[nihicib2]

Hi all
I just got two goats who are very badly malnourished, one has a young kid with her and the other is in kid, would any of you have advice as to what is the best way to build them up gradually without stressing out their digestive systems.  My other goats get a scoop of horse mix morning and evening, hay at night and they are out during the day.  Im gonna keep these new ones in for a while to feed them up, they were wormed as soon as we got them, any special mixes of feed that I could be giving them?

Thanks

Bríd

[Hermit]

Mine came from a home where they were not even given winter hay, just left to forage. I just give ad lib hay and 1/2 scoop of sheep blend morning and night. They need a mineral lick but mine dont touch them. I found they built up naturally on that well enough. My milking goat also gets 1/4 scoop of flaked maize in her portion. We dont get proper goat food up here but mine are in excellent condition on grass, ad lib hay and hard feed as said. I would not try to 'fatten' them up, they will improve quick enough on a normal feed. Hay is the key in my opinion.

[faith0504]

good luck with them, a bit of tlc goes along way, amd as hermit says ad lib hay, 

[wytsend]

I am sure I can help you on this one,   ring me - evenings ! - on 01647 231456.

One thing to point out immediately, horse coarse mix is desperately low in protein for a goat.  Goats need around 16 - 18% protein !!

Another problem which can cause apparent malnutrition is lack of minerals but in particular copper.   Ad lib hay, worming etc will all help  but the right feed is paramount.

I feed all mine on cattle dairy nuts which contain the right amount of various minerals, inc copper, for a dairy animal.  Goats actually need the same amount of copper as a cow, but some areas are very high in molybdenum which prevents the uptake of copper - needless to say, hay produced locally will also be short of copper.

Look forward to hearing from you,

[jinglejoys]

Yes be careful you don't end up with an "All stock" mix that has low copper so that it can be fed to all sheep

[ballingall]

I would feed her on a rough mix (whether you use a horse/sheep or calf one is up to up you, and it may depand on what you can get). If the mix is horse or sheep, you need to supplement the minerals with some high in copper. I would also try and give them an extra feed or two- but not just more mix, I would give things like chopped veg, soaked beetpulp, alfalfa. Also- rolled or flaked barley is good to add to their mix to help gain weight. Smallish regular meals will help.


Beth

[divanp75]

I give a bit of Caprivite which is minerals and the large red mineral block for cattle has cooper in it.

Good luck with them.

Diane

[nihicib2]

Hi all thanks, very much for the advice, it was terrible the way they were kept, I had the option of buying better stock but I'd rather buy something and try and help them, not sensible from a farming point of view but I don't care.  Living where we do in north west Donegal in Ireland tis impossible to get organic feed let alone goat feed, I think I'm going to start feeding them on the dairy nuts and will introduce it gradually so as not to upset their systems.  At the moment they have hay ad lib and are getting small feeds of coarse mix (which I will change as soon as I get the dairy mix) along with maize and sugar beet.  They are wormed and feet done, which were in a terrible state, and we are waiting on the vet to check them out and maybe give them a vitamin shot if they need one. Already they seem to be picking up but I know it will take some time.

Míle buíochas
A thousand thanks
Bríd

[jinglejoys]

Are they real Irish goats or "British" Types?

[nihicib2]

Not exactly sure what you mean by that jingle joys?

one looks like an alpine the other I'd say is a crossbreed of some sort.

Bríd