# Free choice vinegar water



## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

My neighbor always provides a fresh bucket of vinegar water for her goats. She told me that if they do not want the baking soda that they will go for the vinegar water.

My does both had upset systems on new bags of feed - same feed just new bags - The five goats drank 4 gallons of the vinegar water in 1 day. Everyone is doing better even looking better.

I could not find this suggestion on this site - anyone else do this?


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## nubiansinny (Jul 31, 2007)

Lots of people use apple cider vinegar in their water.it keeps it feesh longer in the summer, no green slime. My goats prefer it too. And anything that gets your milkers to drink more in the heat is a good thing! Don't know if it would help upset bellies though, mine get baking soda free choice too.


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## BlueHeronFarm (Feb 9, 2007)

Just thinking out loud...vinegar is an acid. Baking soda is an acid neutralizer. It would seem to me that you would really NEED to provide free choice soda if you were acidifying their water. ...just in case they are having high rumen acidity due to diet or whatever.

We don't add anything to the water.


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## Wildwood (Jul 2, 2007)

About how much vinegar per gallon of water? 

TIA


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## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

I put in 1/3 of a cup to the gallon of water. I will always provide it - drastic improvement almost immediately.

They have multiple sources of plain fresh water and only one 1 gallon size fence bucket with the vinegar.

Interesting about the slime reduction. I provide vinegar water for my birds - never thought about it for my goats. If my horses smell bleach they come over and drink and drink - maybe I'll try the vinegar for them too.


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## Lada (Jun 7, 2008)

I always put vinegar in the chickens' water, and one morning I was still asleep I think, and put some in the goats' water also. They did seem to drink it a lot more readily.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Wouldn't the vinegar cause problems in the rumen? I'd think if you change the acidity you're going to get some weird microbiotic conditions down in the rumbling engines of the goat.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Actually, using vinegar in the water is a pretty common practice. For bucks and wethers, it helps to make sure they drink plenty of water and helps cut down on the chance of urinary calculi. The amount of vinegar added isn't enough to hurt the rumen balance, and as long as it helps increase the amount of water your goats will drink, it's a good thing. As vinegar is an acid and baking soda is an alkaline, you should supply both. The goats will choose either or both as they feel the need.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

My girls have access to both regular & ACV. The ACV is the first to go down. 
I dont measure, just glug in a cup or so to a 15 gal container.
Lada I never thought of putting it in chickens water too thanx!


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

So you use this to get them to drink more and keep slime in the bucket down and for possible stomach ache? Are there any other benefits?


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

I remember hearing that it helps keep the urine from attracting flies.


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## jBlaze (Dec 26, 2007)

I heard that it helps keep parasite load down. I personally have no idea though. 
I should try it and see what I see, more water is always a good thing.


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

I was just speaking to a friend of mine who has had goats much longer than I and is also studying herbal medicine. She did some research on this a few years ago and summed it up that it wasn't a good thing to do all the time because it changes the acidity in the rumen and that can cause problems. I didn't get the details from her as we were out of time, but that's what she had concluded, anyway.

You should not offer both vinegar & baking soda at the same time. That is not a good reaction for any rumen.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

Hoofinit you is probably right! I deep clean my steel cof karaf once a month with hot water, some vinegar and baking soda.


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## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

My neighbor has had healthy goats for years. ACV has many vitamins and antioxidants in it and is very diluted. She said that the goats will choose which one to eat/drink. Why do you say to NEVER put the 2 together? 

If you should not change the acidity in their rumens why would baking soda be offered?

Actually the vinegar seems better since we use vinegar in our own cooking. I love cucumbers soaked in ACV. Other than baking I only use baking soda to clean.


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

I use just plain ole white vinegar to change the PH of the water in the troughs so they aren't green. Green never hurt a goat, but it's part of the general picture of cleanliness around the farm to have clean water buckets. Since my buckets are 35 gallons on automatic floats I am not dumping out water daily to keep them clean. So I use vinegar. 

Although I did have a mega doe year this last year, I have also had the buck year from hell doing this also. 

I would not want to bet my bucks lives on vinegar in their water for urinary calculi. 

I would bet molassas in the feed and minerals changes the rumen ph to acid alot more than the small amount of vinegar you use in water. Vicki


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

Tallabred said:


> Why do you say to NEVER put the 2 together?


