# Need advice about feed



## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

Ok so my girls are away being breed for late fall babies and the woman I took them to is telling me that the feed I am feeding is not good enough for them I was feeding godfreys milk maker she changed them to purina goat chow but I was wanting to feed them purina dairy parlor can anyone tell me the difference with them? Is one better than the other? Thanks!


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## punchiepal (Aug 4, 2010)

No, b/c there doesn't appear to be much info about anything on the Godfrey's tags. No min/max mineral content, fat content, copper, and I like to know what ratio I am feeding of Cal/Phos.


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## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

So are you saying that neither one would be better than the godfreys?


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## nisthabhakti (Jul 15, 2014)

All commercial feeds may have the ability to keep your goats alive.... They are cheap and that is because of the cheap ingrediants. I choose to raise dairy goats for my health. That means giving them the best for their health. What ever goes in the feed bin ultimately comes out in the milk pail - and into you and your loved ones. Commercial feeds use GMO, or genetically modified grains in their ingrediants. I personally don't want this in my diet, nor do I want it going in their diet and coming out in the milk! Many humans are now intolerant to ordinary foods such as WHEAT, CORN, SOY, etc. This is due to the fact that those staple food items have been scientifically manipulated to the point that our bodies no longer recognize them as the foods they use to be. They used to bring us health and now they create allergic reactions and long term disease. Even my dog's food had soy in it and he developed an allergic reaction that brought me to question the ingredients in his food. Now, Im not drinking my dog's milk, but at five months old I sure love 'em and need him to stick around and guard my goats from the Coyotes! Even foods labelled as "natural" are still often loaded with harmful ingredients. As far as my goats go, I feed them locally grown hay that is pesticide-free and Modesto Milling Organic Dairy goat feed. This is USA certified organic. It is produced in California. THey have Organic alfalfa pellots as well. Also they provide safe, organic feed for other livestock animals as well. It is well worth all our health to bite the bullet and go with the real stuff. Made with ingredients created by God, not some human in a lab.


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## nisthabhakti (Jul 15, 2014)

By the way, I just wanted to add... I have a friend's doe here at the Vedic Ranch to get bred. Part of the deal is she provides the feed. I milk the goat and get to keep the milk. She feeds some cheap-o three way sweet feed. Her goat's milk comes out a yellowy colour and smells and tastes different than my own goats on organic feed. THe goat is not ill and the milk is not BAD, it just is not as GOOD as mine! I drink it any way, but my husband refuses. If I mix the milks he can tell the difference. If I segregate her milk from mine, he pushes hers to the back of the fridge and refuses to abide by the "drink it in the order of date it was milked" rule!


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## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

I think I am just going to keep my girls on the Godfreys. It has been working great for me and I know other big breeders out here that use it and actually they are the one who told me about it. I have tried the other feed choice out here and it made my milk taste off and I refuse to drink nasty milk! Lol! I have had several other people comment on how good my milk tastes so I am just going to do what I was doing. As for the organic feed I think its a great choice but when I can afford to feed me, my three going on four young children, and my DH can eat organic food ourselves then I will feed it to my animals.  Thank you for your replies.


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## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

Let me add I did take this woman more than enough feed, hay, and their supplements while they where down there but she made the decision on her own to feed her feed without talking to me before. I am really hoping that they don't have stomach problems when they come back.


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## punchiepal (Aug 4, 2010)

Crystal,
All I was saying is that you can't compare the feeds b/c there isn't enough info on the Godfrey's tag. You see vit and minerals listed on the ingredients but no info. It's nice to have the ingredient list but also the amounts of each in the feed.


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## nisthabhakti (Jul 15, 2014)

Crystal, I apologize for insisting that organic is the best. We all know that, and most of us can not afford it. It is another governmental ploy to make us sick and dependant on their pharmacuetical drugs!
We can't afford to buy all organic foods our selves. DAIRY products and greens are the only things I am strict about. Those are the two things I eat the most,LOL.
The first goats I got were already on the organic feed and I convinced my husband that they would get sick if we did not keep them on the same feed. We are a spiritual non-profit center. So we are not loaded with dough. I do work on the side and keep that cash especially for their feed bill. 
I also am not blessed with children, so I recognize that if I was, I would not have the luxary of treating my goats as if they were my own kids. God bless you and your growing family. Congratulations on # 4!


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## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

Nistha, it's ok! I do recognize that organic is much much better for us! that was some of the reason behind getting our chickens and dairy goats was to be able to give my children and us better food even if it's just alittle bit! My in laws do grow a garden of corn and beans so we get that but little else. And I do agree that it is probably a ploy by the government! The problem is most people are blindly following along. I honestly don't even know if there is a organic feed over here!


