unfamiliar forage

[silvergirl]

We have recently moved from central NC to the mountains of WNC, bringing our goat Sadie with us. She seems very distressed in her new surroundings and seems unable to find forage she 'recognizes'. She will nose a plant and snort, then push on to another plant, snort and move on again. She is hardly eating any greenery other than a few blades of grass now and then and I have her on hay and feed almost exclusively. Will she adjust to her new surroundings and the differences in the foliage over time? Has anyone else had this problem in their re-locations? Also, I noticed on a few posts that people put out baking soda for their goats - I have not read anything about this practice. Enlighten me, please!

[stacygoats]

Do you recoginize the plants that she is passing up? Maybe you have things growing at the new place that goats aren't suppose to eat and mother nature has given her a built in warning system.

[silvergirl]

I do recognize some of the plants - like poison ivy, which she normally eats and is passing up - but we have a lot of locust trees here, fir, and maple, as well as a few other trees I don't know - I will research them and the ground cover and check for poisonous plants... I know the Rhododendron are poisonous and the mountain laurel, but I keep her away from the former and we don't have laurel near here... Thanks for the reply!

[KSALguy]

everything that you mentioned is GREAT for goats, she must just be a bit stressed from the move, how long has she been in this location? she should be eating the locust and maple like candy, is she otherwise in good condition? maybe she is too dependant on the grain, try cutting WAY back on her concentrait food and make her eat like a goat if nothing else is wrong with her or the vegitation

[fishhead]

I've read that keeping baking soda out at all times allows the goat to reduce acid stomach in case it eats a bad tin can or something.

My goats eat it around supper time.