[baileybunch]

Okay, most everyone I know feeds BOSS to their goats. I know of a local breeder who doesn't because she says it is bagged as bird seed and not screened (or sifted) very well and it can have mold in it. :really I've never encountered a problem feeding BOSS to my goats. :nooo

Also, how much do you all feed. I have fed anywhere froma handful, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup to 1 cup. :?.

Thanks!

 

[Odeon]

I don't feed BOSS, not due to that, I just haven't seen a need to use it in my feeding program (I have supplimented with whole cotten seed in the past with good results tho).

I DO recall a post a year or so ago, regarding a feed store and a batch of moldy, or rancid BOSS. The issue being that since it wasn't labeled for goats, they didn't feel responsible to replace the bags, or take responsibility for the sick goats... Not sure all of the exact details, as it was some time ago.

Ken

 

[Guest]

I don't feed BOSS....my ND's would get way too fat if I fed much of it at all. I fed a little last year, along with their regular diet, and they looked like little roly poly's walking around.

 

[baileybunch]

Well, thanks you TWO! :biggrin I do NOT have "roly poly" Nigerian Dwarves! I have tall, skinny, black (2 are) Alpines! Lots of help there.

I would think (but don't know) that one could see moldy? and smell rancid? But I don't know that either. I have never encountered anything but bags of dry seeds. I look forward to hearing from members who do use or have used BOSS.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

...your welcome, I think......I've bought BOSS for the birds around here for years, and I really never remember buying any that looked moldy or anything.

 

[homeacremom]

Well, I use BOSS. It is about 12% of my home mixed feed. I grow some of my own seed and buy the rest. Never had a problem w/ moldy seed. I do smell and inspect each bag as I open it. Figure that most bird seed companies are going to be pretty careful that none of their products gets bashed for harming the wildlife. You know how particular most "enviromentalists" are about the impact on wildlife. :rolleyes

 

[baileybunch]

Yes, thank you! It was just funny that the first two response I received were "we don't need it" and both of you have NDs! :biggrin So, I thought it amusing. I was trying to be funny. Just doesn't read like it sounds in person. Thank you.

 

[Sondra]

I use it regularly and even eat the seeds myself unsalted of course in 50lb bags. Never have had a rancid batch in 8 yrs.
I feed it for the roughage and the oil without feeding I have dry flakey skin on goats At this point am thinking abt using the oil just because of the cost. I mix 25 lb to 100lb of my other grain oat/barley so don't know abt cups tho at times I haven't had a chance to mix up the grain and have top dressed with a handful

Also agree with above statement the birds system would not handle mold or racid at all
Oh and by the way my ND /mini's/Lamanch/Nubians all get it. :crazy

 

[Narrow Chance]

I use BOSS. have for years. Mine is always fresh from our feed store. Not much trash.. but my grew don't seem to mind. It's labeled as bird seed though.
I havent' a clue how much I feed.. I measure by scoop. I hand mix my feed.. as the goat chow and such is so darn expensive.
I feed an all grain.. (waiting for the shocked looks) of whole oats, crushed corn and some barley. It's a 16% protien.. and then I add Beet pulp.. and BOSS. I scoop one pulp and one BOSS.. and it goes in with the all grain. I would say it's about 2 quarts to 25 pounds of all grain. I usually feed what my girls want to eat on the stand, which is about one scoop each. (have no idea how much weight that is, but it's the same scoop as I scoop the BOSS and Pulp with so aobut 2 quarts, more or less ) Some eat less.. one eats more.. but she is a heavy milker.. but not usually.

 

[Guest]

:biggrin.....we just like to brag, about how these ND's can get fat by just eating dirt. :crazy

 

[Good Goats]

We feed BOSS.... about 1/4 cup.

 

[Chaty]

I use BOSS also and have never had a bad bag either and my goats just love it and I dont give them alot just enough to where its like a snack to them and it sure makes their coats shiney too...I also give it to my horses as it helps with their coats not holding mud as bad either and makes their coats just shine and they love it too...

 

[Ashley]

Since I am only feeding a few does, I can feed a good amount of it, even though the last bag I bough was like $16 :nooo :mad (They were $10 at the beginning of the year)

Right now i's 1/3 of their grain. They get 2 parts oats and one part BOSS. I was feeing 1 part oats, 1 part barley and 1 part BOSS in the beginning, but the feed store didn' consistently keep barley and I would often get old bags with bugs and stuff, so I gave up on the barley.

 

[Keeperofmany]

I to feed BOSS. My goats get 1/2 cup twice a day mixed with their oats and barley. I feed it to all our poultry to. I just mix with their feed. It cost me anywhere between 17 & 20 dollar for almost 50 lb. and I go through 2 bags a week feeding it to everything from our goats , poultry, rabbits and wild birds.

 

[Feral Nature]

I feed it when I have it, it is always clean and smells good when you open the bag. I used corn oil on the milkstand grain for the last several months though in place of BOSS. I put the oil in a clean dish soap squirt bottle and just squirted some on top of their ration.

 

[NubianSoaps.com]

It's $15 per 50 here and I refuse to buy it anymore. I have fed sunflower oil on the milkstand to replace the fat in the BOSS and right now I am feeding rice bran which is 13% fat. If I don't feed some sort of fat with my alfalfa pellets when they are dry and oats when heavy bred, the girls will shave out for appraisal next spring with scaly skin and less than pretty hair. And when your herd is all smoke and mirrors (general appearance I feed the fat! Vicki

 

[Guest]

Vicki, if I were to do that with these ND's, wouldn't I run into those 6 lb. baby's again next spring ? I liked to have killed my doe's with kindness last time.

 

[Sondra]

you just aren't supposed to over do it Whim.

 

[NubianSoaps.com]

Yeah you can't overdo fat or you will have clumpy or loose poop. Carbs of course is what causes the problems. Vicki

 

[Narrow Chance]

$15 a 50 pound bag???? :crazy
Sorry.. I find that not so much outragous.
I pay $19.99 a bag.... which is a tad more expensive than Walmart.
Would cost me wayyyy more than that to just drive through Walmart's parking lot... :goat