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Author Topic: Goaty advice please  (Read 2145 times)

roddycm

  • Joined Jul 2013
Goaty advice please
« on: August 08, 2016, 11:38:42 pm »
My neighbour (lives 60km away lol) came round today with a gift of two boer kids! Very kind of him. He knew I wanted goats and said these two girls were to get me started. I am very happy I must say!

I am in Argentina and things are very very different here. The kids look a bit young to me so just wondering if I can feed them calf mix to give them a boost? He just keeps them in a field no barn etc but I will have them in a barn to start with. So hay and browse etc. Is calf feed a good idea? They are 6 and 8 weeks old.

I stress this is not the UK so he's not a bad person, it's just they don't do things here like they do back home.

Any help appreciated :)

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2016, 11:56:50 pm »
For a start they should still be having milk so you will need to bottle-feed several times a day. Either goats' milk if you can get it (not pasteurised) or a dried milk such as Lamlac. Not sure about calf mix and I've never used it but mine eat goat mix.

Dogwalker

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2016, 06:25:59 am »
Cattle feed is good for goats.  Supposed to be better than sheep feed as they need higher mineral levels and copper that sheep can't have.
have fun.

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2016, 06:36:02 am »
Calf mix is fine for them.  Do not worry about them being weaned as commercial goats in this country get weaned at that age, as long as they are eating enough mix to make up the nutrient balance needed in their ration.  Enjoy your goats.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2016, 11:38:21 am »
Lucky you :-)
Calf mix would be fine, would second trying to give them milk if they will take it, if not it wouldn't be worth fighting and upsetting them.
Enjoy your goat keeping  :thumbsup:


roddycm

  • Joined Jul 2013
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2016, 11:48:30 am »
This is such a wonderful site. Thanks you all so much for your kind advice. I am extremely excited! They are gorgeous. I want to make sure I give them the best start possible. There is no goat mix in this country so calf mix and then I guess cow mix when they are older!

Thanks again! Much appreciated. I will snap some pics when they settle down :)

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2016, 12:22:34 pm »
As Pennine says - unless they are keen to take the bottle (with either lamb or goatsmilk replacer, unless you have got the real thing) I would put them on calf pellets (you may be able to get some with high milk content, if not an 18% protein mix would be fine). But make sure they also eat good amounts of hay/branches/dry grass to ensure they don't bloat. If dried grass is available for horses (Readigrass or Justgrass in the UK) that would also be good for roughage/forage toogether with hay.

And start slowly and little with the concentrate...

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Goaty advice please
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2016, 12:29:40 pm »
What a lovely story!  :goat:

 

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