The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: kreativekim on September 25, 2015, 10:49:53 am

Title: The right food for Goats
Post by: kreativekim on September 25, 2015, 10:49:53 am

It seems that almost everyone in Ireland have goats.  I tried buying goat feed and was told that it is hard to come by and most people feed their goats sheep feed, is this OK!  Look forward to your reply. KIM

Title: Re: The right food for Goats
Post by: clydesdaleclopper on September 25, 2015, 11:04:45 am

Sheep food will not have enough copper in it for the goats so you would need to supplement them. Some people feed dairy nuts which do have enough copper but it depends on which type of goats you have. Mine get oats and barley (which I sprout for 4 days) and alfalfa chaff that is sold for horses.

Title: Re: The right food for Goats
Post by: kreativekim on September 25, 2015, 12:35:22 pm

Thank you, I have 3 pygmy billy goats.  Could you please tell me how much of the oats and barley sprouts I should give them each day!

Title: Re: The right food for Goats
Post by: shygirl on September 25, 2015, 02:31:36 pm

I feed mine beef stocknuts and sugarbeet, plus hay. and vitamin licks

Title: Re: The right food for Goats
Post by: clydesdaleclopper on September 25, 2015, 04:54:56 pm

Boys really shouldn't need much food at all. I don't have pygmies so I can't really advise but my boys are BTs and get about 1/4 handful once sprouted and just so they can get their mineral supplement on it really.

Title: Re: The right food for Goats
Post by: mojocafa on September 25, 2015, 05:37:39 pm

I feed my pygmys, spillars goat mix. It is a good all round mixture of everything they need.