Try the experiment in your kitchen then think about what that could do to a goat when they eat a mouthful of baking soda and then go sip water with vinegar in it.



Tallabred said:


> If you should not change the acidity in their rumens why would baking soda be offered?


As I said, my friend did not get a chance to go into detail but I also pointed out that she said it is not a good thing to do *all the time*. I don't offer either regularly but I have both on hand for specific uses if needed.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Okay, while you are in the kitchen doing that experiment, also do it with very dilute ACV in water and baking soda and see if you get the same results. 

I wouldn't completely rely on ACV in water to prevent UC - but as part of an overall management program, getting them to drink plenty of water is a good thing. Winter time when they are less likely drink well, the vinegar can increase their water intake.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

A partial quote by Pat Coleby in âNatural Goat Careâ 2001:



> Apple Cider Vinegar
> 
> This simple and obtainable liquid is invaluable anywhere potassium is often found in short supply. It contain natural potassium in a safe form. It should always be bought in bulk and unpasteurized.
> 
> ...


So it seems that the two reasons for using cider vinegar is to supply potassium and to keep the ph in the right balance.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Reason enough for me is the green water remedy; I'm agonna start using it!


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Shortly after reading this thread I started adding 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon for the kids water. I have no idea if it helps, but it doesn't seem to hinder. I have started giving them warm vinegar water every morning now that it's colder out. The goats are doing well, growing and seem quite healthy. I now make my own apple cider vinegar and start a new batch each month... I also keep baking soda available free choice in case they want it.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I started giving AC vinegar a couple years ago after a doe gave birth & wasn't eating or acting well(wasn't on this forum then & didn't know of it at the time) and she started acting better & eating like normal with in a couple days. I always give a bucket of vinegar water & regular water all the warm months & in the winter I give warm vinegar every few days since I don't have enough electric buckets to have both waters in the pen's all the time. I don't know what it actually does but I suggest it to people all the time here on the forum & just out & about. Sometimes it just helps different things for what every it's reason. You have to admit that any time your goats drink alot, male or female that's a good thing.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

Three of my goats spent three days in Toronto, drinking city water. I added ACV to their water, which they get at home, and they drank really well. I guess it made the chlorinated water smell and taste "right".


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## jad44 (Apr 10, 2008)

I started using the vinegar water when I read it on this site, and I could not believe the improvement in the looks and how much healthier my young goats seemed to be. I had them in some pretty mixed browse including pine needles and pine tree boughs, etc, and felt they just might need "something" to get rid of the mixture they had access to - what a difference - within a week they took on a different look! 

I'm new to raising goats, and this site has helped me so much - thanks to all who write in and post their problems and answers to those problems...


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## Kittikity (Oct 21, 2004)

One reason for the improved health of the goats might be that ACV helps with coccidia.. I've used it on chickens that had coccidia and it cleared right up within a couple days.. Of course, chickens don't like the taste like goats seem to..


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

We offer 2 buckets in each stall. One is plain water and the other is water w/ACV. I don't do this all the time, mainly because I forget to do it. We also offer free choice bicarb for the goats. They seem to know when they need either product. Bicarb at the feed store was $11 for 50# just a couple weeks ago.

Here's my recipe for Sponge Candy

3 c sugar
3 c brown Karo Syrup (1.5 bottles)
3 T white vinegar
3 T and 1 tsp baking soda
Approx 6# chocolate pieces to cover sponge pieces

Combine sugar, syrup and vinegar in heavy sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then cook without stirring until 300F on candy thermometer (approx 8 minutes).

Remove from heat. Very quickly stir in the baking soda and mix well. Pour into lightly sprayed metal 9x13 pan. Cool 1 hour. Break into pieces. Melt chocolate pieces in microwave, double boiler or crock pot. Drop chunks in chocolate to cover then cool on wax paper. Let stand at room temp until firm. Sore in cool place upt to 1 month. Can also freeze in airtight container.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Charleen is the sponge candy for the goats? It reminds me of my grandma's recipe for what we call Sea foam but I'd have to look it up & that's another thread altogether. Hahahaha!


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

Backfourty said:


> Charleen is the sponge candy for the goats? It reminds me of my grandma's recipe for what we call Sea foam but I'd have to look it up & that's another thread altogether. Hahahaha!


