? About Feed

CookingPam777 · #1 04/26/08, 09:02 PM

I thought I had heard someone mixing rabbit food in with the goat food. Is this because alfalfa or what reason? What do you think about my feed I use or want to rabbit food dairy goat food beet pulp oats. I wanted to use BOSS but to my surprise you can't seem to find them in big packages enough to put in goat food. Is there anything lacking in the mix that you would suggest. I want to give my goats the best.

Alice In TX/MO · #2 04/26/08, 09:06 PM

Do not feed rabbit food. It has other junk in it you don't want your goats to have.

BOSS is available at feed stores in 50 pound bags.

About half the folks on the board don't like dairy goat chow/mixed feed because it often has molasses (which isn't good for the goat's digestion) and other floor sweepings.

Plain oats or barley would be better than goat chow.

CookingPam777 · #3 04/26/08, 09:13 PM

Mine doesn't have molasses in it. It comes in pellets smells salty. I thought you could buy BOSS like that but can't seem to find it I am going to try another feed mill. I have looked at TSC. Is there anything else I could feed that would fill them and help them produce?

CookingPam777 · #4 04/26/08, 09:23 PM

What kind of licks do you give goats as well? I have heard of giving bucks salt licks. But don't know what kind of licks for the does.

tmfinley · #5 04/26/08, 09:24 PM

I agree with Rose. I don't even feed my rabbits rabbit pellets. I feed both my goats and rabbits oats, alfalfa pellets, corn, and boss. If your feed store doesn't have boss, walmart has 25 lb bags. I like feeding this way because I know what they are getting. You don't know what your getting with the pellets.

Tiffany

CookingPam777 · #6 04/26/08, 09:31 PM

I thought corn wasn't good cause it was fattening I guess that's only if you were to eat them. Thanks for the info on BOSS most walmarts are the same so I will give it a shot! I never buy the medicated feed the stores give. After awhile of medicated feed wouldn't it not matter as they would be immuned to it anyway? In my area it is actually cheaper to buy medicated. But if they don't need it and would get immune anyway why pump them with things they don't need?

Alice In TX/MO · #7 04/27/08, 04:42 AM

Are you offering a goat mineral with copper? Then you don't need a 'lick.'

Rockytopsis · #8 04/27/08, 05:28 AM

CookingPam777 bad as I hate to give wallyworld any advertising you can get large bags of BOSS there.

CookingPam777 · #9 04/27/08, 06:13 AM

The feed mill or TSC. Our TSC doesn't have things that others does for example iodine 7% doesn't exsist in MD I have looked and it was not at TSC. I had to look quite hard to even find 2% but found it has a sample you had to request from your pharmisist.

nubiansinny · #10 04/27/08, 06:36 AM

I would be very careful with the BOSS.In the humidiy it can mold very fast and can kill your goats.It can be hard to see because the mold can be inside the seeds. Last summer I heard of several people who last goats to it.
I feed blue seal brand feed and alfalfa pellets and hay.Most of what they eat should be hay. A loose mineral is best, free choice.They can't lick enough to get what they need from a block.
Sweet feeds can be fine if not over fed.I give baking soda free choice too.
The iodine is off the market, it was replaced with triodine (sp?).
You can get lots of stuff on the internet.their are several goat catologs you can get stuff from too.
caprine supply
Hoegger's -I use their minerals- gold blend
jeffers
valleyvet
they all have websites
I think it's better to keep feeding simple.You will have less problems that way

fishhead · #11 04/27/08, 07:15 AM

Bird food stores sell 50# bags of BOSS. It's about $18 here. It was $10 last year.

steff bugielski · #12 04/28/08, 05:55 AM

Rabbit pellets from blue seal is fine for goats in a pinch. It is mostly alfalfa and forage.

waygr00vy · #13 04/28/08, 06:43 AM

So it is ok to feed my rabbits oats/corn/alfalfa pellets/boss mixture? That is what I feed my goats and I am always looking at ways to simplify things so I am not buying a gazillion different feeds at the feed store!

susanne · #14 04/28/08, 08:04 AM

i don't know why you have to mix something in a ready mixed food? the balance is calculated for goats and with any item you mix in, it will out of whack. if you have the urge to mix something for your goats, do it from scratch.
start with oats as a base and then add barley, corn, millets boss or what ever, after you know the feed value.
if feed is in pelleted form, it is advisable to read the label. grain by products? you bet, that are floor sweepings. it also has molasses in it.
rabbit food is for rabbits

Backfourty,MI. · #15 04/28/08, 08:27 AM

Pam, A vet there in maryland I'm sure will sell you the 7% iodine, thats where you have to get it here too!

Fishead, our BOSS is up to almost 24.00 for a 50 pound bag. Getting too expensive if you ask me.

**mygoat** · #16 04/28/08, 02:31 PM

Iodine was outlawed in a lot of places... dang meth labs! Jeffers carries an alternative that I will be switching to after my supply of 7% is gone - thankfully, it takes me a couple years of kidding to run low.

Grain prices are up, way high. I finally switched to my own mix, which is still costing 12.30 per 50 lbs... cheaper than paying 16.00 though for purina!

My current mix which I'm quite pleased with is 3 parts oats, 3 parts alfalfa pellets, 3 parts corn, 1 part BOSS, and 1 part Calf Manna. My does seem to like it, though my babies don't eat the whole corn - that might be because it's hard for them to chew, though.

Naturaldane · #17 04/29/08, 09:12 AM

I can get Boss at my TSC have you asked if they could order you some? However its $21 a bag so its not cheap.

nana2-7 · #18 04/30/08, 11:35 AM

MyGoat, why Calf Manna?

**mygoat** · #19 04/30/08, 12:14 PM

I like calf manna because it gives a little extra to those that need it. Keep in mind that my feeding is a tad different than most. The only times my goats get grain at all is when they need it. Late term preggo, growing, or lactating goats need extra nutrition, so my mix has calf manna which is well rounded supplemental pellet. It actually isn't overly expensive at the rate I feed it.

My bucks/wethers never get grain.

Mini does (non dairy) get grain two weeks before and two weeks after kidding.

Dairy does get grain two weeks pre-kidding and 1 lb per 3lbs milk produced through lactation.

Growing kids get close to free-choice grain.

My does also are flushed starting the month before breeding, and go from no grain up to about a 1/2 cup each per day until a couple weeks after being confirmed bred.

My goats either get pasture (if it is abundant and strong enough to support all of them) or free choice plain grass hay for most of the year, with alfalfa pellets mixed in my grain.

Patty0315 · #20 04/30/08, 02:13 PM

Calf manna is great highprotein and all the good viatmins and minerals..

TSc carries Boss in the bird seed section.

I have not found a pelleted feed that does not have molasses check the label.

You can no longer buy 7% iodine any place.

Mix 3 parts oats , 1/2 part corn ,1/2 boss and some calf manna.

Patty