The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: mariegold on November 19, 2017, 08:10:29 pm
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Hello, another feed question.... Hope that's OK!
This is going to be the first winter our goats are dried up as our human baby is due in January and we think the goats (and we) could do with a break milking.
What do people feed non lactating goats please? I cut out their concentrates to dry them up and have just been feeding hay, rolled barley and caprivite minerals as well as branches and veg.
I don't want to encourage them to start producing milk again but also want to ensure they are happy and healthy.
Thank you :thumbsup:
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Yep, sounds about right. My dry girls get a sprinkling of soaked shreds with some oats strewn over it, when the others are fed, plus carrots. Other than that only hay. They'll be fine. They may make a small udder again in spring (or not, some goats do others don't),and you can then decide if you want to milk them (and increase concentrates again) or if not just leave it and check regularly for mastitis. Rich ring grass may just ring them back into milk...
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Brilliant! Thank you so much :)
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Sounds like I might be giving mine a bit too much food. They are zero-grazed but have adlib hay, apple chaff twice a day and three quarters of a baked bean tin of concentrates mixed with soaked sugar beet twice a day. What do you think?
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Cut the second concentrate feed out at least. I would just be feeding the chaff if they are a little rotund.
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Sounds like I might be giving mine a bit too much food. They are zero-grazed but have adlib hay, apple chaff twice a day and three quarters of a baked bean tin of concentrates mixed with soaked sugar beet twice a day. What do you think?
If they are retirement girls I wouldn't worry too much about their diet, however you could slowly reduce the concentrate feed and they should be fine without it. I would give them a daily dose of carrots, apples and maybe some cabbage - just to get some fresh stuff into them during the winter.
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Thank you, Anke. They do get some greenstuff. The local shop saves me all the loose leaves and bruised stuff. One is a ten year old and the other is only four but can't be bred from as she carries the multiple teat gene. I can buy a sack of pony carrots as well. It would be a lot easier to not have to buy them concentrates. I'll use up what's left and then not get it any more.
Thanks as well to Buttermilk. The younger one is rotund but the older one is heading to on the thin side. They are fed together so I have to give them both the same as little gutsy would be after it. They have two scoops of chaff twice a day between them and that seems about right as sometimes they don't eat it all.
What about the sugar beet? Ihey do love it and I've been soaking it in hot water so they get a warm feed which they seem to enjoy.
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Spoiling with some sugar beet keeps everyone happy and gives you something to put any needed medications ect in.
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Good thinking. I was wondering how to get the Caprivite into them. Pity I had just bought a load of concentrates. Three and a bit bags at a couple of handfuls a day is going to last for ages.