Lime

**mygoat** · #1 10/14/06, 03:25 PM

I just sprinkled a bunch of lime in the barn for my goats after raking thier area. it's sand floor. Anywho, I was wondering if it is bad for goats to lay directly on the lime, or should I re-rake it, or does it NEED bedding over it? I planned on making the barn nice and full of bedding, but haven't gotten any straw yet...

ozark_jewels · #2 10/14/06, 03:35 PM

What type of lime is it?? If its ag lime, you'll be fine if the goats lay in it. If its hydrated lime(what I use, it does a better job with ammonia), you really should have some bedding down on top as it *can* burn them. I've never had it happen, but I'd hate for it to.....

goatkid · #3 10/14/06, 05:56 PM

I use the hydrated lime and put pine shavings on top of it. When the weather gets really cold, I put a bed of straw over that. I wouldn't let my goats sleep in the lime. The bag warns not to breathe it in because it can harm mucus membranes. I don't want my goats laying in ot or inhaling it.

**mygoat** · #4 10/14/06, 06:07 PM

Erm, well, It's just lawn and garden lime, not sure what that means... I can try to look on the bag but it's hard because it's open at an end, lol.

full sun · #5 10/14/06, 06:24 PM

What do you use lime for? I've heard of it, and always wondered it's practical use...

Jennifer

fishhead · #6 10/14/06, 08:32 PM

Lawn lime is usually just finely ground limestone (Calcium carbonate) and shouldn't be a problem. The ones that could pose a problem are hydrated lime Ca(OH) and calcium oxide Ca(O). They are pretty basic.

I've wondered why a person couldn't feed ground limestone in place of baking soda since it acts as a buffer too unless it would result in too much calcium intake.

ozark_jewels · #7 10/14/06, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mygoat

Erm, well, It's just lawn and garden lime, not sure what that means... I can try to look on the bag but it's hard because it's open at an end, lol.

That will just be ag lime. They can sleep right in it and it won't hurt them....

ozark_jewels · #8 10/14/06, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by full sun

What do you use lime for? I've heard of it, and always wondered it's practical use...

Jennifer

It is a good drying agent and reduces the ammonia build-up in the barns. Helps keep bacteria down as well. Makes the barn smell fresh and healthy.

**mygoat** · #9 10/14/06, 10:01 PM

It says it CONTAINS hydrated lime, not sure if thats what it is totally... but I raked it around just to be sure. I'll put another THICK layer down before I put thier bedding down, so it doesn't get stinky.

Thanks everyone!

Bearfootfarm · #10 10/14/06, 11:10 PM

If its pelletized lime dust wont be as much of a problem. Hydrated lime is usually a fine powder instead of pellets. It really does stop the odor quite well though. I put lime and then a thick layer of straw and add more of each as needed. then a couple of times a year I shovel some out to use in the raised beds or jsut put it on the pastures. It grows HUGE tomatoes!

**mygoat** · #11 10/15/06, 07:54 AM

Nope, its a thin powder, very fine. I raked it around as best I could, hopefully it'll be good enough till I get some bedding down in there.

Jillis · #12 10/16/06, 08:03 AM

We ask for "feed grade lime" at Agway.

It is pure calcium carbonate. We use a layer of feed grade lime every time we clean the barn, and cover it with pine shavings. You can get a truckload of pine shavings a lot cheaper than the bagged, if you have a place to store it. I prefer it to using straw. It is a lot easier to rake up. We clean the barn about once a week, sometimes a little less. My son rakes out all the extra hay they scatter every time we give them hay, because he hates raking all the wet hay out when it is time to clean the barn.

The other forms of lime can be caustic.

Milk n' Honey · #13 10/17/06, 10:08 AM

The lime we get from the grain elevator says it is for baseball diamonds...to mark to lines with. It is non-irritating, non-toxic. Interesting, we thought.