# Whole or rolled oats?



## tmfinley

Really hope this isn't too dumb of a question. I am going to start mixing my own feed and am going to get oats. Should I get whole oats or steamed rolled oats? Does it matter?

Thanks,
Tiffany


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## Feral Nature

I use whole oats and have for several years.


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## Sondra

I use whole oats as like the fiber and a well renouned goat person always said whole race horse oats were what goats needed. So for nearly 8yrs now that is what I use.


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## tmfinley

I figured whole oats would be the answer, because I of course picked up the rolled oats. :rofl Will the rolled oats be okay?

Tiffany


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## Guest

I would think they will be just fine

Whim


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## NubianSoaps.com

I can get rolled barley but not rolled oats, whole or crimped oats here, and crimped oats are usually dusty and fluff, so whole oats here. No help here, sorry. vicki


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## Ashley

I always use whole oats too. I don't see what would be wrong with the rolled ones, might digest better.


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## wheytogosaanens

ccording to my farmer friend (barley, wheat, ) rolled anything (oats, barley, wheat) are actually better because the nutrients are more easily digested/usable. He has a BS in agriculture and studies have been done (with cows, of course) and when fed rolled oats the cows had a 25 % increase in production with no additional inputs. In other words, you get more bang for your buck.

Goats can utilize whole oats quite effectively, so then you might base your decision on cost.
For instance: Feed store: Whole oats, 50 lbs. $13.50 
Steamed and Rolled oats , 50 lbs. $12.50
(asked the feed store why more expensive for whole since they didn't have to process it, and he said yes, that's true, but
whole oats can't have any broken pieces and the horse folks are really particular about that.)
Grain guy: whole oats, 10 cents/lb.
rolled oats, 12 cents/lb. Why? Because he had to roll them, of course! 

I went ahead and paid the extra 2 cents/lb for the rolled. I figured that either way it was a deal.
Oh another advantage of whole is that it stores longer/better if the hull hasn't been cracked.
I still try to get cracked/rolled grains when possible.

Camille


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## baileybunch

But-once a grain is cracked or rolled doesn't it begin to, and quickly lose nutritional value? And steamed is no longer raw grain, it's cooked. I thought, too that the crimping process removed the germ, which is the most nutrition intense part.


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## wheytogosaanens

baileybunch said:


> But-once a grain is cracked or rolled doesn't it begin to, and quickly lose nutritional value? And steamed is no longer raw grain, it's cooked. I thought, too that the crimping process removed the germ, which is the most nutrition intense part.


I don't know about the crimping removing the germ? Anyone else know? As far as losing nutrition, I think that is over a longer period of time (your hay loses a little bit of nutrition too, but it is still good feed, after all  ).
Rolled grains are just that - rolled. Nothing taken out, just broken down to make it easier for the animal to make use
of the nutrients.


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## Agape Oaks

I've tried both as rolled is cheaper. My does much much prefer whole oats to crimped....& of course whatr my girls want, my girls get


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## Sondra

The rolled will be fine but once again I prefer the whole oats.


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## goatkid

My friend came back from convention last fall saying the presenter of the seminar told them that whole oats don't give the goats as much nutrients as crimped or rolled oats...but folks on this forum are successfully feeding them to their goats...so, today I picked up some whole oats. Feed prices are going up alot here and the oats are the most reasonable. I'm going to start adding them to my grain mix again. Kathie


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## NubianSoaps.com

seminar told them that whole oats don't give the goats as much nutrients as crimped or rolled oats
.................

I think when things like this are said they are forgetting that they are talking about small ruminants. Vicki


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## Guest

And not to mention... it is heresay and from a third party.

Feeding whole oats is an excellent choice in my opinion.

Sara


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## Rose

I feed crimped or rolled oats, figuring that their digestive system can get to the nutrients more easily. I've seen a lot of whole oats pass through cows and horses. Yes, I know it's two different kinds of digestion.

In the long run, it probably doesn't matter much.


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## tmfinley

Guess this wasn't such a dumb question after all. I think I will try rolled oats for a while because I am switching my rabbits to natural grains also and not being small ruminants may get better nutrition from them. Once again thank you everyone for all the great information!! :biggrin

Tiffany


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## Sondra

just to let you know my rabbit eat the same thing I feed the goats.
whole oats/cracked corn/Boss/ steamed rolled barley/ alfalfa pellets. 

rabbits in the wild don't get their food rolled for them  infact chickens get the same here too. and they still lay eggs. Not being sarcastic here just letting you know what I do


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## Ashley

Rose said:


> I feed crimped or rolled oats, figuring that their digestive system can get to the nutrients more easily. I've seen a lot of whole oats pass through cows and horses. Yes, I know it's two different kinds of digestion.
> 
> In the long run, it probably doesn't matter much.


I've seen the whole oats in the goat poop too. I wouldn't have noticed except the chickens figured it out, and they obviously know which goats are getting milked LOL. As soon as Jodi dropped some pellets here came a chicken running busting up the pellets and eating the oats out.


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## Beverrlly

I think last time we had this discussion, I remember someone saying that it is just the oat hulls that end up in the poop and actual grain is digested. I'll see if I can find the old discussion to give credit where it's due...

ETA: It was Sondra in this thread:
http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,423.msg3374.html#msg3374


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## Ashley

Well, it must get digested, if they refuse to eat them, their production really drops. Ask me how I know. :nooo


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