Medicated grain for adults??

[TroutRiver]

I was looking closely at the label tag on the bag of grain that I got from my friend's house when I took her goats, and it says it is medicated! I was under the impression that only kids benefit from medicated grain. Would there be any reason to feed it to adult milkers?

It sure is a big contrast to be feeding medicated sweet feed, since I have been using an all organic whole grain mix that I mix myself for my goats... but I guess I need to use what she has been feeding them, especially since she wants 3 of them back in a couple months when she can care for them.

[mygoat]

I've been contemplating feeding medicated feed to the doe herd starting a month before they kid, to lower cocci in the environment. I also want to use a feed through for my dam raised kids. Doing dimethox/corid cocci prevention isn't feasible with my schedule. From what I understand, as long as they eat enough of the medication, it works.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Medicated feed is NOT for milkers.

I do feed it to my bucks.

[TroutRiver]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Medicated feed is NOT for milkers.

That is what I was thinking...I do not want that in the milk that I'm drinking. Once she is back at home, I am going to talk to her about that and see if she is ok with me switching to a different grain (even the non-medicated version of the same thing she is feeding now).

Or when I get another bag of grain, I might just *accidentally* get the unmedicated kind. After all, I am going to be milking and caring for these guys for at least 2-3 months (probably longer) before she can take back the 3 that she wants to keep.

[Creamers]

If you're using the milk for human consumption, you would not use it - if you're not - it would be fine.

[TroutRiver]

Originally Posted by Creamers

If you're using the milk for human consumption, you would not use it - if you're not - it would be fine.

I am. How long after I stop feeding medicated grain can I start drinking the milk?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Just me, but I'm a three day withdrawal person for most medications.

Others may use a longer time.

[LoneStrChic23]

I accidently fed medicated feed to my milkers for about two weeks.....drank the milk until I realized it. Didn't kill me, but I would not intentionally feed it to milkers.

I feed it to my buck kids & to my 2 doelings. Have a separate, non medicated grain mix for my 2 milkers.

[Catalytic]

When I got goat feed from the co-op here, they only had one kind. I was quite ----ed when I got home and unloaded it...and found it was medicated and said, very specifically on the bag NOT to feed to dairy goats.

[susanne]

Originally Posted by mygoat

I've been contemplating feeding medicated feed to the doe herd starting a month before they kid, to lower cocci in the environment. I also want to use a feed through for my dam raised kids. Doing dimethox/corid cocci prevention isn't feasible with my schedule. From what I understand, as long as they eat enough of the medication, it works.

maybe that is the reason for the bitter tasting milk?

[mygoat]

I haven't ever fed medicated feed yet. I was contemplating doing that before this year's kidding season. Dairy goats wouldn't be getting it - it would be boers/minis.