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## lovinglife (Mar 19, 2013)

Even if you don't feed your girls organic, your farm raise products are far healthier for you than store bought. Your fresh raw milk is loaded with health benefits instead of health stealing pasturized garbage that is sold in plastic which again loses the added vitamin D that was added to it because the light destroys it and because they destroyed all the good stuff in milk by all the processing....oh boy I can go on...ok, your fresh raw GOAT milk is loaded with good stuff for your family. I will stop there.... knowing your chickens were raised in your yard, with fresh air and sunshine.....it is better, only not a little, a LOT. Keep up the good work!


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

I think it was wrong of the breeder to switch feeds. Just because she likes Purina better, it doesn't mean she should push it on your does. You DID provide your own feed, so there was no reason for her to do that.

I would nicely ask her to begin transitioning your goats back to the godfreys. Say it's because you want to prevent digestive upset.


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## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

Mountaingoats I did ask her yesterday to please put them back on my feed. She told me she is afraid to feed my feed to them! Lol! They have been on it for almost a year with no problems! Anyways as soon as I can we will be making a trip to get my girls.


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## EmyAcres (Jul 3, 2013)

Michele, thank you! My children have hardly even been sick since putting them on 'good' eggs and milk! Which is wonderful! They was at the doctors at least twice a month for the longest time! And so far this year I have only had them there once!


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

I compared Purina goat chow and godfreys feed. Godfreys has more protein, fat and fiber. But they don't list the mineral amounts. The ingredients are very similar, except that godfreys adds mineral oil for some reason.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

They use mineral oil to bind the minerals to the feed.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

^^ ok, good to know!


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## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

Godfreys is a step above most generic feeds, they used steamed oats and corn and their minerals are designed around or general mineral needs, the professors at UGA are consulted to design the feeds. Still its not one of my personal favorites because its powdery and the milk isnt as good.

Goat chow to me makes the milk taste woody.

Whippoorwill farms in Walnut grove can order organic dairy feed, its $25 per 50lbs


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## farmer_to_be_037 (Aug 18, 2014)

Does anyone have any experience with DuMor goat feed and other of their products. 


Owner to-be of two Nigerian Dwarf goats. (1 wether, 1 doeling) 
Harvard, Illinois


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## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

Dumor is produced by purina for TSC for the times before TSC was allowed to sell prunia products. All Dumor goat feed except the sweet has AC in it, my bucks get the dry feed but I dont care for the prices of the sweet when its not that much different than a quality horse feed that is less. Read the labels not the packaging.


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## farmer_to_be_037 (Aug 18, 2014)

Cannon_farms said:


> Dumor is produced by purina for TSC for the times before TSC was allowed to sell prunia products. All Dumor goat feed except the sweet has AC in it, my bucks get the dry feed but I dont care for the prices of the sweet when its not that much different than a quality horse feed that is less. Read the labels not the packaging.


Sorry, I'm still reading up on goats. (I'm getting my first ones in the beginning of next year) are you saying that this feed is a decent feed? I plan on feeding my nigerian dwarfs DuMor winning show feed. I'm not sure what ac is.. I know I read it somewhere but I am forgetting.

Owner to-be of two Nigerian Dwarf goats. (1 wether, 1 doeling) 
Harvard, Illinois


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## WildflowerFarm (Apr 21, 2013)

We currently mix our own feed from equal parts rolled barley, rolled oats, and black oil sunflower seeds. We use the rolled grain because, when we used whole grains, we noticed that it was 'coming out the other side' whole. I'm not sure about how the cost compares, but the milk is good on it, even though it isn't organic. Some goat friends of ours used Kalmbach feed, which is mixed out in Ohio. The goats loved it, we don't use it now because it is GMO corn, and we like to go non-GMO as much as we can  They do tend to get 'picky' on our mix, though!


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## informative (Aug 24, 2012)

Is this common to leave your goats with someone with a buck to get them bred? Seems like the math would support bringing in a single buck for a few weeks to get the job done - no?


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## informative (Aug 24, 2012)

WildflowerFarm said:


> We currently mix our own feed from equal parts rolled barley, rolled oats, and black oil sunflower seeds. We use the rolled grain because, when we used whole grains, we noticed that it was 'coming out the other side' whole


Yes - I notice this too - corn is actually the worst and will come out whole nearly 100% of the time because the outer shells on corn kernals are literally impervious to digestion.


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## farmer_to_be_037 (Aug 18, 2014)

informative said:


> Is this common to leave your goats with someone with a buck to get them bred? Seems like the math would support bringing in a single buck for a few weeks to get the job done - no?


That is very common and it is referred to as a stud fee. Or you can have a "driveway date" where you bring the doe to the buck and have them bred then and there and you take the doe home the same day

Owner to-be of two Nigerian Dwarf goats. (1 wether, 1 doeling) 
Harvard, Illinois


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## WildflowerFarm (Apr 21, 2013)

informative said:


> Is this common to leave your goats with someone with a buck to get them bred? Seems like the math would support bringing in a single buck for a few weeks to get the job done - no?


Yes, many buck owners would not want to let someone who has never owned a buck before, (or anyone, for that matter,) care for one of their best boys!


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