Ohiofarmgirl'sAdventuresinTheGoodLand-where ya been? whatcha been doin

[Farmfresh]

How do you keep your goats from blowing through their grain so fast that they are finished before you even get the teats washed? Mine inhale it and then start their kicking nonsense. I can't give them more because they are already having clumpy poo from the little they get. And they scoff at hay on the stand.

With horses that eat too fast we mix chopped hay with the grain. That makes them at least have to pick around the hay chops to find the morsels. I have also heard of people using chopped hay dampened and slightly salted (if the animal needs the mineral) to help them eat slower. You can also add a couple of big chunks of salt block to the feeder so they have to push them out of the way while they eat.

 

[freemotion]

Use rocks, as access to salt will keep the goats from eating enough minerals. The minerals are salted to attract them, and they have very high mineral needs, which they would normally get from browsing trees.

 

[Javamama]

Great ideas! Give them some large chunks to pick around should help. Feed store only had compressed alfalfa squares, so I got a bag but need to figure out what to do with them. They had beet pulp but it had molasses in it and the girls (who has goats) said it would be too much molasses for them when coupled with the grain which also has molasses. And they don't stock individual grains - I've already tried to go that route. It's sweet feed or medicated feed here. I didn't know anything about beet pulp so I decided to wait until I checked in here for the scoop on it.

(sorry to take over your journal OFG - I'll move to another if I have any more questions )

 

[Farmfresh]

Use rocks, as access to salt will keep the goats from eating enough minerals. The minerals are salted to attract them, and they have very high mineral needs, which they would normally get from browsing trees.

Good to know - goats are much different from horses.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

nah - Java feel free! we're all learning something!


so

babies are doing great today but i'm gonna milk Debbie out entirely (well i'll leave a couple sips). she's huge. last nite i gave her a couple squeezes into a bucket and was immediately swarmed by the little ones.

i posted a few more pix on my blog:
http://adventuresinthegoodland.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-do-we-do-with-all-milk.html

i think we are gonna call the little doeling "Dahlia" or Dolly for short. she's a keeper for sure - i can tell she is a silly already.

thats the early word here. but anything can happen i'm sure.... looks like storms tonite so i'm getting outside while the gettin's good

happy sunday!

 

[Javamama]

I was going to suggest Dolly! (might have had something to do with the goat kid in the bra story)

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Congrats on trips!

 

[freemotion]

Dahlia is a wonderful name! Yay on the keeper!

I tried again to reply on your blog. Sheesh, I'm such a dunce! Does this mean I'm not a real nerd?

 

[mlynd]

I was going to suggest Dolly! (might have had something to do with the goat kid in the bra story)

got to love it

 

[Javamama]

I have trouble replying to the blog sometimes too Free. I have to be logged in to my google account, then write my reply, then fill in the word verify thing, then hit submit.