Anybody mix own goat rations?

[WolfSoul]

According to everything I've read, it's MUCH more economical to mix your own goat feed. I tried to follow the rations in the Storey book, but can't find some of the ingredients. Do any of you mix your own and if so, do you mind sharing what you mix? Karen

[Tracy in Idaho]

yes, but I don't so much mix as I do just top dress on the grain -- I have 3 feed barrels at the front of my milk stands.

A plain, no molasses, Corn/Oat/Barley mix (though I am seriously considering going back to plain old whole oats next year)

BOSS -- Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

Vigor Plus -- this is a Calf Manna knockoff from Land O'Lakes.

Tracy

[Sarah J]

Originally Posted by WolfSoul

According to everything I've read, it's MUCH more economical to mix your own goat feed. I tried to follow the rations in the Storey book, but can't find some of the ingredients. Do any of you mix your own and if so, do you mind sharing what you mix? Karen

Corn, oats, wheat bran, soybean meal, salt and mollasses. I just called up the co op and told them what I wanted. They did the rest, though they questioned the lack of medication in the feed...they always seem to htink that I'm crazy for not medicating my feed...my philosophy is, why medicate if there isn't a problem/ prevent the problem and medicate only when necessary (and it *has* been necessary, but I'm still in the learning process, too! Goats for one year now - YAY!).

Anyway, I "stole" the recipe straight from Storey's Guide to raising dairy goats...they have a few sample recipes in there, depending on what it is that you have for hay, etc. Free choice alfalfa hay (not anywhere *near* as good this year, so have alfalfa pellets out, too), minerals and baking soda.

-Sarah

[NewlandNubians]

Here's what I would do if I were you...

Go to your mill. Ask them what they have to offer to be mixed in feeds (like what raw grains) and then get their protein, fat, and fiber contents. Then when you do, email me and I'll send you an excel file (if you have microsoft excel) that you can use to make your own feed mixes. you just plug in the amounts and it gives you a grand total of the amounts and percentages protein, fat and fiber for your mix. My mix is on my website under the "care program" link. go to www.newlandnubians.com and check it out

[dbarjacres]

Here is my recipe. It all fits perfectly in a 55 gallon drum.

100 pounds clean oats
50 pounds cleaned cracked or rolled corn
40 pounds shredded beet pulp
20 pounds BOSS

NO molasses. My myotonics, boers, mini donkeys, mules, and horse LOVE this mix and all LOOK terriffic!

I also offer - according to species - the best loose mineral I can buy. The goats get Golden Blend Mineral that I get shipped up from the company in Alabama. They love it.

[WolfSoul]

How much do you feed per goat???? I am soooooooooo new, aren't I??? :no:

Originally Posted by dbarjminis

Here is my recipe. It all fits perfectly in a 55 gallon drum.

100 pounds clean oats
50 pounds cleaned cracked or rolled corn
40 pounds shredded beet pulp
20 pounds BOSS

NO molasses. My myotonics, boers, mini donkeys, mules, and horse LOVE this mix and all LOOK terriffic!

I also offer - according to species - the best loose mineral I can buy. The goats get Golden Blend Mineral that I get shipped up from the company in Alabama. They love it.

[JAS]

I just started mixing but it is for all my animals so it was not mixed as a goat mix.

55% cracked corn
20% rolled oats (do not need to roll for goats)
10% soybean meal
10% alfalfa pellets (broken down [probably would not have to break for goats])
5% molassas
trace mineral salt mix (not more than .5%)
AD&E mix

I went with what was available. I wanted black sunflowers and wheat but they were not a choice. This is saving me about $2 to $4 per 50 lbs (which is how I use to buy in prepared bags).

Is there a reason some of you do not use molassas? I find it helps to keep the fine material from being "dusty".

Also I only feed pregnant / nursing does and a few goats that are kept in the lot this. I think the amount varys for the stage your goat is in and what else they are eating (grass hay, alfalfa hay, browse . . .), also if you are milking. I will let someone else with more experience answer the amount ?. I can't separate my goats so that is a problem sometimes. Most of my goats are on pasture right now. I've read not to feed wethers grain due to urinary calculi.

A few good books: Raising Meat Goats For Profit and Feeds and Feeding.

[dbarjacres]

I feed only about 1 cup per goat to all of my goats. They are not nursing (2 are only a couple of weeks bred now) and 5 of them are spring babies. They also get browse and my young ones get alfalfa.

I don't use molasses because it's messy, it makes the feed spoil if premixed (the "good" brands of premixed feeds have natural preservatives in them but if you would buy feed from a mill, they've told me to feed it up with in 2 weeks cause it sours), and my mules don't like molasses at all. picky buggers! The goats seem to prefer this "dry" mix too. It's not dusty at all, cause I use cleaned oats and cleaned cracked corn.

[WolfSoul]

Thank you to all of you who answered this. It's been a big help!! Karen

Originally Posted by dbarjminis

I feed only about 1 cup per goat to all of my goats. They are not nursing (2 are only a couple of weeks bred now) and 5 of them are spring babies. They also get browse and my young ones get alfalfa.

I don't use molasses because it's messy, it makes the feed spoil if premixed (the "good" brands of premixed feeds have natural preservatives in them but if you would buy feed from a mill, they've told me to feed it up with in 2 weeks cause it sours), and my mules don't like molasses at all. picky buggers! The goats seem to prefer this "dry" mix too. It's not dusty at all, cause I use cleaned oats and cleaned cracked corn.

[JAS]

My coop added something to help keep the mix from spoiling, called Defender? They told me it was ok for all the animals, they liked to use it during the hotter months. My first order was 1000 lbs which was the minimum. I did go through this fairly fast (feeding butcher hogs, they eat like pigs ).

I don't like to medicate my goats but I am new at this and have not had any trouble. I would check with other goat keepers in your area to see if there is a problem that they medicate for. At least you can have a heads up if your goats do get sick.

Another thing to consider. If your goats have pasture/browse try a goat protein block (I use Sweetlic 20% Goat Protein blocks).