# Feeding All-stock feed. Bad idea??



## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

So I have had goats for about 3 weeks now, at first I got Lela, the Alpine cross, I bought her Pregnant but the seller didnât know much, only that she is At lest 2 months along. But with-in the past week she has started to give milk?? Her Utter does not look full, but I did notice a small Enlargement when I went to look at it. She did give about 4 squeezes of milk ((what does that mean)) Then I got my two Nigerian dwarfs both females, One is the Mother the other is her kid, I donât know the age of them, the kid does eat her feed. And does not try to nurse from mom . I was told the Mother is Pregnant again and she gives Twins. But I have no idea how along is she with her Pregnancy.

Anyway the Big Picture is, I have been feeding them âALL-STOCK 12% SWEET FEEDâ from Feed solutions at tractor supply (this is there store brand) its $7 bucks a 50 pound bag, and from the Huge price range of real goat feed ($13-$16) dollars a 50 pound bag, I guessed the all-stock feed does not have Much in it, so I also bought manna-pro goat balancer and a Goat Mineral supplement block. 

After placing the block out in the pen, they donât seem to really Enjoy it, or even notice it. So am thinking I might buy Manna-pro loose Goat Mineral to put that also in there Feed. 

Right now I feed the All stock feed with the goat balancer, they get this Once in the Morning and then Just the Feed at night, they have Hay but donât seem to Want it. So we also chop down trees and they will eat them clean. (they eat as much as they like of the trees) does this seem like a Ok Diet, a good diet? With the added Minerals and Vitamins. Do you think I should lose the block and get the loose Goat Mineral and add it to the diet.

All-stock feed 12% sweet feed: http://www.tractorsupply.com/feed-solutions-all-stock-sweet-12-animal-feed-50-lb--2405890

Goat Balancer: http://www.mannapro.com/products/goat/goat-balancer/

Goat Mineral: http://www.mannapro.com/products/goat/goat-mineral/

they seem to really like the feed, they eat what i give them. but i want to make sure am meeting there Needs, they seem to be Fine on it. and act great. let me know how you feel about this!! thanks!​


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

First of all, stop squeezing out a bit of milk. 

When a kid nurses, it's saliva helps seal off the teat to prevent bacteria from getting inside the udder. When we milk them, we use a teat dip afterwards to do the same thing. Leave her alone, let her make the colostrum her kids will need & be patient. My doe started filling up 3 weeks before she had hee kids so it's just a waiting game, everyone is different.

I know folks around here who feed all stock. My TSC carries 2 of them.....one with a sheep on the bag, one without. Use the one without the sheep as it has some copper which goats need.

Yes, I would switch them to a loose mineral. Most goat minerals do not contain enough copper so I prefer to use Right Now Onyx by Cargil... It's a cattle mineral.

I would also add alfalfa in some form to their diet so they have plenty of calcium for growing the kid's skeletons without leaching it from their own body. Plus this can help prevent hypocalcemia after kidding. I use Standlee brand alfalfa pellets (less waste) & leave it out free choice like hay. If yours have never had it before I'd leave out a lil less to start with so they can get used to it.

Alfalfa is the biggest part of my girl's feeding, grain is just for added calories & comes 2nd to alfalfa & good quality grass hay.


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

Sweet feed is not very good for goats too much molasses messes up the rumen. Goats do not have a rough enough tongue to use blocks effectively they need a loose mineral that is high in copper. If they are in milk or pregnant they need a high source of calcium such as alfalfa hay or pellets. The browse they get with the trees is great.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

I fed the all-stock mixed with oats, about 5 parts oats to 1 part all-stock. They did very well, but now I have them on just oats (and a handful of corn here and there) in addition to the alfalfa pellets and free-choice, high-quality alfalfa/clover hay.


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

Oh yea, leave out some baking soda free choice too.

I prefer not to feed sweet feeds due to reasons listed by Judy, but if pennies are tight, you do what you must. When I was feeding sweet feed, my girls chowed down on the baking soda....now that they don't have sweet feed, they rarely touch it. 

