| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| farmeratlast |
Posted - Oct 17 2009 : 10:46:38 AM
I just purchased a purebred nubian who is currently being bred. She will come along with a whether in about three weeks. The woman who has been helping me feeds her animals alfalfa and rolled oats that she gets each two weeks so they are fresh. She thought with pasture I would need about 1T. I think it is $240 a ton out this way. I have 3 acres or so of pasture that would be for them. I have never had goats so I want to do the right thing by them but it seems to me that there is plenty of pasture for them especially if I am giving them oats as well.
Any advice or thoughts would be welcome.
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 07:27:51 AM
Hi, Why do you give your goats baking soda? I'm new, well kinda new to the goat world and have never heard of that.
Channah
If you can dream it, and if you are willing to put forth the work and effort, you can have anything you envision. |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 07:02:05 AM
I keep baking soda in a feeder and let my girls have all they want. They will eat it when they need it. I tried a deer mineral block last fall, and my girls ate on it every day, but I think the chickens got more than Sienna and Mi Hija did. A friend of mine had problems with his girls getting scours from a deer block, so he won't be using one this year. I will probably buy my first one this weekend. I do keep Purina Goat Mineral in a feeder for them to use as needed. A square bale of alfalfa cost $13.00 last weekend and regular hay was $7.50, I can get chopped, bagged alfalfa at the feed store for $18.00. I have made the decision to use up the square alfalfa bales and switch to the bagged, because there is less waste, and alfalfa will not be avaiable here soon. I put the bagged in buckets for them and they waste less of it. Also, the bagged is available year round, without a change in price.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| sacredwolf |
Posted - Oct 29 2009 : 1:32:54 PM
I feed my goats grain everyday, can't tell you exactly how much each one gets. There is 13 goats and they get 1/2 a 5 quart pale. The grain is just to keep them coming up to the barn yard everyday so that we can visually and/or physically check them over everyday. During the summer they are on pasture also and during the winter the get free choice hay. They have free choice mineral all year round. My dairy goats run this main herd during the winter when they are not in production but while they are in production they get lots of grain depending on the body weight and milk production of the goat. I do not feed my milk goats alfalfa because I do not like the taste in the milk, so instead I adjust the nutrient in the grain to make up for the missing protein of the alfalfa. |
| eskimobirdlady |
Posted - Oct 27 2009 : 3:29:42 PM
i forgot to also tellyou that our hay is timothy and brome with a little lower nutrient content than what you would get in the lower 48. we pay a minimim of $7 a bale for it.
peace connie in alaska |
| eskimobirdlady |
Posted - Oct 27 2009 : 3:27:53 PM
i keep seeing that many of you give soda/ baking soda to your goats. what is this for? how uch do you give? would you start out with less and build up? what form is it in?
we are currently giving racheal about a 14 ounce (veggie can) of sweet feed and as much hay as she will eat. she gets to browse on a bit of labrador tea, low bush cranberries and willow. is their a special kind of mineral block for goats? peace connie in alaska |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Oct 26 2009 : 05:47:54 AM
I feed a 50/50 mix of Purina goat chow and calf manna, while my girls are on the milk stand, most days about 1-2 cups. I keep alfalfa hay in the hay rack, but use horse quality field hay when I can't get alfalfa. I put about a hand full of grain in their feeders when I put them up in the evening, so they will go in quickly. I keep Purina Gold mineral supplement out for them all of the time, and baking soda in a dispenser also. I have about 1 acre in weeds, that we plan to convert to feed grass, this coming spring. I use Verm-X to worm them. I have two Nigerian dwarf does. My vet told me as long as I can feel their ribs easily, they are not too fat.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Oct 23 2009 : 5:50:44 PM
Hi Linda, I have Nubians. Well really nubian mixs, but there 75% nubian.
Channah
If you can dream it, and if you are willing to put forth the work and effort, you can have anything you envision. |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Oct 23 2009 : 10:21:39 AM
I notice many people who have goats here don't grain as much as I do. Do any of you have Nubians?
I am curious if you don't give them grain except when they are milking what besides hay do you feed or pasture to get them in good weight and to ward of keotisin ??? I would love to grain less but it seems even when they are dry I have always had to give at least 1/2 a pound a day to keep them in condition. Many of my nubians range from 150 lbs to over 200 lbs. I know hay and pasture and minerals are the most important and a base for any rumiment.
