I just moved to Tenn. My goats are still back in NY. I fed them a custom milled pelleted grain which had vitamins and minerals in it. Before that I had fed them Dumor 100% goat feed. Does anyone know a feed store in the Columbia,Tn area which will custom produce a pelleted grain mix? I paid $280./ton for my feed in NY. The Dumor is good but the price is about way higher than the custom mix.
Yes it is I'm afraid. It's great for your horse but it lacks the minerals and nutrients a goat needs. You should consider buying a bag of feed just for your goats and it's cheaper than what you are feeding your horse if your prices are anything like what we had back in NY. We paid $24./bag for the horse and $13./bag for the goat so you should save money by having goat feed for yours.
I'm not sure about the minerals.This is all from memory for me.I think the minerals might be ok.We fed horse feed when the farm supply was out of goat feed and never had a problem.It was always temporary though and we would go back to goat feed asap.
I think too that a lot depends on the hay you feed.We get only grass hay here and it is always low protein.Those of you lucky enough to have access to quality alfalfa are in
a different set of circumstances.
One thing that does nag at my memory is the mineral copper.Never feed sheep feed to goats or vice versa.One feed has toxic amounts of copper for the other animal.I just don't remember which is which.
Hmmm,I may need to get some more goats.
It's toxic to sheep JT. The goats need a small amount of it in their diet. Don't know about horses. You were lucky that your goats didn't get sick when you had to change their feed back and forth. The 'pros' advise changing goat feed very slowly to avoid their getting sick. I try to stay within the same range of protein and trace elements when I have had to change their food. I do know that I will have to make some adjustment when they come down here. In NY they got a custom mix that was milled to my friend Jim's specs. I haven't yet found a feed mill that will do that for me since I only buy one cubit ton at a time. I know that the Dumor 100% goat feed is very similar to what I used except for vitamin E and selinium. They had less. I understand that Tn is low on selinium so that will continue to be a concern for me here. The Dumor is good but it cost more than the custom milled stuff I was using so I'm not happy to have to pay that! Last time I did it was running $15./50 pound bag. Custom was $7.00/100 pounds.
Very interested in this conversation.. I feed a 50/50 mix of dumor goat & sheep feed & sweet feed.. when given a choice we buy the little more expensive sweetfeed as it isn't quite as goopy (molassasy) and mixes well.. We also free feed minerals as well as baking soda.
What I want to know is how much does everyone feed.. I try about a pound per animal.. and about a half bale of hay for 8..
they all still look a little thin.. I have added a bit of beet pulp and a handfull of boss..
SO lets compare.. oh yea, they have pasture all day.
Name: Cheryl Eastern Ky Truth should be everpresent.
I give each goat a couple cups of 50/50 Dumor goat feed and 12% sweet feed. They have a nice lot to graze so i don't feed hay. My girls look good but not overly fat. They are not hungry because they lay around a lot not bothering to browse.
Got back with my goats from NY last Thursday and a massive leg infection from a brown recluse spider bite. Been in the hospital since till late yesterday. My kidneys are damaged and still have a massive infection but pleased to be let out to care for my animals. People from my church (no goat skills) tried to help, goats kept busting out of the barn, neighbor kept calling me to complain about them even after being told where I was. A vet who lives down the road helped by looking in on them. Then the neighbor took it upon herself to decide her son should water the goats and feed them. Goats got a three day supply of grain at one time. Got city water which they had never had in their lives. I was furious. They've all got the runs now. I finally got them hay (they'd had none since last Wednesday.
Desperately trying to find help in fencing a larger area so they can browse since they ate all that was in their small pen by the barn.
WOW.. that all doesn't sound much like a happy homecoming. Maybe the church people will help with the fencing.. or know a few people that might be neighborly for a nice meal..
I am sure you can't wait until things finally settle down. I'll be thinking of you.. get that infection under control.. I don't think your goats can make it with the help.
Hi Fran, no the help is well meant but not good for them. The neighbor is just a nosy git. She couldn't stand that all these people were involved and she wasn't so she had to poke in. Vet was very upset cause this woman told me the vet had asked her to do this and that was a lie.
Church people have been very helpful. They brought a guy in today to look my place over for bushhoggin (can't spell that!). He's doing it in two weeks and a church elder is paying for it. Another member has graciously offered to help me fix the barn up which it needs. I think in the next month or so things will get more stable here.
Tomorrow I see a doctor for my leg and in two weeks a kidney specialist. My kidneys were damaged by this so I'm on medication. They aren't failing, just damaged.
Today I managed to get to Lowe's and buy a cheap garden type gate and two T post so now I don't have to struggle with a 12' section of cattle panels when I go in to feed the goats. Made a major difference this evening at meal time.
Name: Cheryl Eastern Ky Truth should be everpresent.
I am so very sorry you have had to go through such a rough time. I am glad you have a church family you can count on. I have one too and it is comforting. They won't do it just right but nothing will starve. I wish I lived closer. I would have fed them for you. I am so glad you got them home. I know you are happy about that even though the happiness has been marred a bit by your troubles. I will be praying for you.
Thanks Cheryl. You got it right. Nothing done right but at least they weren't without or having to go into a shelter. I haven't been able to bring myself to even speak to my neighbor cause I'm afraid nothing nice would come out.
My Shepard's son Eric is helping (okay he's doing the bulk of the work) to get up the fencing for a pastur so the girls can get out of the barn. I can let the little handicap buck out cause he's like a dog and stays real close to me when he is loose.
Got some feed for them today which I will mix with what was given to them last. I'm afraid that when my neighbor's son gave them all the pellets there was none left to mix with the new formula so they got changed without the correct gradual process. Now they're going on a third change to this formula cause I can't afford the other stuff with all the medical expenses I have. I did find a decent pellet mix for $11./50 pounds and since I'm rationing them closely I should be able to have this bag last close to two weeks. Hopefully tonight the pastur will be ready for them. Since I've been home I've been cutting branches for them to enjoy since they couldn't get out to browse.
Name: Cheryl Eastern Ky Truth should be everpresent.
Sounds like you are making progress in small steps and you have solid plans. With God's help you will be fine. I will be praying for you and your charges. Don't bother with the neighbor. Some people are not worth the effort. At least not for a while. Do what's best for you right now.