If you must use the All Stock, provide a good loose mineral, alfalfa & good grass hay/browse & they should do fine.....just don't go over board on feeding the grain.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

when i was picking up the hay they Had tipton,oat,and Alfalfa when i asked the guy, what i should get for goats. tipton at $9 a 50 pound bale or Alfalfa at $13 ((oat was out of the Question since it was $16 a bale))he said to much Alfalfa can be Dangerous to goats, since if they eat to much they will get nitrate poisoning..Puzzled, i wanted to ask more. but i just assumed he knew more then me about what to feed them...so i got Tipton? they don't seem to like it at all.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

LoneStrChic23 said:


> Oh yea, leave out some baking soda free choice too.
> 
> I prefer not to feed sweet feeds due to reasons listed by Judy, but if pennies are tight, you do what you must. When I was feeding sweet feed, my girls chowed down on the baking soda....now that they don't have sweet feed, they rarely touch it.
> 
> If you must use the All Stock, provide a good loose mineral, alfalfa & good grass hay/browse & they should do fine.....just don't go over board on feeding the grain.



baking soda like the Kind in the Orange Box at the store?? if so how many boxes should i get. and will they just eat what they need So i can put out all of it?? Thanks for the help!


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## FrogTacos (Oct 25, 2011)

I buy the 13lb bag of baking soda at Sams Club - MUCH cheaper than buying the little boxes. (I also use it as a laundry deodorizer - washes off stinky buck smell from my clothes)

Pour at least a cup into a small tub feeder and hook it somewhere they wont throw it off. Add more as they empty it. If it gets a lot of other debris in it, empty it, add a new scoop.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

littlequail said:


> when i was picking up the hay they Had tipton,oat,and Alfalfa when i asked the guy, what i should get for goats. tipton at $9 a 50 pound bale or Alfalfa at $13 ((oat was out of the Question since it was $16 a bale))he said to much Alfalfa can be Dangerous to goats, since if they eat to much they will get nitrate poisoning..Puzzled, i wanted to ask more. but i just assumed he knew more then me about what to feed them...so i got Tipton? they don't seem to like it at all.


Nitrate poisoning? Well, that's a new one on me.

That is an old farmer's tale that alfalfa is bad for goats. Nothing cold be further from the truth. Your pregnant does especially need alfalfa.

I have no idea what Tipton is. I feed alfalfa hay @$3.00/small bale. The oats I feed are bagged oats that I get for $9 per 50# bag.


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## houndlover (Feb 20, 2009)

I don't feed all stock to goats, especially pregnant ones. I feed a complete horse feed, just a couple dollars more a bag and much better nutritionally. In addition they get free choice grass hay, alfalfa pellets (1 pound per 50 lbs of goat), Equis ultra min minerals, and baking soda. All stock is okay for sheep, but it's "all stock" because there's no added copper, and generally, the protein is between 9 and 12%, not rich enough to keep weight on my girls in cold temps.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

well am glad to hear that its not bad for them, i don't know if i can get another bale soon, since the next time the hay dealer will be open is After the holidays. but i know i can get a Bag of alfalfa pellets at TSC. does the milk my doe is now giving surly mean she is going to kid soon??


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/livestoc/v839w.htm

This is about nitrate poisioning (should actually be called nitrite poisoning). Good article - but Alfalfa isn't on the list for those things likely to cause a problem.  

All-stock is just fine for goats, IMO. I'd always make sure you kept baking soda out 24/7 for goats with molasses in the feed to buffer the rumen. I wouldn't but a TON out at a time because as it ages goats will stop eating it once it looses it's freshness. 

Just be sure to supply goats constantly with a source of quality forage - be it quality pasture or free choice alfalfa/grass mix hay. The amount of grain needed is much less than the amount of quality hay needed.

Goats will develop their udder 4-6 weeks before they're due to kid. Don't express milk at this point.


