Feeding the goats
I feed free choice 16% Haystack brand alfalfa pellets to the milkers. I also get 3rd cutting alfalfa if it's available, but have the pellets available for the milkers even if I give the alfalfa hay. It supplies all protein and calcium needs, but with the pellets there is no waste. Adequate calcium is very important for milk production, and to avoid Milk Fever, which is a deficiency of calcium. Many times they are so stuffed out on pellets they aren't interested in the grain, which is just regular whole oats with hulls. I have never fed a formulated goat chow. I give kelp meal and have realized this is a must. I don't feed it free choice, maybe twice a week. My area is very low in iodine. I also use Right Now Onyx, Copasure every 4 mos. minimum, vitamin D in winter by opening capsules that are meant for human use, Bo-Se when needed. Bo-Se is a selenium/vitamin E injectable. I gave it orally, not injected. Management change for now- I'm giving selenium yeast for horses, mixed with some kelp meal, when needed, along with a couple vitamin E capsules squeezed in their mouth. Access to Eastern Oregon Orchard grass hay, and seasonal pasture. And above all proper worming, without that, all the great food will not cut it. The milkers when producing a lot didn't eat much grass hay. I won't buy local hay, too much rain means less nutrients and minerals and early stage Liverfluke can be dried out on hay and survive. So no hay from the wet side of Oregon will be brought in if I can help it.
Getting grub.
My pet goats who are not producing don't have the nutrition needs of a producing milk goat so they get just plain high quality orchard grass hay, loose minerals and seasonal pasture. Alfalfa is also given to balance calcium and phosphorus. Important for the buck and wether especially. I also supplement them with organic kelp meal for extra minerals, especially iodine.
Goats have a high need for minerals so a low salt loose mineral is best so they intake minerals when they are after salt. Just a salt block is not enough to meet a goats mineral needs and gives them too much salt.
Urinary calculi is a dangerous condition for male goats due to an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus, generally from a too rich of a diet. The calculi is a deposit that blocks the flow of urine. I suspect a high iron content in well water could also interfere with the mineral balance and palatability of adequate water, along with other mineral problems wells can have. Another possibility is a genetically narrow urethra and possibly wethering too young before the urethra has a chance to mature to it's full size, but this is up for debate. Many male goat owners give Ammonium Chloride daily to hopefully prevent this from occurring. Although I don't supplement AC I have it on hand, along with L-methionine which is used for Urinary Calculi in male cats
Goats have a high need for minerals so a low salt loose mineral is best so they intake minerals when they are after salt. Just a salt block is not enough to meet a goats mineral needs and gives them too much salt.
Urinary calculi is a dangerous condition for male goats due to an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus, generally from a too rich of a diet. The calculi is a deposit that blocks the flow of urine. I suspect a high iron content in well water could also interfere with the mineral balance and palatability of adequate water, along with other mineral problems wells can have. Another possibility is a genetically narrow urethra and possibly wethering too young before the urethra has a chance to mature to it's full size, but this is up for debate. Many male goat owners give Ammonium Chloride daily to hopefully prevent this from occurring. Although I don't supplement AC I have it on hand, along with L-methionine which is used for Urinary Calculi in male cats
Here is a calcium/phosphorus hay chart. http://www.guinealynx.info/hay_ratio.html The ideal balance is 2 parts calcium and 1 part phosphorus. Orchard grass hay is generally 1.8 calcium to 1 phosphorus so it is close to ideal. I add a little alfalfa but not regularly and have had no problems but again I think plenty of good palatable water is important. Management change- now that the pet goats are aging they are getting more alfalfa, basically they can self regulate grass hay and alfalfa. I feel they need this change and are looking better than if I didn't do this change considering their age.