Curious About a Young Buckling...

Wingdo · #1 10/20/11, 09:59 AM

We have a buckling, born March 20, 2011, that refuses to eat grain. He has developed well and is "social" but come time to eat he just stands over in the corner an waits for the rest of the gang to finish so they can go graze with him. We sold his full brother about six weeks ago and even though he wouldn't eat grain either, he brought a very good price for a percentage Boer... he was the one we could catch that particular day.

His teeth seem fine, he is alert and happy, he plays like a kid, but his refusal to eat grain has me kinda curious. Anyone else have a critter like this and is it developing to meet your expectations?

This is our first goat to ever refuse sweet feed... unless it was ill.

mpete · #2 10/20/11, 10:31 AM

I have a doe that will NOT push or fight for anything, including sweet feed. She absolutely HATES "confrontation". As long as he is healthy, I don't think there is too much to worry about. Just try to make sure that his diet is comparable to the 2:1 ration for Calcium/phosphorus to try to avoid UC.

CarolT · #3 10/20/11, 11:44 AM

Have a buckling from this spring that does the same thing. And there's no competition come feeding time. Everyone's separate, though they can see each other eat. Mine's a boer, too, if that has anything to do with it?

Wingdo · #4 10/20/11, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolT

Have a buckling from this spring that does the same thing. And there's no competition come feeding time. Everyone's separate, though they can see each other eat. Mine's a boer, too, if that has anything to do with it?

This little guy's mother is very stand-offish as well, but during feeding time she'll swallow a little pride and bull her way in, if for just a couple of bites, then she will wander away and go back to browse... maybe the buckling just hasn't got his nerve up yet.

HappyFarmer · #5 10/20/11, 06:27 PM

We see this sometimes. Eventually they get it. Sometimes like others said if the mother doesn't go for the grain they don't either. We've seen the same thing with dry-lotted goats we purchased, they don't know what grass or brush is because at the time there was a drought where they came from, but they learn eventually.

HF

CarolT · #6 10/21/11, 09:41 AM

He was a bottle baby, but the other goats dive right in so he should be able to see it's food. He'll mouth a little, then leave it. He's a nice sturdy boy, so I guess he's just not a grain-loving goat LOL Hopefully, it won't make any difference to his growth