# What to feed my billy goat



## cloverhillgoats (May 23, 2008)

I have a four month old billy goat-new herd sire. I buy the 14% M-G feed with AC in it and the US Alfalfa which is 17% protein. I've been feeding him M-G feed: 1.5 cups a.m. and 1.5 cups p.m. But he doesn't eat it. He only eats a few bites of grain and waits for his alfalfa and milk bottle. He gets 1.5 cups of alfalfa and 30 ounces of milk a.m. and the same p.m. He eats all of his alfalfa and milk. Should I be feeding him differently? Could I give him sunflower seeds? Should I be giving him calf manna? Thanks.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

*Re: What to feed my buck goat*

Until my kids reach adult size I feed them all the alfalfa hay they can eat or free choice pellets and grass hay. Does your little guy look to be in good condition?


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

*Re: What to feed my buck goat*

I'll tell you what I'm feeding. Mine are getting alfalfa hay pm and lespedeza I cut for them am. I feed them whole oats, about 1.5 lbs between 4 bucks (3 are young), twice a day. I'm going to get some AC to add to the grain. They get minerals and water of course as well. I feed grain because of the studies done on it showing it's important for rumen development.

Also because I have a doe that normally gets no grain, but when I was out of town, I simplified things for the person caring for them while I was gone and so they all got grain. Including for a good while before I left to accustom them to it. And that doe just looked better than usual. Nicer coat etc. So I think a certain amount of grain is good for them. I only feed whole grains though.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

*Re: What to feed my buck goat*

I give them alfalfa pellets and the pelleted grain with the AC just as you are doing. If they eat it fine and dandy but as long as he has milk he isn't going to eat much of the pelleted food. However I like to keep mine on milk as long as possible that is how they grow. You do not need to add anything else to his diet in the form of protien. After they are a year old then mine only get alfalfa pellets and grass hay except during rutt season.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: What to feed my buck goat*

Ashley, please take away the oats you are feeding your bucks until after you get the AC. Your really playing rusian roulette with their lives feeding grains to bucks, even with alfalfa...you have to remember our browse is nearly all phosphrous, it's overwhelmingly more phos in their diets on browse with oats for alfalfa to bring the levels back down.

There is excellent reading on raising bucks from Tim Pruitt in goatkeeping 101 also.

Alot of goatlings don't really start eating until off milk, but your diet sounds fine. Vicki


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

*Re: What to feed my buck goat*

They aren't getting browse, only alfalfa and lespedeza. But I don't guess it would kill them to take away the oats.


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## [email protected] (Sep 18, 2008)

*Re: What to feed my buck goat*

I purchased two bucklings this spring. One @ 3 wks and one @ 8 wks. They have always had free choice alf pellets, alf hay, 18% goat starter/grower pellets w/ac, mineral and water. At 4 months they were getting 32oz bottles of milk, but usually didn't finish quite all of it, and were weaned at about 5 months. The last month I've been giving them a bit of my milkstand grains, but they seem to be on a bit of a strike from eating--more interested in girls than food. <rolleyes>  They're eating up their alfalfa pellets and hay pretty good, but barely nibbling on their st/gr pellets and grain. They're 8 months old now and both over 100# and healthy!! After rut they won't be getting the st/gr pellets or grain, just alf pellets, hay and their mineral.


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