Author Topic: More goat feeding questions.... (Read 3764 times)

Bumblebear · « **on:** August 14, 2012, 11:33:40 am »

1. David MacKenzie talks about feeding goats potato leaves

I thought they were poisonous.....
2. I've been feeding my milker goat-mix mixed with dairy nuts (she was on the former and I am changing her slowly to the latter) and her droppings are now a single dropping which splits into droppings on impact! Is this ok? I want to change her to diary nuts mixed with coarse calf mix, would adding coarse calf mix to the feed be too much to her.
3. Neither of my girls finish all their feeds in one go - am I giving them too much?
4. What sort of ratio of diary:calf should I be aiming for? 50:50?

I phoned the Premium Goat Feed Balancer people today and they are sending me a free sample as apparently some goats aren't too keen on the smell so it has to be introduced very slowly. Citrus, begamot and vanilla essential oils sounds wonderful to me

tizaala · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2012, 01:25:47 pm »

Potato tops and tomato tops are poisonous to most things . Its cyanide to protect the plant from predators, when you see a spud with a green end to it , that is the poison concentrated to protect the skin . dont eat green spuds.
the concentrate might be making her stools soft , but most likely cause is wet grass and vegetation.

Goat-Lady · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2012, 04:45:57 pm »

I would steer clear of potato tops, To be on the safe side I only feed green vegetables, i.e. cabbage broccolli, cauliflower and sprouts, Carrots, apples, and banana skins they will die for.
A general coarse mix mixed with rolled oats,flaked maize and al afa. I think a calf mix is to high in protein (for growing calves) and possible produce you to much milk which will in turn course the milker to drop her weight. Its a fine balancing act.
Hope this helps.
Rose

goosepimple · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2012, 04:55:13 pm »

Our goats will eat your arm off for dried apricots.

We give our goats a measure that is your hands (mine are 'average' in size) cupped, once in the morning at about 7am and once in the evening about 4 or 5pm. They get apricots or apple bits or similar sometimes during the day and we are chopping the lower branches off all our trees at the moment and they eat those. These things are additional to their concentrate feed. I feed ewe and lamb mix as they seem to eat it better than the goat mix but I think that cattle/dairy nuts are supposed to be better for milkers (ours are just pygmy).

If your morning ration is still left at tea time then give less. See if you think they like what you are feeding them. Always feed hay - they need it for 'long' digestion so they get all the nutriants they need out of their feed otherwise its just passing through them.

Make sure they have a mineral lick suitable for goats, you can always grate a bit on their food they may like it better.

omnipeasant · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:05:59 am »

While qe are on this subject can I hijack a little bit ogf it?

What other branches can I feed the goats. I am cutting hazel and blackberry shoots. We have hawthorne and rowan but I am only sticking to what I know is okay so far. I will by tidying up a rose bush that is overgrown. Will that be okay?

sokel · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:39:25 am »

Our milkers get 1 pan of whole oats, 1 pan of Iansons goldencalf mix (18% protein) and 1 pan of Iansons dairy nuts (Gold 18% protein not the silver) scoop of soaked peas and 2 chopped bananas twice a day
then they always have some other fruit or veg of some description in every bucket (at the moment they are getting loads of Kiwis and pea pods

tizaala · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2012, 12:46:54 pm »

Lynda. they love willow, same as your horses , birch, also birch and willow bark.

goosepimple · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2012, 05:16:26 pm »

Fruit tree branches seem to be our favourite, and sycamore.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:13:13 pm »

Mine love rose prunings. They would prefer to be allowed to do the pruning themselves.

They also enjoy clematis and fuschia as anyone who comes into my garden can see. Raspberry prunings are good and if you grow beans, the cut down plants will be greeted with delight.

sokel · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2012, 10:13:17 pm »

Does anyone else use the Iansons dairy nuts ? we have used the gold 18% ones for as long as I can remember but suddenly they have all stopped eating them $:-\$
They are still eating the Golden calf 18% but at £8.95 a bag and we are going through 2 bags a week its getting a bit expensive compared to £6 a bag for the dairy nuts
does anyone else use an 18% coarse mix that is reasonably priced