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

Can you get even a ball park date one when they were bred? The udder usually will get real tight and shiny looking just before kidding. The ligaments at the base of the tail will get loose and she may or may not have discharge. The little bit of milk you can express may not mean much.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I agree with all the advice given from everyone above. I too use the Right Now Onyx loose cattle mineral by Cargill. I put that & baking soda in the 2 sided black dishes that tractor supply sells. I have the dishes hanging in the barn & also in their lean too out side so the weather doesn't ruin the mineral & baking soda.

I buy sodium bicarbonate in 50 pound bags from my local feed store. I keep it in a steel drum in the barn & it lasts me quite awhile & I think the last time I bought it the cost was around $7.00. It is the same as baking soda from the store.

I make sure my goats have hay 24/7 & then they do get a 1/4 cup of grain I mix up a.m. & p.m. If they are nursing kids I up their grain portions. I also feed them alfafa pellets when I'm feeding grass hay or when the girls are pregnant or nursing kids, even if I have alfafa/grass mix hay.

Too much alfafa is bad for male goats, maybe that's what the guy selling the hay was thinking. You can not give your female goats too much alfafa hay.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

I mix sweet feed with alfalfa pellets. Alfalfa hay is really hard to find around here not to mention this years crop apparently was infected with some beetle that can cause death in mares...so not taking a chance with my goats either. Pasture hay, loose goat mineral (think I found a 50# bag at Orchlen's), and baking soda daily. Goats prefer to nibble then lick sooo if you feel up to it you might try breaking your block up. I still remember when I became a new goat "person" and all the well meaning suggestions from people who "know" goats. I have since learned so much from HT and laugh at how OVERBOARD I went in the beginning, thankfully my goats survived me. Goat pregnancy and due times LOL if you do not know the exact breeding date its all a waiting game. I had one Doe that udder'd up 3 weeks before, another 4 weeks before, and another a few days before. I have one buck that looks so pregnant I keep checking him for an udder (jk)


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Tifton is a bermuda family grass, longer leaf, less stem.


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## HappyFarmer (Jun 17, 2006)

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. If it works, go with it. Each farm is different because the feeds come from varying sources. Your minerals should be the loose minerals & they should cover what your feeds are lacking. Remember cheap can be good if you make up for what is lacking, cheap all around will reflect in our herds health & production. Whatever combo's you decide on give them a little bit of time to work or not before improving upon it, and don't forget to switch slowly.

From what I understand the nitrate poisoning occurs after a frost on the field, rye grass I think. Not too common that i've heard but when it occurs entire herds are effected.

HF


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Backfourty said:


> Too much alfafa is bad for male goats, maybe that's what the guy selling the hay was thinking. You can not give your female goats too much alfafa hay.


It's really a matter of ratios, but I still don't see how there can be such a thing as "too much" alfalfa hay for any goat, male or female.


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

I know our local All Stock comes in 2 varities........One has a picture of a goat, sheep & cow on it & has no copper......the other has a picture of a horse, cow & goat & does contain copper.

I've never heard of alfalfa causing nitrate poisoning, but have heard that said about Johnson grass, Sudan & some hay grazers...... I feed coastal & sudan as my grass hays, & only buy my sudan from a guy who has his hay tested so I'm sure it's safe.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

when i got the goat "Lela" the Man didn't know much. Basically she has been out at Pasture...and that's it. with Females and Males. when i asked what was she eating (grain,hay, and other stuff) He didn't have answer for me. She was just kept out on the field. that's it 

tomorrow i will drive out to TSC, i will keep my Goats on this 


All stock 12% sweet feed, << what i have been using

Goat Balancer by manna pro << i have been using this

Goat Mineral by manna pro<< i will start using this in their feed.

Alfalfa pellets << will get a 50 pound bag mix it with there feed

baking soda << will put this out in a pan so they can have it when they like.

