[homeacremom]

:sigh I was so excited to finally find a feedstore that carried a decent bagged feed w/ AC to feed my bucks. What do you think those stinkers do? They won't eat it and have started loading it with berries. I am convince it is deliberate because they have NEVER put even one berry in there as long as I was giving them the "good" stuff.
For the first 2 1/2 weeks I mixed it with what they had been getting ( my home mixed whole grains) and they would pick through and leave the new pellets. I decided to fix that and gave them only the new feed. NOPE! Rather starve than eat that. :help2 It is getting COLD, these are 8 and 6 month old bucks and growing again now that rut is past. They are getting skinny!!!
Any tips to get these stinkers to eat this feed and to quit mocking me? I hate messing w/ the lumpy AC powder I have. :goat

 

[Sondra]

don't worry they will when they get hungry enough and get your feeder up so they can't poo in it. Also alfalfa pellets for growing bucks is a good choice even without the grain.

 

[homeacremom]

Yup I thought they would eat it when they got hungry. It has been TWO weeks. :? All they have had is this alfalfa meal based pellet available and mixed hay free choice. Eating a little more hay than usual but it has gotten colder. My grain mix they got before is half alfalfa pellets anyway. Too worried about UC if I don't give them AC. Maybe I should give up the worrying, give them what they like and save myself the hassle.
I need to figure out how to get the feeder up higher I guess. It seems like they have to be backing up and doing it deliberately as it is. :laughcry Hilarious and frustrating!

 

[Chaty]

I would continue to mix it with your other feed. I eprsonally dont give AC to mine because if your feed is balanced they shouldnt have problems. I only add it to my guys feed when the seasons change and only if I notice they are not drinking enough water...

 

[Ashley]

BTW, it's the hay that keeps animals warm. The fermentation of the fiber produces heat. Of course padding helps too, but grain won't produce the heat hay or browse will.

 

[homeacremom]

I know they won't freeze or totally starve as long as they have hay. I just need them to eat their balanced alfalfa/grain supplement so that they will grow out well and not look like """" all winter long. We have enough "unthrifty" looking pet goats in our area. I'm trying to do something better and swing the boat the other way. Goodness they got thin enough during rut. Now that it looks like they are growing again and not getting any fats, etc from supplemental feed they are starting to look even worse. They just are so rangy looking and not smooth and shiny. Could they actually eat enough hay to really thrive and look like top quality stock? I don't think so!

In case anyone wonders I DO put out fresh feed for them each feeding and add the uneaten stuff to the compost pile, so not a problem w/ damp stale feed. I DID wait until all my does were bred and the boys were acting semi-normal before attempting the change. They don't act sick or lethargic and have been dewormed. I know that Vicki and maybe some others use feed like this and their bucks eat it just fine...
STILL hoping someone will tell me why they won't eat this feed or how to get them to eat. :lol

 

[Rose]

Did you taste it? Maybe it doesn't taste good.

 

[Katarina]

Once bucks have bred for the first time, they go on hay and alfalfa pellets only, here

 

[Sondra]

yep mine and even babies only get alfalfa pellets and grass hay except in rut. you might try some BOSS to make their coats slick and shinny.

 

[homeacremom]

Thanks for all the replies. All things I've thought about. Guess I am overly concerned w/ possible UC. I'm going to go over the whole UC thing ONE more time... Just tell me to quit worrying. Don't know what I'd do with out a place to fuss outloud! :lol

 

[Sondra]

OK if you are going to use grain whether pelleted or loose grain (and yes if your goats were use to loose grain they are not going to like the pellets) then you have to provide AC for UC an worry abt what is enought etc etc etc. But if you feed grass hay and alfalfa pellets there is no worry at all because it is balanced.

 

[Halo-M Nubians]

What brand is it? I don't know where your located but you might try the "Purina Show goat" I hate forking out the $$ for it but it is the only feed with ac that my store carries. My bucks and kids go crazy over it-it must be tasty.

 

[NubianSoaps.com]

I feed Pilgrims Meat goat pellet, not the show goat with the added protein from fishmeal. Karen just brought over her 3 does (who just came from me) so they went right back into the pen with their friends and with Big Bird. Since Karen had switched to another meat goatpellet I mixed hers and mine half and half so the buck didn't have such a fast switch. Mine do not touch her pellet. Her girls eat only my pellet, and then hers will eat their pellet last

Be it a rancid oil, linseed meal, there are lots of things that make stock not like something, perhaps mine has more molassas in it. Just because it's an extruded pellet it still can be high in molassas.

The one good thing about goats is that if you give them no other choice, they will not starve....now they will wait you out hoping you will feel really awful about starving them, before they will switch! Vicki