I don't know if its where I live and the climate or just the breed. Would love imput. I am always open to learn other ways or better ways that would maybe work for my herd. Thanks.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Oct 23 2009 : 07:55:07 AM
hi ladies, so I've been giving my milk goat 2 quarts of grain at each milking so a totally of 4 guarts a day. Is that good or bad? should I give her more or less??? She's not fat at all quite the opposite in fact. I'm getting ready to breed her and want her to be health before I do. Make sense? I also give my 7 month old doe 2 quarts a day. Is that ok? Thanks again!
Maggie |
| aunt boby |
Posted - Oct 23 2009 : 07:41:24 AM
We have our goats on pasture all summer long but now that it is colder they will only get hay. We are fortunate enough to make our own hay. We give grain to kids we are trying to fatten up to go to market and to our two dairy goats. We mix our own grain in an old cement mixer. We put in ground corn which we grind ourselves at a friends place and we throw in oats and pellets. This is considerably cheaper than the pre-mixed feed. They get free mineral. They also get plenty of treats from the two legged kids. I think everyone does things a little different. Just need to figure out what works for you.
POOR IS THE MAN WHO CANNOT ENJOY THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE- anonymous |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 4:23:51 PM
Kristin,
that is terrible about losing all that hay. I too have a fella that keeps my hay and I pick about 50 bales of hay up at a time and store it in the little space I have. I too lost hay under tarps. I litterally cried because we had payed $3.50 a bail and lost over 75 bales. Hard lesson learned.
I started trying to build a website years ago and never finished it. I had several surgeries and never got back into it. I also need to get a new camera so I can post more recent pictures. I still pay for the website but its kinda korny and outdated. But if you are intersted its www.raspberryrunfarm.com. I am embarassed to say its been over 2 years since I have messed with it. I am not very computer savy and our internet is so slow I lose patience.
This x-mas my mother is getting my husband and I a digital camera. I will take some new pictures and hopefully update and figure out how to finish the website. Take care.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 1:20:44 PM
I never feed moldy hay to my goats. Thats really sad that you lost all your hay Kristin! Thank you for the reminder. :)
Maggie |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 12:15:07 PM
Don't feed moldy hay to goats! Most won't eat it but if they do it will make them sick and possibly kill them. I know it will horses, too. So be careful. It sure is upsetting when you pay good money for hay and it goes bad. I lost a whole barnful the first year I put hay in my goat barn. The roof leaked and I didn't know it. And we had a riany winter. And the next year we just left hay on our 2 trailors and covered them with tarps. Not a good idea. They got holes and we lost most of those bales, too. So now the people I get hay from have extra space in their barn and I keep it there. I go get a truckload when I need it and put it out back in a small shed.
I just drove by several people baling hay today. So I hope there will be plenty if I run out close to spring.
Linda, do you have a web site? I love seeing other people's goats.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 10:43:19 AM
I raise Nubian goats and even when they are dry they get anywhere from 1/3 to 1lb of grain a day depending on their condition. I have had trouble with Ketosis in years past and the vet always had me increase their grain intake 6 to 8 weeks before they freshened.
I feed a ration made of 300 lbs rolled corn, 350 lbs of oats, 100 lbs of rolled barley, distillers grain,soybean meal, and a natural 38 percent dairy pellet, ADE,yeast, molasas. They seem to like it pretty well. They also have 8 acres fenced in for the girls and they get free choice hay in the winter. During the spring and summer only in the morning or when its raining. I have free choice minerals, soda and kelp.
I have found that some breeds seem to need more grain and others seem to get by on less. But just by looking at their condition you will know whether to increase or not.
Hay this year is plentiful in Ohio thanks to good rainfall. Several years ago we had a drought and bales of hay were 8 to 12 dollars. It was horrible and thats the year I had to sell my cows because I could not afford $90 dollars a round bail when they usually went for 20. The other problem was finding them to buy. I miss my cows so much.I kept 2 very old ones and was able to feed them and they passed away 1 1/2 years later. They were sweet Herfords.
Good luck with your Nubie's.I really love my girls.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Oct 20 2009 : 10:14:05 AM
yes we did pay a lot and I'm finding out every time I go and get hay out of our loft that there are some moldy bales. :(
Maggie
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| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Oct 20 2009 : 08:17:09 AM
Our bales here are 60 to 65 lbs each too. In calif I bought bales that were more like 90 lb. I think we get 32 to the ton.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Oct 20 2009 : 07:02:42 AM
I know for regular grass hay on the Palouse it is running about $150 a ton. Each bale is around 60 pounds so that is about 33 or 34 bales per ton. So it sounds like Maggie paid a lot but when you look at it she paid about the running price for roughly 2 tons of hay.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Oct 20 2009 : 05:50:04 AM
Wow! that's alot. For my 120 bales here was just $300. I had a feeling you would know that about the corn, Maggie! Do you get the Dairy Goat Journal magazine? They had a really good article a few months back about a young boy who started a small dairy and is now planning on a bigger one. He's doing really well at this and wants to keep going with it. He's paying for his college doing this. Or a lot of it.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Oct 19 2009 : 9:10:58 PM
We paid $315.00 for out 70 bales of hay.
