# Do you feed baking soda?



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

*Do you feed baking soda?*
*Why do you feed baking soda?*
*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?*
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Just copy and paste that and lets have everyone chime in.

*Do you feed baking soda?* Not routinely.

*Why do you feed baking soda?* I feed it in lambars daily to keep acidosis down, because milk is very high in sugar, which once the kids start ruminating can give you acidosis. It also keeps the PH neutral in the single stomached animal having an all milk diet.

*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?* It's mostly used in those pushing production (there are studies shown in dairy cattle that the feeding of diamond V Yeast and bicarb actually increases milk production) and those feeding byproduct feeds that are high in protein and higher in molassas. With all good cured grass hays containing natural bicarb, this is enough for my herd. I also don't want another forum of sodium out with my goats to diminish the time spent eating their minerals. Vicki


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Do you feed baking soda? 
Not as part of daily suppleents
Why do you feed baking soda? 
I give it to bottle babies in their bottle to prevent upset stomach. Or to a goat who is sick or has eaten something bad (or too much of something good.)
What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? 
It neutralizes stomach contents. I feed little grain and don't feel it neccessary for daily use. From the info I have gathered from the internet and nutrition books, it is my understanding that a balanced diet provides mammals with what they need to manufacture their own sodium bicarbonate to keep ph in balance.


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## trueblessings (Mar 10, 2008)

Do I feed? Yes it's out 24/7

Why? I feed a pelleted feed with molasses and was told the bicarb would help keep down acidosis. Was also told goats would only eat what they needed.

Is this untrue also.

Lynn


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## Theresa (Oct 26, 2007)

*Do you feed baking soda?* Not routinely or free choice.

*Why do you feed baking soda?* 
I feed in the lambar once daily to keep them from getting stomache upsets.

*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? * 
It helps to nuetralized the stomache, but really only helps in single stomach animals.
Theresa


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

Do you feed baking soda? Yes, it is out 24/7

Why do you feed baking soda? I was told I needed to to prevent acidosis/bloat.

What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?
because my grain ration has molasses, and also I was told that fresh browse can cause the acid levels to rise, and the baking soda will help neutralize that and keep them from bloating. I was also told that they will only take what they need. I have noticed that they eat more of it in the summer when they're eating lots of fresh greens and not so much in the winter.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Do you feed baking soda? No


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

*Do you feed baking soda?* Yes, but not all the time. Mostly in the early spring/summer,or when I feel like I might have a problem like with a hay/grain change.

*Why do you feed baking soda?* To hopefully prevent bloat and/or acidosis. I've never put it in kid bottles and have never had a kid get sick. I have had a doe or two look a little bloaty in the early spring/summer with so much extra browse and hope the baking soda helps. I feed a lot of grain, but hadn't thought about giving baking soda to counter the effects.

*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?* I've heard it helps prevent acidosis. My herd is out on pasture year round without a problem, but in the spring we have a really lush growth period when I worry about them eating too much green stuff too fast. 
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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Do you feed baking soda? Not routinely only if someone seems a little off after eating too much. or bloat 

Why do you feed baking soda? I feed it in lambars daily to keep acidosis down, because milk is very high in sugar, which once the kids start ruminating can give you acidosis. It also keeps the PH neutral in the single stomached animal having an all milk diet.


What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? It's mostly used in those pushing production (there are studies shown in dairy cattle that the feeding of diamond V Yeast and bicarb actually increases milk production) and those feeding byproduct feeds that are high in protein and higher in molassas. With all good cured grass hays containing natural bicarb, this is enough for my herd. I also don't want another forum of sodium out with my goats to diminish the time spent eating their minerals. same as Vicki


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## stacy adams (Oct 29, 2007)

*Do you feed baking soda?* Not routinely.

*Why do you feed baking soda?* I'll purposely give it to those bad goats that have gotten into the chicken feed or the feed room to prevent stomach upsets.

*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?*
I've heard that goats that eat feed will get more stomach aches than those that just eat browse. I quit leaving it out the first year when I noticed they weren't interested in it at all, and all it did was collect dust. Finding out that good cured grass hays contain a natural bicarb and since I offer a quality hay year round, I felt this was enough for my herd. Stacy


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2010)

Do you feed baking soda?

yes, it is out 24/7

Why do you feed baking soda?

Prevent acidosis, my goats get alot of fresh browse, pine needles, leaves, bark anything they will eat that they like..Also for milk production.. 

What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?
Prevent acidosis, bloat... My herd eats tons of it and I do push milk production since I work at getting those little goats (Nigerians) to milk..
Barbara
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## Dana (Dec 7, 2009)

I give baking soda as free choice.

