# What to feed my wethers??



## gonetothegoatz (Sep 14, 2015)

Im so confused because everything I read says something different. I know the big concern in all male goats is UC. Ive read sometimes it matters when/if they are wethers but it sounds like its mostly relative to what they eat?
I live in South Carolina-we will be feeding hay in the winter when the roughage is dead on our property...what type of hay is best? Ive read yes to alfalfa, no it, yes to bermuda-no to it...what is true for this area???
Also, are alfalfa pellets a good thing or not? Is no grain and all roughage best? 
HELP! PLEASE!


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## Calistar (Nov 6, 2014)

Mine did best on just timothy hay, no grain. For the first several years I had my pygmy wethers, I fed alfalfa hay and sweet feed, because that's what the original owner said to feed and I didn't know any better. One of my wethers developed stones and nearly died. I've been really leery of feeding alfalfa to my male livestock since then.


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

This is one of those ask ten goaters get ten different answers. Is it early castrating? Grain feeding? Alfalfa? Lopsided calcium/phosporus ratio? Simply urethra structure? I just advise customers feed basic grass hay and provide ammonium chloride. Others will say they feed alfalfa without problems, grain without problems. I would love to see some studies on UC causes if anyone can point them out.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

It is a multifactorial problem. The male urethra is not only long and skinny, but has several points where it changes direction significantly (sigmoid flexure) and changes diameter. Animals that get it once, are prone to getting it again and again. Castration age *may* make some difference but generally speaking, intact bucks are as likely to get UC as wethers so it is by far not the main issue. The stones can be somewhat prevented by acidifying the urine with ammonium chloride - You'd have to look up the inclusion rate but I believe it's usually at .05% of a ration (been a while since I've looked it up - Merck link below should ahve that info!). Feeding a diet that is balanced 2:1 in calcium to phosphorus ratio is probably the most important factor. You can err slightly on the side of more calcium to phosphorus, but as with anything, too much of either is bad. This is difficult because most people do not feed a total mixed ration that they an evaluate - usually a goats' diet includes grains and forages from many sources. IF you feed grain to wethers/bucks the easiest thing to do is to feed a 'goat' or 'sheep' feed that is balanced 2:1 and has ammonium chloride. That being said, most wethers do not need grain. I only feed grain to growing kids, does in milk, does in late gestation, and bucks when in heavy rut and loosing weight. 

Forages are generally pretty safe for wethers. You can probably feed a wether through his life without a drop of grain, and you can likely get them to gain weight by improving pasture, parasite management, and/or changing or adding forage sources to help promote gain (alfalfa pellets, shredded beet pulp).

In addition, free choice minerals, baking soda, and water of course. Getting a wether to drink lots of water is always a good idea - encourage intake by keeping water fresh. Other things to consider is copper bolusing (also helps with worm load), and give BoSe.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/u...ge_animals/urolithiasis_in_large_animals.html


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## hihobaron (Oct 5, 2015)

Hello All goaties 
I just acquired 2 Wethers one is 4 years old Tog X Alpine (Pete) looks like a deer out in the woods. Yes the both were reflective orange collars and SS name tags the flash reflect well in sunlight. Contact info is on the tags. Goat Name,My name ,and my phone #
I recommend everybody with back yard goats TAG them.
Look around and only use the Stainless Steel type tags $6 each at Wal-Mart and you program what you want engraved on them yourself.Don't use aluminum dog tags they don't last.
The other is Alpine X Nubian 6 moths old.(Sam) He was a buckling till a month ago then he became the star of castration presentation. It was a open castration like I have done many times on horses and done by a experienced goat person. No, Problems put him up on the milking platform with some grain and closed the head gate 90 seconds later he was a good boy. Clean incision used topical antibacterial ,ointment, a few shots over the next few days no infection. He is full of himself.
Both are de-horned but have nubs and hard heads as the neighbors dog found out when we got home. Dog came up to them and they double teamed the dog, Dog went home yipping, things have settled down here now my dog they let run with them, neighbors dog is on the watch list (White Husky and a young dog) He is learning fast Goats don't mess around.
Boy's are intended as weed eaters,Pack Goats, and horse pets.
Both are very people oriented (They came that way) know theie name and to a certain point can be trusted to stick around my campsite area. They like to help me cook.
Yes, I usually try to cook outside most of the year.
Well as it so happened the night of the Democratic Debates, I was out cooking with the radio on listening, the boys were around looking for vegetable scraps. 
Every time Hillery's voice would come on air One or the other would express their opinion with a pile of Goat pellets.
When Berni Sanders would come on the would lay their ears back and go to head butting position. 
I think I have a couple very Republican goats, that is just fine with me.
Oh ya, forgot to mention the boys have figured out it is fun to ride in the back seat of my truck too. Cooler weather down here in South Carolina now so we may just have some fun with the "City Folk" in Greenville SC and take them to town shopping. 

Back to Feeding the boys.
They get all the brush they want, a treat of wet Beet pulp, DE, and low carb pelleted horse feed. I feed round bail hay to the horses that is just a grass mix we get local. Same source sells me a few small square bails for the goats but they only get a flake of that at night when penned up. There pen for now is one of my 3 horse stock trailers with a hay feeder and water buck in it. I would say Coyote and goat proof too. They seem to like the rubber matting with ceder chip bedding on the floor in there for overnight.
But are more than happy to go walk about with me when I head up to horse barn for feeding time. Horses are getting used to them being around.

Happy Trails
hihobaron


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