Built on the Rock Farm of Naturally Raised Nigerian Dwarf Goats in Minnesota
ADGA/AGS Registered Nigerian Dwarf Goats in Minnesota MN
To declare the Lord is upright; He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalms 92:15
What To Feed My Goat
Have a new baby goat and need to bottle feed? You can find out all about that here! This informational page is for the big guys.
MINERAL: This is one of the most important things you need to have free choice at all times for your goat. It must be a loose mineral not a block. It must contain the proper calcium:phosphorus ratio of 2:1, and it must be for goats NOT goats & sheep because there will not be enough copper in mineral designed for sheep. We personally use Crystal Creek 2:1 organic loose mineral for Ruminants. Not a must but a benefit we also add a ratio of about 6:1 loose mineral to Diamond V yeast. We use the organic version called Diamond V XPgreen but the original version is wonderful also.
HAY: When we are able, we prefer to use an alfafa mix grass hay. When you are looking to purchase hay one good thing to remember is to let the seller know you need "horse hay". This will be a higher quality hay. You want hay that is green and not yellow or brown. You will also need to make sure that it is not moldy. A good way to check that is to drop the bale. If a bunch of "dust" comes out then that is likely mold. Also you can sometimes see black spots on the hay. If you smell it you will be able to smell the mold verses the grassy smell of hay. I never get hay that has been stored on the ground, only the hay that is stacked above ground. Also, it is best if it is stored inside. If it is outside and covered it is much more likely to contain mold because the plastic covers hold in moisture. Moldy hay can cause listeriosis in goats. That is a very serious illness that can kill your goat and it is zoonotic (meaning it can transfer to people). Hay must be available free choice at all times unless they are on adequate pasture. We have hay available at all times. Some further reading on the dangers of moldy hay can be found here and here.
GRAIN/ALFALFA: We use a 14% soy-free non-GMO grains and organic alfalfa pellets. When purchasing grain for your animals, make sure the calcium: phosphorus is 4:1-2:1. Most dairy goat feeds will contain this ratio. We feed all our goats grain. Amounts vary depending on age, sex, if they are in milk, pregnant, weather, etc. We grain our goats 1-2 times a day depending on the time of year and sex of the animal.
WHY 2:1 CALCIUM: PHOSPHORUS RATIO? The most important thing you can do is pay attention to the calcium :phosphorus ratio of ALL feed that you give your goats, but especially bucks and wethers. Like stated above, the calcium: phosphorus ratio should stay between 5:1-2:1. When you get out of this ratio then you are opening yourself up to UC (urinary calculi) in male goats. UC is a very dangerous condition where they get stones in there urinary tract that block all urine from exiting the body. It is very dangerous and can be deadly. If you ever notice your buck or wether straining to urinate then you need to get them to a vet ASAP. Everything that you feed your male goats should be looked at through that ratio. Grass hay is often higher in phosphorus so adding alfafa can help even out the ratio. This is why we prefer an alfalfa/grass hay mixture. I do not ever give sunflower seeds as treats to the boys because the phosphorus levels are very high in sunflower seeds. Most grains like barely, oats, corn are higher in phosphorus which is why we add alfalfa pellets to even out the ratio. This is also why you use a 2:1 goat mineral. Waiting as long as possible before wethering can also help prevent UC because it is giving their complex urinary tract to completely develop. Also many people add ammonium chloride to their water or purchase feed with added ammonium chloride. We personally do not do this. We will give them some rose hips every now and again to help acidify their urine and break up any stones that might have started to form. More on UC can be found here.
OTHER ITEMS OFFERED FREQUENTLY:
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Kelp: We use to offer free choice kelp also with our mineral. We have found that they eat the kelp and not enough of the mineral and they ended up mineral deficient. We stick to the loose mineral only free choice.
Baking Soda: Several places recommend leaving baking soda out free choice. We do not and do not recommend it. Here is why. 1. It makes bucks and wethers urine alkaline. They need the acidic urine to help break up and prevent stones. Leaving it out free choice increases your chances of UC in your male goats. 2. Baking Soda is sodium biocarbonate. Sodium is yummy for goats. When they get their sodium from baking soda then they are not getting it from their loose minerals which can lead to mineral deficiency. 3. A goat makes their own bicarbonate. 4. Baking Soda does not cure bloat and can actually make it worse. Baking Soda is for the the prevention of acidosis AFTER the bloat has been treated.
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Salt Blocks: Leaving out salt blocks in addition to loose minerals can again lead to mineral deficiency because they are licking the block instead of eating the loose minerals. With this also, a mineral block should not be used instead of loose mineral. Goats are unable to adequately eat enough from the block to meet their needs.
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SOME MAINTENANCE ITEMS:
Copper Bolus: We copper bolus every 3-5 months here. We have very hard water which can prevent their body from properly absorbing copper. Signs of copper deficiency includes faded colored coat, fish tail, and rough coat. Copper toxicity is possible but not likely with copper bolusing. You should not use copper sulfate if deficient because it is easy to overdose with it because it is easily absorbable where as the bolus is a a slow release. A plus with bolusing to is that it makes the rumen inhospitable to barberpole worms.
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Selenium/Vit E: We are in a selenium deficient area and we do give a boost before breeding, 30 days before kidding, and if we see any weak leggedness in the kids when born.
***Disclaimer: We are simple farmers and not veterinarians. This is for informational purpose only. What we do on our farm may not be what is best for your farm so please do your own research. This is not intended to replace professional veterinary and/or medical advice. We disclaim all liability in connection with the use of these products and/or information.