The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Goats!!! on May 04, 2017, 07:21:16 pm
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We feed our goats a branded goat mix at the moment which works out fairly expensive, a local farmer has suggested feeding them a sheep mix, does anyone feed sheep mix to their goats? Is it ok to for them to have it?
Thanks
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Yes sheep mix is fine for goat but need to add copper such as goat/cattle minerals or cattle mix is fine. What type of goats as that can affect choice of feed eg male/female pet / milking
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Thanks for the reply, we have two Toggenburg x saanan, a female and a wether and two angora wethers, they are all pet grass cutters, they have access to a copper salt lick and get a selenium cobalt drench once a month.
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We feed ours on calf pellets to make sure they get the copper. We have mixed with molassed goat mix in the past but I am not sure they need the sugar!
They love their pellets
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Being pets only they will need very little concentrates mostly forage but can give some just really a treat. Lamb finisher/creep best for wethers as has ammonium chloride in it to help prevent urinary calculli in the boys also fine for girls.Never feed the boys concentrates formulated for females eg.ewe nuts/mix. If worried or problems with urinary calculli speak to vet as you can give wethers a daily tablet of ascobic acid to prevent it. Lots of people feed there goats different things.
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Thanks for the replies, I must admit there seems to be some confusion online as to wether or not goats should be feed copper, the breeder we got the angoras from said give the copper salt lick. The mix we have doesn't seem to have copper in it.
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Thanks for the replies, I must admit there seems to be some confusion online as to wether or not goats should be feed copper, the breeder we got the angoras from said give the copper salt lick. The mix we have doesn't seem to have copper in it.
Goats need copper and not all goats will use a lick
If you breed them and they have insufficient copper during pregnancy you could get swayback terrible to see.
Kids born healthy , and loose use of back legs
http://www.veterpedia.net/non-infectious-diseases/1132-sheep-goats/swayback-copper-deficiency/full-explanation/927-swayback-copper-deficiency-in-sheep-and-goats-full-explanation.html (http://www.veterpedia.net/non-infectious-diseases/1132-sheep-goats/swayback-copper-deficiency/full-explanation/927-swayback-copper-deficiency-in-sheep-and-goats-full-explanation.html)
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When we got our first goats from a commercial meat goat herd we were told that you cannot give too much copper to a goat. As well as the Calf mix we give them copper boluses and provide a lick containing copper.
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Hi Bluff
What brand boluses do you use ?
Seen a goat specific one in USA but its hard to locate here.
So i presume sheep ones suffice? i see they recommend 4 g for 25kg plus and 2 g for over 15kg
Decided to go bolus route myself, give calf pellets and licks but licks on there own and you will have problems
sooner or later imo as not all goats use them.
How often do you give bolus and what time of year do you recommend?
thanks
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Hi. We use calf bolus. Will look at the make and come back. We dose every 3 months just to be on the safe side and after kidding too.
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Thanks mart6, will recheck their feed and correct copper if needed, maybe a calf mix would be better?
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Thanks mart6, will recheck their feed and correct copper if needed, maybe a calf mix would be better?
I stick with goat mix and add some calf pellets also add caprivite vitamins every couple of days.
Use licks as well but depending on how many goats you have, some may not use them.
If you only have a few then you could watch to check if they all use lick
You certainly do not want copper deficiency especially if breeding them
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Done a fair bit of research on copper and boluses over last few days
In USA it seems to be norm to copper bolus goats and one added benefit seems to be it helps with
worm control and helps increase periods between worming, especially effective with barber pole worms
apparently,and is good for hoof condition
Bit the bullet and did all the adults, went well attachment fits on drench gun set on 15ml put bolus
in end and off you go.
Never had any spit them out so will monitor for any improvements
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how much you need also depends on your area, drenches / boluses may needed in addition to minerals in feed / rockies. I use rockies, caprivite and boost with copper cobalt drench in addition to feed.
Useful info on goat nutrition, http://www.gnltd.co.uk/vitamins-minerals-for-goats/?___store=default (http://www.gnltd.co.uk/vitamins-minerals-for-goats/?___store=default)