However about "Hay" i have the Tifton hay, i Lay it in there Pen in the ground, and they take a few Bites,but never sit there and "chow down"...is it the Kind of hay they dont like, or should i put it up in a Hay bag. i will work on getting some Alfalfa hay once the local hay dealer is open again.

let me know if you think there is something else i should ad, i noticed some use Oats in there feed. others Horse feed. very Interesting and helpful.


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

On the alfalfa pellets, something to watch for.... My bratty goats pushed all the alfalfa pellets onto the ground to eat the grain when I mixed them in with the grain..... Plus I wasn't able to feed enough alfalfa pellets that way without overfeeding the grain portion.

So now I feed grain on the milkstand or feeders, & have a trough I pour the daily amount of alfalfa pellets in. Too much grain is a bad thing, but forage items (grass hays, alfalfa pellets/hay, browse, pasture ect.) really can't be overfed as long as new items are introduced slowly. I only feed grain to goats that are lactating, pregnant, or growing young animals.

Here is a picture of my dry doe (darker doe in pink collar, my milking gal is wearing,the yellow collar).....she maintains that condition on nothing but grass hay, about 2lbs of alfalfa pellets & good loose minerals. We have no browse or grazing because of the drought.......Also in the 1st pic you can see my black alfalfa pellet feeder in the background. I fill it about 3/4 of the way for 4 does & add a bit more in the evenings if they empty it.



















The dry doe in the pics is just now getting 1/4 scoop of grain once a day because it's cold & she's (hopefully) 2 months pregnant.

Next thing, I'd definately get a hay feeder. My first "hay feeder" was a section of fence I had cut & wired to the wall....not pretty, but it stopped a lot of waste & kept the goats from stepping & pottying on it. Round bales are rarely fed here...the one in the pic was given to me & since they were able to jump on it & drop a lot on the ground, they wasted about HALF of it :grump: Next time I feed a round, I'll put it up on pallets & wrap cattle panel around it so they can't waste so much...

I would also invest in a mineral feeder..... I bought a small, two sided one at TSC for around $4. I put about a cup or so of baking soda in one side, & 3-4 cups of minerals in the other. Keep it mounted where they can't step in it & out of the weather & top off as needed. Anything....hay, feed, minerals left where they can be stepped in will be wasted by goats......They are horribly wasteful critters at times.

Here's a pic of the mineral feeder.....it's the black one....the blue feeder wa an extra I hung there for the doe who got bullied away from the other feeder so she could eat in peace.










TSC carries 40lb bags of Standlee Brand alfalfa pellets.....they are in a purple bag. I have tried every brand of alfalfa pellets I can find & like these best.. ..They smell great, virtually no dust & the girls love them.... I tried the "store brand" & at the end of the bag had about 2lbs of dust!! Was not happy about that at all. I had thought about switching to the store brand when prices went up, but the store brand went up too & comes out to a bit more per lb than the Standlee, so for me they are not only the best quality, they are the cheapest. I never buy alfalfa hay. Its hard to find good quality alfalfa in my area, the goats pick through it & eat the leaves but leave behind a wasted pile of stems.....Not to mention it's too expensive, especially considering how much they waste, so if you don't find good alfalfa hay, the pellets are a good substitute


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

well i drove out to TSC, picked up that Black dish shown in that photo, it was $4.99 And its the Perfect size for what i need. i also picked up Manna pros, Goat Mineral *the kind in the orange bag* i looked all over for Alfalfa pellets, thanks for the hint on the purple bag, *they had about 5 kinds of colored bags* they only had ONE bag left of the Alfalfa pellets. and i got it, not to bad for $11.99. 

Oh. and right next to it is where the goat feed is......$18.99!!! for goat chow then Noble was 13.99!!

Also...Another Question i noticed some people said they Mix in Oats or Beet pulp. i never heard of Beet pulp. but at the store i saw Bags of it...why feed this to goats?? thanks for your help everyone!!


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

How is it your all stock is 7 dollars and its 12 dollars here?


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Shygal said:


> How is it your all stock is 7 dollars and its 12 dollars here?


