Chat
12-24-2015, 07:49 PM
Just to clarify, do you feed one 8 oz. can 3 - 4 times a day? Even if they share, that's almost 2 cups of grain every day per goat. That's more than I'd want to feed, especially since one of your goats is mature. That's how much Cuzco gets every day and he is 200 lbs. and 13 years old. I also feed about that much to girls in milk and to intact boys during rut.
I'm not the nutrition expert, and I know a lot of folks feed more grain than I do, but I'm definitely leery of giving wethers grain at any time except as an occasional treat. Grain contains a lot of phosphorus, which is linked with urinary calculi. If you would like to give them a daily ration, I would recommend switching to alfalfa pellets. Alfalfa is rich in calcium, so could also can mix your sweet feed with alfalfa pellets to balance out the phosphorus content. A goat's diet should contain about a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Goats definitely love push brooms to scratch on! I installed some on Cuzco's shed many years ago and he spent a lot of time scratching his head and rubbing his body on them. I've replaced them a few times but they're pretty worn out right now. Thanks for the reminder! Maybe my goats will get a late Christmas present this year.
I'm not the nutrition expert, and I know a lot of folks feed more grain than I do, but I'm definitely leery of giving wethers grain at any time except as an occasional treat. Grain contains a lot of phosphorus, which is linked with urinary calculi. If you would like to give them a daily ration, I would recommend switching to alfalfa pellets. Alfalfa is rich in calcium, so could also can mix your sweet feed with alfalfa pellets to balance out the phosphorus content. A goat's diet should contain about a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Goats definitely love push brooms to scratch on! I installed some on Cuzco's shed many years ago and he spent a lot of time scratching his head and rubbing his body on them. I've replaced them a few times but they're pretty worn out right now. Thanks for the reminder! Maybe my goats will get a late Christmas present this year.