block, try breaking the whole thing in pieces. Loosen the block around the side/edge of the tub, turn the tub over and the block 'should' slip out. Break into chunks. Breaking the whole thing in pieces 'might' work.

If it is the block (no tub) breaking into chunks SHOULD work. I had to do this with a mineral block once and the goats ate it pretty good once it was in smaller pieces.

Sweet Goats · #6 03/29/06, 09:12 AM

I have had both the tub and the block. With the tub it said 100% consumptions or your money back. Well I almost took it back because I had it for 7 months and no one wanted any, they all of the sudden they ate it like it was all they had to eat. They will eat both the tub and the block when they need it. I have some goats that eat ion them more then others. I have found the nursing moms eat more then anyone else. Just give it time.

dosthouhavemilk · #7 03/29/06, 09:27 AM

I tried the tub once last summer. Never again. They eventually ate it but the kids spent more time playing in it and getting their hooves covered in all that hideous molasses than eating it.
I think the heifers that broke into the pen enjoyed it mroe than the goats did.
The empty tub is handy for holding the blocks though.

greyhound girl · #8 03/29/06, 07:37 PM

Thank you all so much for that input! I didn't know there was a tub and a block - the goat folks that recommended it said to get the tub. My goaties are now brave enuf to go up to it - I did break some off but they still didn't want it. I'll wait it out for a bit before I chop it up - or return it. Maybe they'll decide they need it. They are plenty fat and maybe really don't need it. I do have to say that they are so very much calmer without grain.