'ROund here, 11% All Stock was $7 on sale, but now the sale price is almost $9. The price on all feeds has taken a huge jump up, and no sign of it coming down.

Add to that insult the injury that they've cut the size of the bags by 10 pounds, and it's pretty discouraging.

My goats love to have Standlee alfalfa pellets, but the price went up $2 while the bag size went down 10 pounds. We're back on MFA pellets.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

i dont know, i Questioned it myself. Since When you walk in. they have about 4 Different kinds, all are TSC brand. The one for $7:99 comes in a Black and tan Bag, with no Photo on it of any animals. all it says is "ALL-STOCK FEED" Also if you buy over 20 bags you get 5% off also, its not on sale,this is the normal price. Right next to it. is Almost like the one that you can view on there site, but this bag only has a Outline of a goat and cow on it (its a brown/purple *if i remember right*) bag, its it title says all-stock 12% sweet feed. Copper added. then on the side of this, is ALMOST the same thing, but a photo of cow,goat, and sheep....then a few bags down is Unmarked bags....(Just brown) but there Paper tag says "ALL STOCK FEED" 

$7.99 (save 5% if you buy over 20 bags)
Black/tan bag of all stock feed 12% sweet feed (no copper)
50 pounds Bag is Blank, Only tan and black
(you can not view this on there site)

$10.99
(Purple/tan) 12%ALL STOCK FEED 
goat and cow outline (copper added)
(i dont see this either on there website) 

$10.99 
tan/brown 12% all stock feed 
Goat,cow,sheep (no copper)
(you can view this on there website)

the brown Bags unmarked, i didnt even Stop to look. But Nothing is on the bag but the paper tag that says "all stock feed" *this is down by the cow/cattle feed*


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

Wow, your feed is a lot cheaper there than it is here


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

Aint yall glad to have a TSC manager here to tell you the scoop on our feed.

The $8 bag of all stock is a temporary thing, purina ordered the wrong bags about 200,000 worth and as soon as it runs out its out. This variety is the same as the other all stock sweet however this one is preserved with animal fat.

Do my goats do good off an all stock with good mineral ( I use the dumor pasture mineral) yep but when Im milking I used all grain with alfalfa pellets and Boss mixed in and the all stock for the main feed. Thats unless Godfreys feed is worth the drive, love the feed hate the distance.

Little tots estates also uses an all stock with all grain on the stand just as I do, hes got quite a few goats to say the least.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Pony said:


> 'ROund here, 11% All Stock was $7 on sale, but now the sale price is almost $9. The price on all feeds has taken a huge jump up, and no sign of it coming down.
> 
> Add to that insult the injury that they've cut the size of the bags by 10 pounds, and it's pretty discouraging.
> 
> My goats love to have Standlee alfalfa pellets, but the price went up $2 while the bag size went down 10 pounds. We're back on MFA pellets.


I feel ya on the alfalfa pellets, Pony. 
Here Standlee is up to 11.99 for 40lb while the one at the co-op is 10.50 for 50lbs. 
According to TSC's website, all versions of all-stock is 9.99


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

oh, goat balancer is marketing, just as those stupid billy blocks are and money would better be spent on Boss or oats.

The all stock sweet feeds are not extremely heavy in molasses like some sweet feeds and is no worse to me in my way of thinking than the tree sap they love to ingest. 

If your milking avoid soy products in our opinion they give the milk an woody aftertaste


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Pony said:


> It's really a matter of ratios, but I still don't see how there can be such a thing as "too much" alfalfa hay for any goat, male or female.


Your right Pony. I just didn't go into specifics when feeding male goats but I guess I should have. 
If male goats just eat alfafa hay & are dry lotted without any browse or grass hay or pelleted type feed then it can be too much alfafa for male goats.


