The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Penninehillbilly on February 28, 2012, 11:41:51 am

Title: Goats + artichokes?
Post by: Penninehillbilly on February 28, 2012, 11:41:51 am

Hi
I have some Jerusalem artichoke tubers we aren't likely to eat, does anyone know if they are safe to feed to goats?
 I feed carrots (put thru a kitchen gadget that chops them coarsely), and have fed a few tubers this way (raw), but obviously don't want to feed them if there's a problem.

Maybe should be another post but has anyone tried Badmintons goat feed? OH brings our feed and brought  'Badmintons country mix', I mixed this with dairy nuts and 'Jane's' mineral mix, but they did say there is a goat mix - 17.5% protein. any good?

Title: Re: Goats + artichokes?
Post by: wytsend on February 28, 2012, 04:37:05 pm

Why pay sky high prices for goat mix in a 2okg bag   ?

Dairy nuts or beef rearer nuts are in a 25kg bag and usually priced around £6.50 - £7.

If you want to feed acoarse mix... because it looks nice !....  what about coarse calf mix ?   Same stuff but better protein etc

Title: Re: Goats + artichokes?
Post by: Anke on February 28, 2012, 05:04:45 pm

Depends if they are milking or dry. I wouldn't feed 18% dairy nuts to dry goats, or even such a high protein goat mix. My dry goats (goatlings and females after drying-off and before kidding) are on mainly just sugarbeet shreds, some oats and hay/branches/grass. I also reducie the protein for my nannies in late pregnancy, they go back onto A&P All round goats mix in the last 6 weeks.

Milkers are on dairy nuts, oats and sugar beet shreds, plus veggies, fruit etc anyway.

If your goats are doing fine on your current mix - why change it?

Title: Re: Goats + artichokes?
Post by: Penninehillbilly on February 28, 2012, 10:48:55 pm

The chap at the merchants said he could get some in for us, so OH just asked me, thought I should check it out, seen it on the 'net for about £15.00 so unlikely to take him up on the 'offer' ::)
I'll stick with what we know and love :). the country mix is about £8.00 and they like it so they get that + dairy nuts, + other stuff to ring the changes, just remembered I havn't soaked their sugar beet for their supper.

Title: Re: Goats + artichokes?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 29, 2012, 12:34:08 am

I've fed my girls Jerusalem artichokes - or fartichokes to give them their other name.  They loved them.

All three of mine are on sugar beet and A&P dairy goat mix as they all eat together and it is impossible to feed them separately.