grass fed goats??

[dk_40207]

So, we have been trying to find good information on natural methods of raising healthy goats, and doing either all grass fed, or mostly grass fed dairy goats.....any websites/advice on these isuues?
We hope to get our first milker this summer, and build from there. I know that it is possible that grass fed won't give as much milk.....but healthier(for us).
Ah, ignorance is not bliss....
Christina
Indiana

[shereen]

I've been trying to figure out the same thing. The only thing I came up with heavy browse, you would have to have a lot of browse(dairy goats aren't all that into grass) and move them quite often using electronet fencing Alfalfa pellets/hay would do a world of good and if you had a lot of time on your hands you could try to sprout grains. The protein in sprouted grains are low, but I think you could bump that up with the alfalfa pellets. If you grew some extra veggies and sunflowers for that that too would help. Of course free choice loose minerals and all that other stuff. Or you could just breed the dairy goat to a meat goat. Less milk but I think they are easier to raise on grass/browse.
Also I get a mag called The Stockman Grass Farmer it's mostly about beef cattle but you can find a lot of good info in it.
If you figure anything else out let me know.

[dk_40207]

We were thinking about intensive rotation grazing. For a few goats...perhaps a week or two on each of 6-8 pens, sown with specific and varying grasses(not sure which ones or which mixes) any ideas? This would be according to what works for us. We are only speculating as to what the goats would do

This would give each pen(we were thinking about somewhere between 300-600 sq ft per pen) about 6-16 weeks to recover and grow between rotations.

We were also thinking of rotating a small chicken tractor on the same fields to minimize insects and help fertilize for maximum growth....there-by also having grass-fed chickens

Thoughts anyone?

Christina

[chamoisee]

I have done that. It doesn't work. They can eat grass all day long and still starve to death. They cannot take in enough calories from grass (which has a high moisture content) to produce milk and sustain themselves. Mine wound up emaciated, and again, they were getting all the grass they wanted, plus grain at milking time. If the does don't produce well (some of mine give 12+ lbs a day and even the yearlings typically peak at close to a gallon, or I get rid of them) then it might work. It works for angoras and Boers.

The other factor is parasites...even with rotational grazing (which we used) they will be a lot more prone to parasites and since they're thin and nutritionally stressed already, it hits them harder. My advice? If you want to graze, then feed alfalfa hay or pellets as a supplement, free choice.

[KSALguy]

lots of brows, free access to Alfalfa hay, and a nice amount of grain like whole oats some corn a little milo, works well. all natural and well fed.

[mygoat]

I just don't think goats would do well on an all grass diet. They aren't grazers, they're browsers. Yes, if confined to grass pastures they will eat it, but that doesn't mean that they will get the same nutrience or be as healthy as if you let them have access to actuall browse. You stated that you knew that they would produce less. This is probably true, but it would be because they aren't healthy. Also, don't stressed goats produce off-flavored milk? I would think that thier milk would be nasty because of stress. I also agree that the goats would probably be prone to getting worms and other stress related problems.

If all you have is grass pastures, become friends with a locall landscaping or logging company that would probably be happy to let you have the tops of trees for free.

[Jen H]

My cashmeres do really well on basically browse spring/summer/fall. I do give them each a cup of alfalfa pellets in the evening. All my goats have to do, though, is grow a nice undercoat. I have milked cashmeres before, and they don't give nearly as much milk at a time as dairy goats do, and only give milk for a couple of months (it's also quite the finger workout).

I would imagine that a dairy goat could live on browse and be healthy, but not if she were being milked twice a day every day for most of the year. It takes alot of energy to produce that milk. I think you have to make a choice. If you're ok with staggering your breeding times so that goats are milking on different months and you're ok with not getting much milk - your goats will probably do fine on grass and browse (browse is brush, weeds, and small trees). I would probably look for goats with a good percentage of boer in them - the meat goats are thrifty and do well on graze and browse. A doe from a dairy line just won't be able to turn off the milk before she's really depleted.

As an aside, I actually have to mow my pastures. The goats really don't eat the grass.

[Freeholder]

If you want to try this, get Kinder goats or percentage Boers. Straight dairy goats can't do it. And you should still offer some excellent quality alfalfa hay. Boers will eat grass (most goats won't unless they're starving), but even they will do better if there are legumes and 'weeds' (herbs) in the pasture, and with some browse offered.

I know what you are trying to do -- I've had the same thing on my mind for probably six or eight years. Hopefully someday I'll have enough land to give it a try. Right now I have the right goats (Kinders, and one half Boer, half Oberhasli doe), but no pasture OR browse. So they get alfalfa hay, a little cob, and a couple of handfuls of sunflower seeds (plus their loose mineral salt). They are doing great on this diet. In the summer sometimes I take them out walking and let them browse the roadside, and they may get peavines or corn stalks from the garden.

Kathleen