![]() ![]() We switched to using 100 gallon stock watering tanks. Ten years ago we were able to buy them for five dollars each and they lasted three years, but today they cost twenty dollars each and they only last a few months. A block or rock alongside will allow smaller goats to reach the water. Twenty gallon garbage cans make good water tanks for goats. If you want to give it a try, this is a great video to learn to build you own goat feeder. Feeders should be built in a way that goats cannot jump up and stand or lay in the feeders.įeeders can be very expensive to buy. Such feeders are called flex feeders because they force younger goats to flex their loin, rump, and leg muscles while eating. This can be done by making sure feeders are about twenty four inches off the ground, and a bar, about 14 inches off the ground, is provided for smaller goats to prop their front feet on while eating. When feeding goats it is very important to protect the feed from contamination with goat manure to avoid internal parasites. Goat Feedersĭo not feed goats any feed that has the words goat or horse on the bag. We always feed pasture and/or hay free choice. ![]() To avoid digestive problems from the goats eating too much concentrate at one time, make sure the feed has at least 18% fiber. If you want to feed one pound per goat per day, just feed two pounds per goat every other day. If you feed less than this amount the more aggressive goats will get all the feed, and the more timid goats won’t get any. This is usually about two pounds per goat, per feeding. We have found that the best way to do this is to feed enough feed per feeding so each goat gets to eat its fill. When feeding a herd of meat goats it can be difficult to control how much feed each goat is getting. Check with your Agricultural Extension Service for the availability of these tests. One can also get hay and feeds tested for composition. For home-grown feed, for hay, and for pasture forages, average values can be found in he “Feed Composition Tables” published by the University of Missouri. For purchased feed this information is usually available on the feed bag or the tag attached to the bag. In addition to knowing the nutritional requirements of goats, one also needs to know the nutrients available in the feed one is using. Steve Hart’s “Introduction to Goat Nutrition,” available on the Langston University web site ( Langston University Goat & Research Extension) This article, together with the goat nutritional requirement data available on the Langston web site, can be used to formulate healthy rations for your goats. One can obtain a basic knowledge of goat nutrition from Dr. If pasture quality is high, with plenty of high protein legumes, kids do not need to be creep fed. Goats on good quality pastures will also be healthier, and their kids will grow faster. If the quality of pastures is high, the producer will not need to buy expensive feed supplements. Thus it is very important for meat goat producers to establish and maintain good quality pastures for their goats. The cost of buying feed from a feed store is even higher. The cost of the equipment and labor needed to harvest and store feed is high. ![]() Proper goat feeding is important for keeping goats healthy and productive. The most economical way to feed any of the meat goat breeds is to provide plenty of high quality pasture, feeding purchased feed only during winter and droughts when pastures are short. ![]()
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