Kristin, yes I do know never to feed a buck corn.
Maggie |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Oct 19 2009 : 07:12:28 AM
I have no idea what a ton of hay is here. But I pay $2.50 a bale out of the field and I get about 150 bales a year. This year I will only have 1 cow and 4 does and 5 bucks. But the bucks will be gone soon. I got 120 bales and have already used 38 bales. That is roughly 3 long bed truck loads of hay.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Oct 18 2009 : 9:52:41 PM
I am feeding a Jersey milk cow, 2 small icelandic ewes, and an angora goat. The local grass/alfalfa hay I bought here was only $85 a ton this year. Thank goodness!!! Wow..at $240 a ton I think I would have to get rid of my sheep or something. Not the cow. Not ever.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| farmeratlast |
Posted - Oct 18 2009 : 07:00:07 AM
Thanks for all the great information and advice. We just did a soil test recently on a different pasture that has been used for hay in the past so suppose it won't tell me anything about the pasture I am using. I will check locally to see about selenium in this area. I guess I could do an orchard grass and alfalfa mix but the $ is only $5 a ton.
Jenny how many animals and what kind are you feeding a ton a month? Here it is 240 a ton (well at the one place I have talked to).
I don't want to be paying a ton for feed. I have 77 acres. It just is not all fenced for goats. We are just finishing up fence adjustments now in anticipation of the goats. I plan to leash them around blackberry brambles after they get to know their new home. I just don't have many of those in the pasture we chose for them.
Thanks again for all the responses. |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Oct 18 2009 : 06:51:59 AM
Maggie, I just milked the goats and measured the feed. It is a little over a quart that they get but only when they are being milked. I am down to once a day milking now and only 3 of them. I dried Abby up because she was only giving about a pint. I may be drying Sandy up soon because she's way down. So they will not get any grain then. Maybe a handful between them.
I do not give my bucks any grain at all. These bucks have never had any. I just decided not to this year and they are nice and healthy without it. They have plenty of pasture and I throw them leaves every day. And of course a hay rack full of hay. You know to NOT give a buck corn, don't you? That can kill a buck and wether. They get some kind of urinary infection and it's not good.
Anyway, you might want to back off with the feed right now especially before breeding. Like Teresa said it's harder for a fat doe or even buck to breed. Maybe just a quart once a day would be enough right now. Then if you plan on milking them it's a whole different story. The more feed they get the more milk they produce. And when they are nursing kids they need more, too. But a non producing goat should not get that much grain. Just browse and hay. Hope this helps.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| homsteddinmom |
Posted - Oct 18 2009 : 03:37:48 AM
My goats always have free choice of hay, get sweet feed 1x per day plus forage in there 2 acre fenced in area. I got them to clean up alot of overgrowth and like them so much i kept them when they cleaned it up...lol
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Oct 17 2009 : 10:20:58 PM
When I had milk goats (before I got Mona the cow) I fed them basically the same as Mona..but much less. I buy local alfalfa/grass hay..since I don't have pasture they get free choice hay...with Mona and two small sheep and one angora goat(also small) I use about a 65 lb. bale per day..alot less with goats of course...a couple nice sized flakes in the morning and again in the evening. For two goats I would use 3 nice big flakes. As far as grain..mine got about a quart of rolled corn/barley with mollasses and 1/2 cup calf manna at each milking. I didn't give grain otherwise, except as rare treats..and then just a small handful. If I don't feel like my hay is very good I supplement with alfalfa pellets..and that happens alot in early spring, or if I am milking over the winter. I have added things like sunflower seeds at times, but my usual dairy ration for milking is the corn/barley with mollasses and calf manna with alfalfa pellets, when being milked. I guess it would depend on your goat's condition and what they are used to getting too. Be sure to ask alot of specific questions.
I don't know how you buy hay there, and I bought my hay every couple weeks when I lived in Calif, but here you have to buy your hay from the farmer when it is cut. I go through roughly a ton a month (a little less) so I buy at least 8 tons at the end of summer and then I am totally ready to buy more at first cutting in June. I buy more at each cutting, making sure I am well stocked for winter.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
