Feeding Questions

Cali · #1 04/14/13, 04:27 PM

I have a 3 month old LaMancha and a yearling Alpine (who is hopefully soon-to-be pregnant). The Alpine is at the buck's place right now but this question is for her needs as well as my youngster.

Right now I've just been feeding Dumor goat pellets (it's what I had available) and coastal hay. I would prefer to get off of commercial pellets entirely but haven't been able to find a source for grain in my area nor have I seen a lot of recommended grain mixes. I would love any recommendations on what to feed my girls.

As for the hay, I'm fine with feeding coastal but they don't seem overly thrilled with it. Right now someone is selling oat hay for less than I'm able to buy coastal, any feedback on that?

Here's a pic of my gals

Alice In TX/MO · #2 04/14/13, 04:53 PM

Where are you? What is the biggest town close by?

Oats, alfalfa pellets, Black Oil sunflower seeds.

I have heard that goats don't really like Coastal Bermuda. Can you get Bahia or Gordo?

Backfourty,MI. · #3 04/14/13, 04:57 PM

I was also going to say oats with some Black oil sunflowers thrown in & some alfalfa pellets on the side(mine won't eat the alfalfa pellets if there mixed in their grain).

Don't know much about the hay available in Texas. I have Alfalfa/grass mix hay that all my goats Love here.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 04/14/13, 05:34 PM

The Alpine doe won't come into heat until the fall. They are seasonal breeders.

Cali · #5 04/14/13, 05:54 PM

Thank you both for your replies!

Quote:

Where are you? What is the biggest town close by?

We live in the Bastrop area, closest big city is Austin

Quote:

Oats, alfalfa pellets, Black Oil sunflower seeds.

Quote:

I was also going to say oats with some Black oil sunflowers thrown in & some alfalfa pellets on the side(mine won't eat the alfalfa pellets if there mixed in their grain).

I'm guessing these aren't fed in equal parts (at least not the BOSS? or is it?) - is there a recommended ratio?

Quote:

The Alpine doe won't come into heat until the fall. They are seasonal breeders.

We are trying out CIDRs, hoping for some luck with that but we'll see!

Quote:

I have heard that goats don't really like Coastal Bermuda. Can you get Bahia or Gordo?

Hm, I've never heard of Bahia or Gordo.. I'm not very educated as far as hay goes, though. I will look into those. From a quick craigslist search the hay I see the most is Tifton 85 and Coastal Bermuda, not a lot of variation. My goat's breeder has been getting Sudan, I've noticed a TON of waste with that though and I'm not sure how economical it is. I'll have to ask her where she gets it.

Alice In TX/MO · #6 04/14/13, 06:57 PM

We are only 100 miles south of you. Bahia and Gordo are Texas hay grasses.

I don't think Sudan is a good idea in a dry year unless it was irrigated. It can develop toxins like drought stressed Johnson grass. Tifton and Jiggs are Bermuda variations, with a broader leaf than Coastal Bermuda. I would feed Tifton over Coastal, if that's all you can get.

Danger of Sundan and sorghum type grasses:
http://beef.osu.edu/library/prussic.html

Cali · #7 04/14/13, 07:27 PM

Thanks Alice, I didn't know that about Sudan and it's probably for the best anyway, they just seem to waste a ton of it even compared to the coastal.

As for oats, should I be looking for whole, rolled, etc? There seem to be so many different kinds.

What should the ratio be for oats to boss and alfalfa pellets? I've been googling but have found a lot of inconclusive stuff.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 04/14/13, 09:10 PM

I can only tell you what I'm doing, as there are as many ways to feed goats as they are goat owners.

In a big clean trash can, I mix 1 part alfalfa pellets, two parts oats, and 1/2 part BOSS. As you transition away from pelleted feed, you can put two parts pellets for a week, then one part pellets, then none.

Note, this is MUCH less alfalfa than I used to feed. I think they do better not without so much protein.

They also have hay 24/7. I've also planted browse patches with Throw and Grow deer browse. PLUS, I bring them oak tree trimmings most days. If there are any pine trees left after the fires in your area, they will eat pine trimmings, too.

I'm really tempted to try a CIDR on a yearling Saanen cross doeling I have. She grew better than I expected over the winter.

Cali · #9 04/14/13, 09:17 PM

Thank you again, Alice! I know there are a lot of ways to do things, but I am so new to goats I sure appreciate knowing what more experienced people do. I'm going to start transitioning the little LaMancha this week, hopefully my Alpine will be home soon and I can start her on it too.

Good luck if you decide to try the CIDR with your doe!

Cyngbaeld · #10 04/15/13, 06:30 AM

I use whole oats with a little whole corn. No pellets. I've never fed hay so can't help with that. I'm a little east of you and we have something green all yr. Mine just mostly eat what grows around here. I have a lot of coastal growing, but they don't seem to eat that much of it. There are some other grasses they go for more, but they are native and I couldn't tell you what they are. They eat a lot of browse and weeds.