So tell me...

**mygoat** · #1 05/27/07, 09:15 PM

You may know my hardships with milking lately. Well, I think I need to test for subclinical mastitis. there were creme/off white chunkies in my milk filter today. Lots. I've seen them before but during examiniation I thought they were chunks of paper towel that stuck to the udder than rubbed off into the milk. After taking a better look at them, I've decided that it is NOT paper towel. Can't say which doe is doing it because I strain the milk right after the other. I will check tomorrow. I tested the milk from the bottom of the straining buckets with the CMT test (I was already pasturizing the milk for feeding to kids) and it was neg. Another question: if it was subclinical mastitis, how am I able to feed it to my kids without adverse reactions? They're doing great on it. My cat is also getting a bit of it, and my dogs are eating tons of it, too. No problems, though. Just the STRONG BITTER taste.

Also on my 'concern list' is that I went to the mill today and picked up some purina goat chow. I was told that a good dairy ration is a calf grower. Went there, and they all were medicated. So much for that... So then I asked for a 16 % or higher sweet feed. NO luck, thier highest is 15%. So, I was stuck with purina goat chow (at 13 something a bag!!!) for now. Is this at least better than the kent I was using before? Purina chow still has pellets in it, the only whole grains are oats and corn. *sigh*.

So, I think I"m gonna attempt my own mix. What to goats need? what homemade mixes do you use? I'd rather not have corn in it, unless there's a good reason. I'd like to do oats, BOSS... What else? I'd like to add some calf manna to it, too, but at 23.00 per bag, that's just out of the question. I'm really lost here.

OldNavyGoat · #2 05/28/07, 05:39 AM

I think you're on the right track with the oats and BOSS. You are giving them alfalfa pellets or alfalfa hay, right?

I'm thinking that's all they need.

ozark_jewels · #3 05/28/07, 06:01 AM

If they have some form of good alfalfa, just mix oats with a little corn or BOSS. They will be fine on it.

AnnaS · #4 05/28/07, 07:52 AM

Are you pasteurizing this milk before feeding it to the kids? I know heifer calves that are fed unpasteurized mastic milk can get a subclinical mastitis that goes clinical when they freshen. Shouldn't hurt the pets.

lynpea · #5 05/28/07, 08:42 AM

There is a thread over on Nubiantalk (a yahoo group ) about someone with acidic milk. She used baking soda water drenches (two of them) and it helped. Appears that the goats PH was inbalanced.

Patty0315 · #6 05/28/07, 10:01 AM

I mix
3 scoops oats~
1 cracked corn
1 boss
and then top dress with calf manna or similiar. They also get alfalfa pellets

Patty

**mygoat** · #7 05/28/07, 08:20 PM

A while I remember reading something about calf manna off brands... what would one of these be called? I can't really afford the 23.00 they want a bag for calf manna at my mill, but would really love to add some to thier feed. Also, how much do you feed?

I have a doe (the one that's giving me trouble) that is hard to keep weight on. I've heard a little about beep pulp to increase/maintain weight...How is this fed?

ozark_jewels · #8 05/28/07, 09:10 PM

One of the off-brands of calf manna is called Animax. I chose not to use it even when I was using calf-manna and was strapped for cash, as Animax didn't have nearly the quality of ingredients as the real calf manna does.

Shredded beet pulp is fed dry, mixed with the feed ration. Most goats love it.