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## freeb (Jul 25, 2009)

I am getting an all purpose 13% pellet at Atwoods for $6.99 for a 40lb bag, i buy that and a 12% sweet feed and mix 3 to 1. Of course hay, mineral, salt and soda available always. All stock and sweet feed at my TSC are also $9.99. They only carry one goat food and it is medicated.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

Cannon_Farms said:


> Aint yall glad to have a TSC manager here to tell you the scoop on our feed.
> 
> The $8 bag of all stock is a temporary thing, purina ordered the wrong bags about 200,000 worth and as soon as it runs out its out. This variety is the same as the other all stock sweet however this one is preserved with animal fat.
> 
> ...


thanks for the help! and info, btw what is Boss?


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

BOSS = Black Oil Sunflower Seed. It's added to feed for fat & vitamin E.

I used to use it, my goats love it, but the price skyrocketed way out of my price range.

Now to add extra fat I use rice bran instead. It has more fat & vitamin E than BOSS, so a little goes a long way, but it's much more affordable.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

if i may ask, why do people also tend to use Oats or Beep pulp. what does this do. to few terms for feed i have so far heard of is...

Goat chow Noble <<store bought stuff
Oats
BOSS
beet pulp
corn
all stock feed
horse feed
alfalfa pellets 

any other things people add to there goats food to improve it. If so what and why


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

oats are a decent combination of protein and energy. not used so much with cows anymore but goats can use them efficiently.
BOSS has good protein and also helps keep the coat glossy with the extra oils in it
Beet pulp has high digestible fiber as well as decent energy levels. a favorite of cattle showmen to keep the cows looking fat and sassy Fleet Farm is always sold out during the county fair..... Less digestive problems associated with it than corn.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

We use beet pulp. It has almost as many calories as oats, but digests like a forage. We also use the Manna Pro loose goat minerals. Can't get the Onyx stuff out here for some reason. We also feed the Manna Pro Goat Balancer.

The does get a mix of oats and pelleted horse feed along with a little beet pulp and a scoop of balancer on the milk stand. 

They have grass hay, a little alfalfa hay(alfalfa hay is over 10 dollars a bale out here) and alfalfa pellets, all free choice.


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

My girls love beet pulp shreds! I used it to help fatten up my milker when she was looking a bit thin this summer. When I can afford it I add it to my grain mix..... It jumped $4 a bag here though so I haven't added it in a while.


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## jcgoldie (Aug 5, 2011)

I was feeding the Noble Goat to my doelings but its medicated and need to switch over before they start kidding as the coccidiostat isnt good for the milk. The Goat Chow from Purina is ridiculously high. I found Kent 18% milking goat at a local elevator for $11.25 a 50 lb bag... they get that and free choice grass/alfalfa hay along with minerals... I'm pretty happy with that price. I don't think the sweet feed or all stock are much good...


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

i might pick up a bag of beet pulp. i have a Bag of corn open, for my pig, and i noticed the goats "like it" but i stopped since i read its not good for them. however last night and this morning i have a Major Migraine headache, and my boyfriend trying to be nice.. "fed" everyone...i smiled and said thanks..but then realized he doesn't know what to feed anyone..or how much..its the thought that counts. but i have that Headache still... lol.. goats got a nice scoop full for corn.


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

I don't feed all stock, boss or alfalfa, every thing I have gets 14& creep pellets. I have free choice hay out at all times, the goats have a mineral bucket in a molassas base, plus free choice loose minerals. I feed horses, goats, and Dexter cattle, everyone is fat, healthy and doing well, so I'm not changing anything, creep feed is 14 dollars a hundred lbs, best deal around. It seems like the sweet feed is always full of trash, looks like floor sweepings, or it's too much molassas, all sticky, so I just stay with the pellets, they are clean and simple,


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Littlequail, I hope your head feels better soon. When I was at a seminar a couple of weeks ago, the presenter mentioned that warming your hands really well, and putting an ice pack on your head, can help alleviate migraine pain. Worth a try - if you haven't already given it a shot.