I do it because after reading so many goat sites, I thought I was supposed to.

I thought it kept bloat away.


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## Narrow Chance (Oct 29, 2007)

Yes.. I do use baking soda. Not 24/7.. but routinely. It's not out now due to the continual rain.. makes a mess with soda and minerals.

I don't actually 'feed' soda.. it's out for free choice... but I do put it out to help with bloat... as the original bag (50#) I got eons ago stated it was a reumin stablizer. 

I've read many years ago that soda helps with bloat.. and acidosis. I mainly use it when there is luss grass that may be over browsed.. and in the spring when there are so many green things around. 
As for production.. yes.. I do push production.. and I like knowing that however much grain they eat.. I can help with the digestion of it.

Note: I personally suffer from reflux and have many stomach problems due to the arthritis medication I take. I can tell you.. there is a box of soda on my shelf in the kitchen. I won't hesitate to mix some with water and relieve my indigestion or gas.
I belch like a two sailors.. but I swear it work. I am not prescribing it mind you.. because people with certian heart disease should not use soda.. as it actually is sodium bicarb.. the same thing they do IV push with. 
(guess that was to much information huh?)
Anyway... I know personally it works.. so I am sure my girls like that it helps them also.


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## [email protected] (Sep 18, 2008)

Do you feed baking soda? I put soda in the lambar. I put it out for does/bucks when I think about it in the summer...not so much in the winter. I use a yeast/kelp supplement that has sodium bicarbonate listed about half way down, that's mixed with free choice minerals (couldn't get them to eat the stuff on the stand, but they scarf it up with their minerals). If they get into something they shouldn't, I'd use it by swiping into their mouths or drench if need be.

Why do you feed baking soda? Lambar-I've had kids get upset bellies-it seems to help. Gonna also try yogurt in the lambar this year to replace some of the good bacteria that pasturizing takes out (thanks Sherrie  ). I don't mind having the sodium bicarb in the supplement for the adults as I have one doe that seems to belch often-her nickname is 'Miss Piggy'-LOL, so I think it may help and doesn't hurt anything anyhow.

What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? Acidosis. I do think it helps in the summer with more browse and grain on the stand. I'm sure it helps with kids when they get those upset tummy aches.


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## Terri-Lynn (Nov 7, 2007)

Do you feed baking soda? Not really I use it more as a remedy. If someone has gotten into something they shouldn't have, but this hasn't happened in a few years.

Why do you feed baking soda? I haven't in years because no one has seemed to need it and because it is a "salt" of sorts the goats will choose to eat some of this as opposed to loose mineral.

What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? To help with bloat, mild indigestion. I haven't felt it to be applicable- I don't use sweet feed, and goats get hay before being turned out in the spring so I haven't seen anyone with upset tummy symptoms (knock wood)


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

Do you feed baking soda. Yes, I have it out 24/7 in the doe pen and kid pen. The bucks tear their minera/sodal feeder down so they get it only if they need it (they get their mineral with their pellets).

Why do you feed baking soda. To prevent acidosis and bloat. I've never routinely put it in the bottles/lambar unless the kids seem to be having tummy issues. I'll hand feed extra soda if a goat is off and like to bring it to shows.

What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? This is what my goat mentor taught me to do. She said the goats will eat it if they need it to balance their rumen pH. I have seen my goats go to it if they are having digestive problems. I figure better to be safe than sorry. My goats don't seem to be passing up their mineral to eat the soda. When they are pregnant, I sometimes have to fill the mineral part every day or so. The soda usually needs to be refilled every two or three weeks. I feed alfalfa, rather than grass hay because it's readily available here, but usually have a bale or so of grass hay on hand. The natural bicarb thing would probably explain why my goats will eat that when they are of their regular feed if they are ill.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

Baking soda only when I think someone needs to burp. Silly, but I just go by my instincts on that.


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## MiaBella Farm (Jul 22, 2008)

I feed it in lambars and I keep some in the feed troughs, sometimes they eat it sometimes they don't. I have heard several folks here use it, so I figure it can't hurt.


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

I have always kept out Baking Soda free choice. I purchase Feed Grade Sodium Bicarbonate from a feed mill. I can purchase a 50# bag cheaper than buying it by the box at WalMart.

I use it to keep PH levels balanced. My goats still devour lots of minerals even with the Baking Soda available right next to them.


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## homeacremom (Nov 6, 2007)

> Do you feed baking soda?


No, but it is available free choice and the feeder kept clean and dry. I do occasionally add to pasteurized milk for the babies if there is less milk consumed than I expect. Once they get onto the mixed grow ration with added rumen buffers (plus milk of course) it's rarely necessary. 
I do hand feed if someone is off feed.