Sponge candy (and I've heard it called sea foam) is quite a delicacy in our house, I suppose you could offer it to the herd, they do enjoy things that crunch. It's fun to make - watching the soda foam up as you add it to the sugar/vinegar mix.


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

I didn't see this mentioned but I just skimmed the thread so forgive me if it's already been mentioned. You need to be careful, evidently, when using ACV in your water & not use it in galvanized tanks due to a chemical reaction of some sort. I'm not that knowledgeable about the chemistry behind it so I can't tell you exactly what, but I've seen it mentioned several times in other venues & figured it was worth passing along.


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## powderhooves (May 11, 2008)

I have been using the vinegar water and they love it. Sometimes, not often because it's so expensive, i put some gatorade out for them just as a treat. The vet told me to give it to one goat that was sick once and she loved it.


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## wooly1s (Apr 5, 2006)

Hey - how do you make your ACV _"SMWON"?_
We've added it around here in the hot summertime when the goats and sheep "don't want to go through the trouble" to get up and walk to the trough...they make an extra effort when they hear the "glug" of the vinegar - almost as enticing as the rattle of a coffee can!


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## Neecie (Sep 14, 2007)

Would home-made wine vinegar be ok?


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Well, how I do it is I buy a gallon of apple juice - it can be the really good stuff or the cheap stuff I suppose. I use the unfiltered not from concentrate, but I think the other would work as well. I pour the juice into a glass (or plastic) container, leaving some space for bubbles and add a small amount of bread yeast, a pinch works. It is said to not use bread yeast, but it works for me. I donât use the ACV for anything but the goats and other animals so the taste doesnât need to be premium. I add this because the natural yeasts are killed when the juice is canned, or at least I believe so. I then stir it with a stainless steel spoon and cover it with a paper towel. I tie the towel on the container with string. Then stir it everyday and in about 5 to 6 weeks you have cider vinegar. I store it in a glass or plastic container and I leave the lid loose until I know for sure there is no more yeast activity. 

This batch I am making I used the glass container it came in. I poured out about two cups and drank it. Then I added some of the dregs left from the last batch. It took longer to start to ferment but it seems to be working. I just left the lid on loose. To stir it I tighten the lid and shake it good and then loosen the lid to let the gasses escape and leave it loose until I shake it again. The first couple times I did that I had to loosen the lid in increments other wise it would have foamed out of the jar... much like a shaken soda would do. Anyways it turns to wine or hard cider and then turns to vinegar after a while.

Here is a link to the process of course it is a bit different than I do it and there is many more directions all you have to do in goggle âHow to make apple cider vinegarâ:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52526.asp


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## Madfarmer (Mar 22, 2008)

smwon said:


> Shortly after reading this thread I started adding 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon for the kids water. I have no idea if it helps, but it doesn't seem to hinder. I have started giving them warm vinegar water every morning now that it's colder out. The goats are doing well, growing and seem quite healthy. I now make my own apple cider vinegar and start a new batch each month... I also keep baking soda available free choice in case they want it.



I haven't heard of anyone making vinegar since my Granny died. would you mind sharing how you do it?

Madfarmer


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

See mt post above yours Madfarmer...


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

So did anyone try making the ACV???


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## Beulah Gardens (Feb 26, 2008)

I wasn't here for the original post BUT I am going to today! I will have fresh ACV when things start to heat up around here!! The last recipe I made started with apple peels and apple cores and water but this sounds soo much easier and quicker. Thanks smwon.


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## Tamar (Feb 23, 2005)

Hi all,

What sort of ACV are you all talking about?

The ACV you get at a healthfood store with the "mother" in it,

or the stuff that's way cheaper found in grocery stores?

I've only been buying the expensive stuff at the healthfood store, 
"Braggs" brand.


Thanks for your help
Tamar


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## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

I use the inexpensive stuff that you get at the grocery store. My does must drink twice the amount of water if the vinegar is in it. It is like koolaide to them! - good analogy that I got from Aunt Kitty.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

When I haven't had homemade ACV I will now inoculate store bought pasteurized ACV with a pint of the raw ACV. It is expensive so I don't use much of the bought stuff. I have also started making ACV from fresh cut up apples. If you would like to check out how I do it, please visit my blog here: http://lindercroft-smwon.blogspot.com/search/label/homemade ACV


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