Can my alpine does have purina nicker makets horse treats

countrylivingtx · #1 07/23/14, 10:40 PM

I bought a bucket of nicker makers thinking I was going to get a donkey but im not so I have these can I give them to my goats and how many can u give a day if any heres the nutritional info and ingredients crude protein (min.) 9.00% crude fat (min.) 6.00% crude fiber (max.) 6.00% calcium (min.) 0.60% calcium (max.) 0.90% phosphorus (min.) 0.45% copper (min.) 35 ppm. Zinc (min.) 140 ppm. Selenium (min.) 0.60 ppm. Vitamin A (min.) 3,000 IU/IB. Ingredients cracked corn,ground oats,dehydrated alfalfa meal,cane molasses,soybean oil,dehulled soybean meal,calcium carbonate,dicalcium phosphate,citric acid,choline chloride,artificial flavoring,DL alpha tocopheryl acetate,cholecalciferol,vitamin a acetate,calcium pantothenate,vitamin b12 supplement,riboflavin,natural mixed tocopherol preservative,zinc oxide,ascorbic acid, rosemary extract,copper sulfate,lecithin,calcium lodate, magnesium oxide,cobalt carbonate,ferrous carbonate,nicotinic acid,manganous oxide,sodium selenite.

Squeaky McMurdo · #2 07/23/14, 11:12 PM

The general consensus around here is that corn is not good for goats. Can you return it or resell it?

countrylivingtx · #3 07/23/14, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squeaky McMurdo

The general consensus around here is that corn is not good for goats. Can you return it or resell it?

OH NO I MIX CRACKED CORN IN WITH THERE FEED EVERYDAY is that hurtinv then

cfuhrer · #4 07/24/14, 12:10 AM

My goats were fed COB and a mix with cracked corn with no adverse side effects. I've also fed nicker makers, two or three per goat per day with no problem.

countrylivingtx · #5 07/24/14, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfuhrer

My goats were fed COB and a mix with cracked corn with no adverse side effects. I've also fed nicker makers, two or three per goat per day with no problem.

Good!

Alice In TX/MO · #6 07/24/14, 07:10 AM

Do not feed corn in warm weather. It heats them up.

Cannon_Farms · #7 07/24/14, 07:37 AM

Unless you pay premium prices or mix you own just about every feed has corn in it. plant by products can be anything including corn cobs.
Mine get horse treats quite consistently and we change things up to keep it interesting, they are particularly fond of the apple ones made by Dobbins or the mint.
Mine only get a treat as they are going out the milk room door however and no more than 4 per day.

**mygoat** · #8 07/24/14, 09:18 AM

Corn does not heat them up, homeostasis keeps them at a reasonable internal body temp and external temperature and envirnoment is what causes them to overheat, not their feed. it is a 'hot feed' in that it provides a lot of energy at once. That energy in the winter can be used to help maintain body heat (just like any other energy taken in - but corn is digested fast and thus is rather 'short term' energy for metabolism), but it will not overheat them in the summer. Instead, it will go to other partitions.

I feed corn in my diets here. Corn is only a PART of a diet, and if fed properly is not a bad grain anymore than the others.

countrylivingtx · #9 07/24/14, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Do not feed corn in warm weather. It heats them up.

So I guess it would be great in winter?

dozedotz · #10 07/24/14, 10:59 AM

Our very first goat was a magnificent little pygmy buck that we drove all the way to Alabama to pick up. He was the beginning of our Kinder herd. We no longer have any Kinders and the Pygmy buck was sold to a Kinder breeder in Illinois and is still there...he is also the breeding buck for the St. Louis Zoo. So, I know he is still alive and have been told that he is in great condition and still loving the girls. HE LOVED those Nicker Makers...which I thought were expensive...but he had been trained by the breeder to do all sorts of cute stuff by bribery with the Nicker Makers...his "cookies." He got several a day and still does.

Alice In TX/MO · #11 07/24/14, 12:16 PM

Yes. I add just a bit of cracked corn in cold weather.

My vet, a semi retired bovine lactation expert, is opposed to corn for ruminants.

I believe him.

MDKatie · #12 07/24/14, 01:47 PM

My feed ration has corn in it. I bet MOST commercial bagged feed has corn in it. And the OP is talking about treats. The amount of corn in the treats will not be remotely harmful to goats. It's not like she's talking about feeding the treats as a feed. If they're fed as a treat, I see absolutely no issue with them.

Feeding goats (or any ruminants) straight corn is not good for them. Corn in a *balanced* ration is not harmful and provides valuable nutrients.

Squeaky McMurdo · #13 07/24/14, 01:53 PM

Well see, still learning new things. I thought the reason chicken feed was so bad for them was because of the corn.

MDKatie · #14 07/24/14, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squeaky McMurdo

Well see, still learning new things. I thought the reason chicken feed was so bad for them was because of the corn.

Any sudden change of feed is bad for them. It'd be just as bad for them if they sneak and eat a ton of chicken feed as it would if they ate a ton of rabbit food or a ton of any food to which they're not accustomed. It also doesn't help that most chicken feed is very finely ground (mash or crumble, or even pellet) so it's very easily digestible to them, which causes their rumen bacteria to go nuts.

Sensiblefarmer · #15 07/24/14, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Do not feed corn in warm weather. It heats them up.

I can't believe that old wives' tale is still being passed around.