> Why do you feed baking soda?


I keep it available- #1 because the goats will go straight to it before I even notice rumen acidity.Inexpensive bloat insurance. Acidity buildup can be from stress, hormones, fresh grass, weird plant or leaves blowing in, teeth coming in and less cudding etc. #2 I feed whole grains due to the need to control what is in the supplemental feed for human allergy control (ie no soy). I don't add any rumen buffer (or other additives such as mineral) directly to the supplemental feed. Not pushing production here, but they are not milking on pasture/hay only so I provide them with something to buffer the alfalfa hay and supplemental grains.



> What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?


 I first kept it out because my mentors did and recommended it...now I've read the research and anecdotal evidence and am convinced it is helpful. Bicarb helps buffer the rumen, improves rumen function which helps with absorption, and, of course, prevents simple acidosis and the complications from that. Yes, it applies to my herd because we do not do exclusive browse based species appropriate feeding and I am also not willing to allow for natural culling at this point.

And since others have mentioned this as a concern- the goats here do not use bicarb to the exclusion of minerals. Plain salt=same deal. Bicarb usage varies but is minimal compared to the mineral consumption.

They use bicarb when stressed by weather changes, pregnancy hormones, over kidding time and ration changes, and after any new feed, such as leaves blowing in on a storm or spring growth. They use more during lactation when they are getting supplemental feeds and so are reduced in how much grass hay they can hold. Again, not much overall. 
Salt they use when milking heavily, when the weather is extremely hot, and occasionally when heavy bred or early pregnancy when building blood supply. Same deal as with humans.
Minerals have been steady consumption although increased while heavy bred. After copper bolusing the first time consumption jumped to what everyone always talked about, but it's been level ever since.
Never had copper deficiency symptoms other than in the one doe that prompted me to try the bolusing, but apparently it was necessary.
Bucks don't eat as much mineral, very little in fact, now that I feed a pelleted feed (for the added AC convenience.) It has a good mineral pack in it already.


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

*Do you feed baking soda?* 24/7, though the babies & bucks eat almost none

*Why do you feed baking soda?* Grass hay is not readily available here, but I use dairy grade alfalfa and natural browse, which can change a lot. Oddly enough, my goats went through more baking soda when I lived in MS and they got more grass hay than they do now. Some of my girls are more prone to upset tummies, and they will lay heavy into the soda, while others barely touch it. I have out good minerals, plain sea salt, and baking soda, and they use each at different times, but I don't have a single one that will eat soda instead of minerals. Of course, I prefer minerals with very little salt added, Techmaster concentrate is my favorite, no salt at all. I do use baking soda when treating bloat. I do not add it to babies buckets,, and knowck on wood, have never had upset tummies. I do add probios powder to their bucket though, so maybe there is some in there??

*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?* Baking soda is used a lot in cow dairies with rich alfalfa diets and high protein/urea dairy rations and little grass. Anectdotal evidence from myself and other goat owners show that baking soda can help goats regulate their own tummy trouble, and as supplements go, it is certainly cheap.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

*Do you feed baking soda?* I have it available for the goats in a feeder in the stalls, alongside the minerals. However, they usually don't eat it. Every once in a while, though. And they are not always in the stalls...if they are out in the paddock, there are minerals out there, but no baking soda. (They kept knocking down the feeder that I had it in and the new one only has one compartment, so it's just the minerals.) I also put a pinch in the bottles when the babies get their milk. Maybe after reading everybody's comments here, I'll re-think my approach.

*Why do you feed baking soda?* Theoretically, as a preventative for acidosis/bloat.

*What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? * I had heard that goats will eat it when they need it (on here, I'm pretty sure!) Obviously, after reading all of the above, maybe that's not the case, but mine have not been eating it that much, and definitely not at the expense of their minerals.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Do you feed baking soda? _Not free choice- we feed Diamond V DFM yeast formula as milk stand top dress which has a base of bicarb_
Why do you feed baking soda? _For neutralizing acid_
What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd?_It is most useful when animals are consuming a pelleted ration that does not take a lot of cudding and re chewing. This activity neutralizes naturally but already pulverized rations just dissolve and do not supply the correct level of gut activity which can cause acidity. We feed whole grains and rarely have problems with acidity._


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## Spicer Creek Goats (Dec 10, 2007)

Do you feed baking soda? Not usually, but I do have some out right now per vets advise.

Why do you feed baking soda? To prevent acicdosis.

What have you heard is the reason to feed baking soda and is it applicable to your herd? 

Per vets advise, but for the most part I don't think my girls need it. They devour their mineral. I only have an issue with one doe.

Very interesting question. Please see new post on baking soda.

Thanks, 
Julie


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