sweet feed

dm9960 · #1 08/21/11, 05:37 PM

I don't get it. I have read that molasses isn't good for the rumen. yet, why sweet feed? isn't that full of molasses? or am I missing something?

mekasmom · #2 08/21/11, 05:53 PM

Sweet Feed is for horses.
That said, goats love it. But it isn't good for them especially in large amounts. If you get it, use it like a piece of candy and very, very rarely. I wouldn't give over a tiny amount, like the size of a piece of candy and only rarely. It's not good for them because it can cause acidosis and bloating.

Alice In TX/MO · #3 08/21/11, 06:00 PM

I don't feed sweet feed to goats.

LoneStrChic23 · #4 08/21/11, 06:11 PM

Not to mention, molasses is high in iron, & iron inhibits copper absorbtion.

dm9960 · #5 08/21/11, 06:20 PM

I've been trying to figure out a new feed, most of the goat feeds here are sweet feed. either that or medicated. I need something for bucks and does that are adults

mekasmom · #6 08/21/11, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dm9960

I've been trying to figure out a new feed, most of the goat feeds here are sweet feed. either that or medicated. I need something for bucks and does that are adults

Bucks get hay and pasture. You can give them a treat once in a while with just a bit of grain, but not often. Can't you get goat grain or simply stock feed or even oats?
Does that are pregnant or in milk need some grain. Older does that are simply pets can be fed like bucks with hay, pasture, and an occasional grain treat.
I really wouldn't use sweet feed unless it is just like a piece of candy very, very rarely. It's not good for goats. But they do love it.

Creamers · #7 08/21/11, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Sweet Feed is for horses.

Ek - not even a good choice for horses.

Minelson · #8 08/21/11, 07:22 PM

I don't feed sweet feed to horses or goats. I don't get why they even make that stuff

sammyd · #9 08/21/11, 07:36 PM

A good sweet feed is indeed excellent for any animal. Overfeeding of anything sweetened or not can cause problems.
I see lots of folks get lots of bad ideas around here. We have fed a sweet feed or included molasses in our feed for many years and have not had a problem with it.

Alice In TX/MO · #10 08/21/11, 07:48 PM

Yeah, and humans can live on donuts and Pop Tarts, too, but that doesn't mean that diet is good for the human body on the long term.

Those of us who recommend *against* molasses products do so because we have studied and made the decision to feed our goats as healthy a diet as our knowledge base guides us.

Your decisions may vary.

mekasmom · #11 08/21/11, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

I don't feed sweet feed to horses or goats. I don't get why they even make that stuff

The animals love it just like kids love candy. That certainly doesn't mean it is the healthiest thing though. We always used sweet feed for the horses when they were training a trick for a parade or something, just a tiny bit in your palm at a time, but gave it as a reward during the time they were training each day. Dad kept it on hand for training, but gave grain, usually mixed oats and tiny bit of corn, when we put them in the stables at night. Of course there was always hay available and pasture too.

akaRach · #12 08/21/11, 08:54 PM

My local goat knowledgeable person saw the feed I was buying from tsc for my goats and basically said it was crap because it was dry with alot of filler. The filler part looked like chicken pellets I suppose.

So I went to the local feed store and bought a bag of her custom mix feed. It contains no pellets but is coated in molasses.

I too am confused.

houndlover · #13 08/21/11, 09:07 PM

Everything in moderation. Sweet feeds deliver a lot of calories cheaply. That said, I don't feed it. I stay away from corn too. If I could find a chicken feed without corn, I'd buy it.

houndlover · #14 08/21/11, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akaRach

My local goat knowledgeable person saw the feed I was buying from tsc for my goats and basically said it was crap because it was dry with alot of filler. The filler part looked like chicken pellets I suppose.

So I went to the local feed store and bought a bag of her custom mix feed. It contains no pellets but is coated in molasses.

I too am confused.

Dump your "person" and use your gut instincts. Do some research. Just because someone got you into goats doesn't mean you have to emulate everything they do.

Creamers · #15 08/21/11, 09:13 PM

Sweet Feed doesn't even really have that many calories - does nothing for rescue horses, which we do a lot of . . . it is not just the molasses - it is the ingredients in most of the sweet feeds, if not all, that aren't usually worth feeding

Alice In TX/MO · #16 08/21/11, 09:15 PM

Houndlover hit the nail with the hammer.

motdaugrnds · #17 08/21/11, 09:47 PM

It is really better to do your own research and not rely on what others tell you. We have knowledgeable people in here; however, they may not live in your area of the world. Your "goat person" may have had the soil/grass analyses done and know what she/he is talking about...or maybe she didn't get it done. You would be wise to get it done if she/he hasn't.

Some areas have a lot of iron in their water that gets into their pastures. Iron inhibits copper intake/usage. Some places do "not" have a lot of iron; so Sweet Feed may be used without problems if used in moderation.

Our area is "not" high in iron, though it is weak in sellenium. I have been adding Sweet Feed to our herd's rations (does/bucks/kids) for over 15 yrs without problems, mainly because it has selenium & Vit E in it. Still, I am switching to the Strategy others have spoken of in here as I like what is in it better than what is in the SF I've been using.

You really need to know what is in your water/grounds/grasses/browse in order to know what to feed goats. A simple leaf analyses will tell you whether or not it is high in iron. If it is, do "not" feed molasses. If it isn't and you want to use molasses, do so sparingly.

houndlover · #18 08/22/11, 12:29 AM

Yeah, Creamers, I just looked at the label on the bag of sweet feed I keep to lure my sheep into the raceway, and the main ingredient is "screenings". Oy.

DamnearaFarm · #19 08/22/11, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Creamers

Sweet Feed doesn't even really have that many calories - does nothing for rescue horses, which we do a lot of . . . it is not just the molasses - it is the ingredients in most of the sweet feeds, if not all, that aren't usually worth feeding

Agree with you and Alice totally. I refer to sweet feed as crap.

southerngurl · #20 08/22/11, 08:51 AM

Goats are designs to digest high fiber foods, forage mainly. These foods feed a certain type of bacteria and digest slowly on an even keel. They also pick up grass seed, berries, fruits etc along the way. High sugar foods in the range of goat food, but high fiber compared to something like molasses and they get diluted with the other forage type foods. Fiber keeps the sugar digestion on a more even plane, much easier on the body's metabolic processes and also much easier on the rumen because sugar that is overly available, like in molasses or even pellets, feeds acid producing bacteria which acidifies the rumen. This over time ages your animals and they won't live and produce as long. Taken to the extreme, look at dairy cattle. Big dairies, that feed high carb high protein feed in large amounts have animals that live very short lives, what 4 yrs? Where that cow, being allowed to graze grass and just fed enough grain to keep weight on may live 20.

This is why the best feed is whole grains. They will break down more slowly and naturally. But, you will simply get your highest production off of pellets. Too much molasses however, and you can actually acidify the rumen enough to have acute problems, not just long term. You can actually lose production because the rumen isn't function well and the goat isn't eating as much because it's belly hurts.