When my goats get corn, it's only about 1 scoop divided between the five of them. Not a lot, just enough to warm them up. I am very careful about the balance.
*
Those of you who feed pre-made "chow" type feed*: How does that work for you? I mean, I feed the dogs and cats bagged dog/cat feed, but never even thought of it for the goats. Is it cost-effective? Do they do well? How does it affect their rumens?


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I feed my girls a mix of Oats, Boss & 16% rabbit pellets all mixed together. In the winter I do add a little cracked corn to help warm them up. I started mixing this & using it a couple years ago & it works fine for me & the girls are all healthy & look good.

They also get Right Now Onyx loose mineral, baking soda & hay free choice 24/7.

My bucks I do feed a pelleted type feed that has Ammonium Chloride in it, plus they get the same mineral & I add a little ammonium chloride to that along with Baking soda & hay as well.
I have been using the same pelleted feed since I had a buck get Urinary calculi 2 or 3 years ago & so far it's seems to work fine & my boys like it & are healthy.


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## littlequail (Aug 5, 2011)

Pony said:


> Littlequail, I hope your head feels better soon. When I was at a seminar a couple of weeks ago, the presenter mentioned that warming your hands really well, and putting an ice pack on your head, can help alleviate migraine pain. Worth a try - if you haven't already given it a shot.
> 
> When my goats get corn, it's only about 1 scoop divided between the five of them. Not a lot, just enough to warm them up. I am very careful about the balance.
> *
> Those of you who feed pre-made "chow" type feed*: How does that work for you? I mean, I feed the dogs and cats bagged dog/cat feed, but never even thought of it for the goats. Is it cost-effective? Do they do well? How does it affect their rumens?


thanks pony! and willing to give anything a shot. will try!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Backfourty said:


> I feed my girls a mix of Oats, Boss & 16% rabbit pellets all mixed together.


LOL! 

When I take the goats for walk-abouts, Trub makes a beeline for the rabbit hutches and sticks that big ol' Nubian nose into their feeders. She absolutely adores rabbit chow. 

Maybe that's what she needs... :smack


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## lazysheep (Dec 2, 2011)

Good to see all the discussion and variations on what works/doesn't work and what is available around the country. Just to throw in my two-cents ~ we are hay growers, cow ranchers, and I have raised a few sheep and a lot of dairy goats for about 8 years, primarily Nigerians but the standard breeds as well- I have always fed my goats 100% the alfalfa we grow- boys and girls. The boys get the "poorer" quality 2nd cut to limit problems with urethral stones (never had it here). If its under 15 degrees in winter or in full breeding season, they get a handful of LMF (horse) concentrate a couple times a week, and a couple handfuls of whatever all-stock mix looks good from the feed store. Milking/lactating/late pregnancy goats get the same, but all they can eat on the milk stand. That's it. Loose goat minerals, salt with selenium (our soil is deficient in this area) and baking soda are available to all. We are limited in our choices of "stock feed" here, but some of the stuff looks like its basically floor-sweepings with a watery fake 'molasses' added. None of our goats, sheep or cows would eat it- so its advised to look on the label- and if its remotely nutritionally balanced, buy a bag and check it out. Don't rely on the pictures on the bag, and don't assume a national brand is OK. One major caution- fresh cut and baled alfalfa should be "cured" for 60 to 90 days as it WILL cause bloat in goats, sheep and cows until the enzymes are done 'working'. Can't say there is any definitive way to raise our animals. It all depends on the soils, climate and feeds. 
LoneStrChic23- loved the conformation on your dry doe!


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

copperhead46 said:


> I don't feed all stock, boss or alfalfa, every thing I have gets 14& creep pellets. I have free choice hay out at all times, the goats have a mineral bucket in a molassas base, plus free choice loose minerals. I feed horses, goats, and Dexter cattle, everyone is fat, healthy and doing well, so I'm not changing anything, creep feed is 14 dollars a hundred lbs, best deal around. It seems like the sweet feed is always full of trash, looks like floor sweepings, or it's too much molassas, all sticky, so I just stay with the pellets, they are clean and simple,


are they not medicated? what brand is it? this sounds good


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