02/01/09, 06:33 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,012
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What's in the mix? Long before we started breeding goats we fed BS Charger (maybe challenger? I forget now), it was a horse feed, with oats, corn, pellets & molasses. Those goats thrived on it along with grass hay for something like 5 years until we sold them.
That was before we seriously started raising goats, and before we knew molasses and corn was bad for the rumen, and horse feeds generally have too much iron in them and not the correct minerals, and we were supposed to be giving baking soda to help prevent acidiosis from the molasses. Good thing those goats didn't know these things, nor that they weren't supposed to go for 5 years without being wormed or their cd/t shots. Imagine that. Our ignorance was bliss.
The correct answer is you should feed her something made for goats or whole grains and loose minerals. My answer based on my ignorant years is that it won't hurt her as long as you change her feed slowly and provide baking soda free choice. As long as the feed is not moldy & is fairly fresh, it will provide supplements until the bag is gone & you can purchase more appropriate grain. I see you are in New York, the cold will keep it from going bad until late May/early June when the hot weather will bring molds & bugs, then it should become chicken feed. The extra fats & energy provided from grain will assist her during the cold months, too, so becoming overweight shouldn't be too much of an issue this time of year if given in moderation.
I would consider getting her a companion as they are herd animals and she would be much happier & less stressed.
HF
edited to add: she is cute, a little on the thick/muscular side to be an all-milker line.
Last edited by HappyFarmer; 02/01/09 at 06:35 PM.
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feed ?
