i've given my goats the poopies

[hoodat]

Goats are by nature browsers like deer, not grazers like cows. Given a choice a goat will eat much more brush and coarse weeds than grass. Their metabolism works best on a very high fiber diet. Rich and concentrated foods such as alfalfa pellets give them digestive problems. The old joke about goats eating tin cans goes back to when cans came with paper labels. They were eating the labels for the fiber.

 

[bj taylor]

I had thought I was easing them into the alfalfa - but not. since I've backed way off, their gut has returned to normal (thank goodness). i'm going to have to sell half of them because they're taking down too much of the forage & i'm needing to supplement. that was not what I had in mind. my daughter is going to show me how to take pics & post on craigs list. I think I will be in a better position once I reduce their pressure on the forage.

goats are very picky eaters and they have very delicate guts. anyone who believes the old tales about them eating anything is way wrong. i'm thinking about turning to pigs instead. they're reportedly easy keepers, will eat most anything, and return much more meat. I do love my goat girls though. they're just sweet hearts.

 

[hoodat]

We often used goats to clear the underbrush in mature stands of trees. Oddly, although poison oak is poisonous to humans, to a goat it's a favorite snack. If you're allergic to it stay away from goats that have been in it. The oils that cause the itching will be all over them. It seems only humans are allergic to it. Fortunately for me I seem to be immune to both poison oak and poison ivy.

 

[bobm]

I had thought I was easing them into the alfalfa - but not. since I've backed way off, their gut has returned to normal (thank goodness). i'm going to have to sell half of them because they're taking down too much of the forage & i'm needing to supplement. that was not what I had in mind. my daughter is going to show me how to take pics & post on craigs list. I think I will be in a better position once I reduce their pressure on the forage.

goats are very picky eaters and they have very delicate guts. anyone who believes the old tales about them eating anything is way wrong. i'm thinking about turning to pigs instead. they're reportedly easy keepers, will eat most anything, and return much more meat. I do love my goat girls though. they're just sweet hearts.

Since you live in Texas, where there is a very high wild pig population, the wild boars will break down any barrier that your sows are in and run off with them. The wild pig population in Cal. is exploding in population due to this scenario .

 

[bj taylor]

bob, that would be terrible! we do have some wild pigs in the immediate vicinity.

 

[baymule]

BJ, skip the pigs and just go shoot the wild hogs!

 

[bj taylor]

bay, I think you're right. I would have more success