Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Feeding gg wether s and kids  (Read 1863 times)

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Feeding gg wether s and kids
« on: May 14, 2019, 12:10:21 pm »
Looking for fresh ideas as to what hard feed and quantities I could give to my gg yearling wether s and two week old kids

They are mainly yard contained,free access to hay and straw, tree browse given frequently, as is fruit and vegetables
Thanks in advance

Angie
« Last Edit: May 14, 2019, 01:48:41 pm by angie »

Dogwalker

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2019, 07:02:33 am »
Well, you've had lots of views and no replies, so I'll start and hope it'll prompt someone else to chime in.
2 week old kids need milk and access to small lamb pellets or mix to start nibbling at.Boys should never have feed intended for ewes etc.
What - depends on what's available where you are and how much you want to pay. Goat mix, cattle or sheep pellets, straight grains.
Quantity - depends on their condition, age and what else they're getting.Adult wethers probably don't need much.

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2019, 10:29:48 am »
Thank you Dogwalker for taking the time to reply to my question.
The kids are with mum,have access to lamb creep,hay and straw. The wethers are on course goat mix but want to change this to a more appropriate diet, was looking for ideas of what would be more appropriate

I did purchase BGS feeding goats booklet but was disappointed that it is predominantly aimed at milking goats, very smart paragraph on feeding males.  Think it should be renamed feeding guide for milking goats.

Angie

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2019, 11:43:50 am »
My young wether goats (I only have the odd one aged one or older as companion to a male), will get small quantities of the same as I feed to females and growing males (shreds, oats and dairy nuts, some maize flakes if I am feeling generous). All my wethers will be in the freezer by age 2. If you are planning on keping one longer than that I would slowly phase out any hard feed and just have a small (and I mean small) amount of shreds or readigrass (or grass nuts) every so often. If you are able to bring branches to your goats in summer the boys should get them as well, and if your goats are not grazing at all I would definitely recommend something like readigrass for them.

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2019, 12:54:49 pm »
Thank you Anke,
Appreciate your information,the boys are being kept as pets,virtually no grass grazing for the foreseeable future. Opening up an area of gorse for them later this year. They are included in the tree browse,willow,ash,hazel and elder plus bramble tips all year round as available. Also have alfalfa.
Are the shreds your referring to beet shreds?

Angie

Dogwalker

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2019, 12:56:18 pm »
Sorry, no experience of keeping wethers as long term pets. 
The angora wethers get fed well as they're producing a lot of mohair for a couple of years then go for meat.The occasional dairyx boys go younger.

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2019, 03:30:12 pm »
Not a problem Dogwalker thank you for your interest.
After nearly losing the boys and treating them back to health for a year couldn't eat them or re home them, their in our hearts,heart ruled head????
Angie

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2019, 10:56:47 pm »
Yes, sugar beet shreds.

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2019, 07:44:55 am »
Anke thank you for taking the time to reply to my post, it is much appreciated.
Angie

Bigdreams

  • Joined Jul 2014
  • Devon
Re: Feeding gg wether s and kids
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2019, 08:32:46 pm »
Sorry to jump in but is it any kind of dairy nuts? I want to move away from the concentrates for female AN ( 1 year 2 months old) and wether (also same age) I don't want to rely on concentrates either as the mill may stop producing it.
Dreaming big

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS