Goat feed

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VenomJockey

VenomJockey

Ancient AH Pilot, Retired CWO W4.
Neighbor
Joined
Dec 31, 2017
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According to the bags: This is what we're feeding the goats at the Retreat.
Pulse, wheat, maize, rice, gram, pea, triticum aestivus, potato, mustered cake, sesame cake, molasses, agricultural byproducts, vitamins/minerals added.
 
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Make sure you have a good mineral with selenium and copper. You'll also need some ammonium chloride for your bucks either in the minerals or to give sperately to prevent urinary calculi, aka kidney stones, which can be deadly for bucks.
 
Terri9630 said:
Goats don't "need" feed. A good hay or plenty of browse is all they need. The only time I use feed is for our fair goats of when we are milking.
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Terri9630 said:
Make sure you have a good mineral with selenium and copper. You'll also need some ammonium chloride for your bucks either in the minerals or to give sperately to prevent urinary calculi, aka kidney stones, which can be deadly for bucks.
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OKAY, I will bite. If you are just letting them browse, how do you know they are getting plenty of the above listed minerals? City boy want to know.
 
TMT Tactical said:
OKAY, I will bite. If you are just letting them browse, how do you know they are getting plenty of the above listed minerals? City boy want to know.
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You offer it free choice. If they need it they will eat it but as they browse they will naturally seak out the plants they need if their available. Except for the ammonium chloride. My boys hate it. They get a pb, honey and a.c. sandwich every week. I've found that's the easiest way to make them take it.

Most of the US is difficient in selineum so we give that twice a year. Kids born with a deficiency will be weak, have bent legs and be unable to stand or die if the defiencey is bad enough.
 
Terri9630, I agree.
We had only one goat as a child, but I know people who rent their goats to clean up wood & grass lots.
This is done with very little or no feed, so times a salt brick at the water tank.
 
Okay, going all mad max, if there are no pet stores, vets, etc. What can be grown to make it better for the goats?
 
TMT Tactical said:
Okay, going all mad max, if there are no pet stores, vets, etc. What can be grown to make it better for the goats?
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Native plants. Plants that don't need extra care. Goats are browsers and if its mad max your not going to have time or water to care for extra plants. They have eating habits and digestion similar to deer.
 
So if the wild deer are doing okay on the local fauna, then goats should do okay also??? I am trying to figure out what can be raised without ANY outside supplies, Everything would have to be provided from the stuff grown local or in a greenhouse.
 
TMT Tactical said:
So if the wild deer are doing okay on the local fauna, then goats should do okay also??? I am trying to figure out what can be raised without ANY outside supplies, Everything would have to be provided from the stuff grown local or in a greenhouse.
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Probably. You'd have to keep a close eye out for over grazing, predators and parasites (ticks and such). Boer goats are native to Africa and survive on the poor feed in that region.
 
While boer goats aren't bred for milk, you can milk them. You just won't get the quantity you'll get from a dairy bred animal. Of course the milk will only be as good as the feed. Some things leave an off flavor.
 
So if I wanted to raise goats on just forage and greenhouse produce, in a high desert climate (5,000 foot) what would be the recommended breed? Meat is primary, milk is secondary.
 
https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geochem/doc/averages/se/south-central.html
Not sure if you have seen this map but you can click on your county to see what elements are in your area and how much. In my area we are on the lower middle for selenium but we have plenty of copper. Just keep in mind if your area does lack a certain element, if you grow something to help supplement such as grains that have selenium for instance in them, the ones grown will also be lacking since it is our of the same ground. Hope that makes sense.
 
Dani said:
https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geochem/doc/averages/se/south-central.html
Not sure if you have seen this map but you can click on your county to see what elements are in your area and how much. In my area we are on the lower middle for selenium but we have plenty of copper. Just keep in mind if your area does lack a certain element, if you grow something to help supplement such as grains that have selenium for instance in them, the ones grown will also be lacking since it is our of the same ground. Hope that makes sense.
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Now that is a right handy map....thanks for posting it!!
 
Really ...goats are a lot of work and they get sick pretty easily. If you feed them wrong you can have problems with bloating, they get wormy, need hooves trimmed regularly, need minerals on top of hay and/or feed. Good strong fences and kidding can be stressful at times when there are breeches or too many kids for the doe to feed can cause bottle babies and more work. Chickens however are small, can be raised in a small area or even in a suburban back yard. They can be raised very economically as they will get their own food if you have a bit of room to simply let them out of their cage. One egg a day will keep starvation away.
 
For a POST SHTF scenario , I think goats are going to be out and chickens and rabbits are going to be the winners. The critters have to be maintained at a purely local level. No vet care, feed stock or any thing else that requires modern supplies. The critters will be raised in the same fashion as the earl pioneer days.
 
JAC said:
Better stick with chickens. That's your answer to the problem. Free range chickens.
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The same applies to chickens. You have to have feed and protection. In the desert its possible to free range but you won't be able to sustain a flock large enough to feed your family. The "trees" out here are shrubs and provide little in the way of food or shelter from hawks. The birds would have to range far from home to get enough.
 
Terri9630 said:
The same applies to chickens. You have to have feed and protection. In the desert its possible to free range but you won't be able to sustain a flock large enough to feed your family. The "trees" out here are shrubs and provide little in the way of food or shelter from hawks. The birds would have to range far from home to get enough.
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Most people don't live in the desert.
 
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