# Goat feed questions: Boss, Barley, and alfalfa



## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Can someone tell me what BOSS is? Read about it in the grass fed goat thread- also, some mentioned soaking alfalfa cubes- why, and is it necessary? (at this time I give them 1 flake of alfalfa hay to share, then they have pasture) 
Can I give my goats barley? I give them a small amount of goat chow at milking, was thinking of mixing 1/2 with barley. Last year, they were on too much grain before the hay got here, and their jaws swelled. Changed to alfalfa, it went away. 
This has been my first year with goats, (LaMancha's) and it has been great! The milk, cheese, yogurt, ice creams are wonderful, can't believe more people dont have them. I learn so much from these threads- thank you all for your experienced help. 
One more question, is the rule of thumb 1 lb grain for every quart of milk they produce? I am thinking this is a bit much. 
thanks again!


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## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

BOSS is black oil sunflower seeds, the same kind you would feed to birds. goats have trouble eating the alfalfa cubes, they are very tightly packed chunks of alfalfa hay you would by in a bag, hence people soak them to make them easier to break up, although most people just feed alfalfa pellets. grain will not make goats jaws swell, most likely you were seeing bottle jaw from severe anemia, most likely due to worms. poor feeding can make goats more susceptable to parasites but will not alleviate a worm overload altogether. didi you worm them when yo bought them? barley is a great grain for goats. I personally think that any sort of "rule of thumb" regarding grain amount in relation to milk production is useless. each goat is different. my lamancha is producing about 3/4 gallon a day on alfalfa pellets alone. vicki ( a very expereinced goat person on this forum) has talked about challenge feeding her goats grain which seems an appropriate way to determine how much grain to feed to me although I have never done it.that is where you start with very small amounts and increase it slowly until you fail to see any increase in milk production. the less grain the better. grain can sometimes do more harm than good. Inever fed any milkers more than 2 lbs per day.


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## whinnyninny (Aug 17, 2005)

(More people don't have goats because of the people who live in the country and are able to have them, many think they would not like goat's milk- many people I know want to buy cows!, some people think they are too much work and responsibility, and some people have a lot of trouble finding milk goats for sale. In my area they're hard to come by).


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

About the grain not making the goats jaw swell- This was when the does were about 6 months old (still growing) and it was late in the fall- we were waiting for hay to be delivered and the pasture was dry. I was giving them some barley and oats for about a month or more. In the book Goatkeeper's vet. book by Peter Dunn it talks about Osteodystrophia fibrosa
" This condition is caused by feeding too high a ratio of phoshhorus to calcium.....growing animals are most seriously affected...... Progressive swelling of facial bones occurs ... it has been seen in goats fed on high cereal diets with little green foods." Anyway, that is what I thought was going on. (a change of diet, adding green foods, changed the problem) 
Anyway- thought I would mention this for anyone else having this problem.


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

In the book Goatkeeper's vet. book by Peter Dunn it talks about Osteodystrophia fibrosa
...................................

 Not!  Vicki


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## sungirl (Jan 23, 2008)

InHisName, 
What page is this on? I also have the book and want to read up on this, as a friend is feeding there lambs only lamb pellet & oats. 

Patty.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Well, not making it up. I dont know enough about goats to make anything up- but we do not have goat vets around here at all, and must resort to the two people I know with local experience, the internet, and books. It is page 83- there is a picture of a goat with it- that is how I recognized it.(if indeed that was it, but after practicing what it said, it took care of the problem) this is the 3rd edition, isbn 0-85236 279 x


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Oh, if it is a different edition, the chapter is 4- Problems associated with feeding. It does say that it is rare with goats, but may occur with faultly feeding. (at the very end of the chapter)
Teri


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## sungirl (Jan 23, 2008)

I will have to sit and read into it more, I gave away my third edition to a 4H club/leader. I now have the fourth edition.  

Patty.


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