goat food

sulyman · #1 10-01-10, 07:21 PM

does any one know if its ok to feed horse food to pygmy goats, ive had a ton of horse food {protein is 11 %} delivered and it saves me buying goat food, they are fed about a cereal bowl a day each.

little blue · #2 10-01-10, 08:25 PM

Ours are dairy goats, so protein content is more important if they're milking. Are your pygmies in kid or lactating?
We suppplement ours with straights (oats, maize etc) and a rabbit mix, as the milker gets very bored with just her food then wont stand still for milking!
Do they have plenty of hay/grass/veg etc?
I dont have experience of pygmies, only our big b*ggers, but why not mix the food so you know theyre getting at least some 'proper' goat food as well.

sulyman · #3 11-01-10, 08:44 AM

That was a quick reply, my goats are just pets, they have plenty of hay, and can roam around in at least 8 acres/grass/woodland {lucky goats} They dont really need food, but they get some as its a good way of me checking on them, the horse food is a coarse mix, and i dont think there is any thing that horses can have {mineral wise} that goats carnt have. I bet you are kept busy with your goats, is it your bisness {spelling}?

little blue · #4 11-01-10, 08:54 PM

No, we have 2 in the (big) back garden, chickens, quails and kune kune pigs. As well as rabbits, guinea pigs, cats and dogs ( one a gsd obviously!) but we struggle to be totally self sufficient, let alone make any money out of it! Egg sales cover alot of the feed bill though.
It sounds fine to feed your pygmies the horse food, maybe grind it a little if its quite course for their little goaty mouths!
Its just if they've kidded, I'd check the protein levels, and check the minerals as they need plenty of B12 (usually cobalt in food)

How many do you have? Have you posted any pictures of them?!

sulyman · #5 12-01-10, 08:46 AM

I had visions of you sat milking at least 20 goats, for there milk to make cheese. I have 4 goats, 3 riding horses, 5 mini shetlands, 15 sheep, loads of chickens AND NOT ONE EGG FOR MONTHS NOW, and ducks and geese, and of course gsds. I bet you are kept busy with your animal bunch, my friend got some kune kunes, because she was told they didnt dig? and they didnt grow big, and guess what, they are HUGE, and dig.

little blue · #6 12-01-10, 07:19 PM

yup, its not true at all what they about kunes, our pen looked like the S