Okay, questions for my goat people

[lorihadams]

Okay, I can get barn kept square bales of orchard grass/clover mix. It is last years second or third cutting but at this point I need to have something for my nigerians. Is that a good mix? Alfalfa hay runs $8 per square bale around here. They will have access to pasture that is a really good mix of "stuff". I plan to plant a little white clover in some of the bare patches where we dug the fence posts.

I won't get my goats for another month but if I can get it now then I will get like 20-30 bales until I can get some fresher hay. I will have 3 adults (2 in milk) and an unknown amount of kids. They are about to give birth soon.

My other question is this....I want to put in an order to Hoeggers. I have nothing at this point except baking soda and molasses. What should I order from them to have on hand to get started. They will have already kidded once I get them so I won't need birthing supplies just yet.

Give me a good list people!

 

[Javamama]

First, Jeffers is cheaper than Hoegger's for general supplies. I'm having a brain toot right now and all I can think of is minerals and hoof trimmers.

The hay sounds fine, but you should see what they are on right now and try to switch them slowly. You might want to get something with alfalfa for milkers. Pellets, cubes, whatever. My girls in milk won't have anything to do with the grass hay we have now, although they loved it a few months back.

 

[glenolam]

Why buy baking soda and molasses from Hoeggars? Is it really cheap there? If not, then nix that and go to a discount store.

The hay should be absoltely fine. FWIW I buy the cheaper stuff (because most of the hay around here is crap anyway) and load up their grain with alfalfa cubes and calf manna. I'd like to think my goats look good (well, except old Fudgie who just freshened for the first time and her doeligns are sucking the life out of her).

Let's see...other stuff to buy on-line......

CD&T Vaccination
3, 6 and 12 ml syringes
20 guage and 18 guage needles
penicillian
Ivomec or some other wormer
Dimethox for the kids - I get the 12% solution but the other solution is fine; I just don't know the dosage for that one.
Probios
B12
Scour Halt or some other type of scour treatment

That's all I can think of for now.....

 

[Javamama]

Glen, I think she meant she already has baking soda and molasses at her house

 

[glenolam]

He he he he heheh..... OH.

 

[lorihadams]

I know that my local TSC has the CD&T vaccine and syringes and a small milking pail and the breeder wants to keep the mamas until they kid since they are first time moms. She will be taking care of those for this year so I shouldn't need that until this time next year.

So Jeffers is cheaper? I'll have to look there.

I know I need hoof trimmers, probios, scours stuff, teat dip and dipper, thermometer, blue kote, filters and a strainer, some sort of wormer but I'm sure I can get ivermectin from TSC.

I'll have to go online to Jeffers and see what they have.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

The hay sounds good. Clover is a good substitute for alfalfa. I've tried feeding alfalfa pellets last year and they didn't really care for them. I have cubes now, but geesh they're hard when they're dry and I tried soaking htem but that doesn't make them want to eat them either.

 

[Javamama]

Collars and a couple of leashes are good to have on hand.

 

[Denim Deb]

Don't buy hoof trimmers. I use a pair of hand held pruners w/a straight blade. Does just as good, and they're cheap. I don't know where I put mine, so I bought a pair in Dollar Tree. Just haven't had a chance to try them out yet.

 

[lorihadams]

Well, I went to TSC yesterday and they actually have a lot of stuff I was going to order so I'm happy about that. They have a really good selection of needles and syringes so I'm thinking I'll get those there. They also have probios and scours treatment and goat nutridrench. They also have the alfalfa pellets and 3 kinds of goat feed so I'm okay there. I'll have to check on the hoof trimmers/pruning shears. Had not thought of that.

TSC is only 5 minutes from me so I now know that if I need something in a hurry last minute I can get it. That makes me feel better. I also have a feed store 5 minutes to the other side of me that carries some goat supplies too so I should be good.

Still have to check out Jeffers though.