I have an older (10+ ?) Nubian mix wether who has 3 legs that I adopted last year. His teeth are shot and he’s been quidding his hay. Vet said no alfalfa and no goat/horse grain for boy goats. I started feeding him soaked hay extender pellets but now I’m worrying about the copper levels in it since it’s considered a horse feed. He doesn’t like Timothy pellets.
What can I give him that’s safe, can be soaked and he might like?
I don’t think you have to worry about copper with goats. I think it’s just bad for sheep. So your hay pellets may be fine. I feed my wethers soaked beet pulp with a little biochlor to acidify their urine. Goat vet told me about the biochlor.
What is the listed copper level on the bag of hay extender pellets??
To “get by” seems like you could do most any vegetable or fruit that he will eat. Bless you for taking in this old, down on his luck guy. Goats are the sweetest animals, ever.
[QUOTE=leaf;7352713]
I don’t think you have to worry about copper with goats. I think it’s just bad for sheep. So your hay pellets may be fine. I feed my wethers soaked beet pulp with a little biochlor to acidify their urine. Goat vet told me about the biochlor.[/QUOTE]
My vet said I need to watch the copper levels for goats too which is why I couldn’t feed him horse senior feed. I will see if he likes beet pulp. I just worry that he’s not getting what he needs.
NO! Goats need MORE copper, they have very high copper requirements!
Give that poor goat some alfalfa/grass mix hay. They can have alfalfa, they just need the ration balanced.
I’m always amazed that vets are so stupid about goats.
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/copperdeficiency.html
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/hayandforage.html
For non-lactating goats, the copper recommendation is 8-10 mg/kg of dietary dry matter.
[QUOTE=cowboymom;7352842]
NO! Goats need MORE copper, they have very high cooper requirements!
Give that poor goat some alfalfa/grass mix hay. They can have alfalfa, they just the ration balanced.
I’m always amazed that vets are so stupid about goats.
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/copperdeficiency.html
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/hayandforage.html[/QUOTE]
I thought wethers cannot have high calcium due to bladder stones???
Nope, check out the link. It’s not calcium or not calcium, it’s the ratio.
I feed my 5 year old wether equine senior feed and alfalfa pellets in small amounts all the time and he helps himself to laying pellets when he can. He gets a ton of alfalfa/grass hay daily.
There is a lot of discussion on the copper but they can have at least as much as a horse can have, and probably need more. You could bolus him if you think he’s deficient-copasure. Read the link for symptoms of deficiency, like a ratty faded coat and a balding tail.
Both those links will give you an idea of what will work for him. :yes:
You can also worm him with ivermectin at 3-4 times the dose, then feed him the Christmas tree, pine branches, leaves, bark off of firewood, cheerios, craisins, raisins, apples, carrots, and just about anything else that looks good! Goats need a variety but they really do need some protein and some copper.
[QUOTE=cowboymom;7353130]
Nope, check out the link. It’s not calcium or not calcium, it’s the ratio.
I feed my 5 year old wether equine senior feed and alfalfa pellets in small amounts all the time and he helps himself to laying pellets when he can. He gets a ton of alfalfa/grass hay daily.
There is a lot of discussion on the copper but they can have at least as much as a horse can have, and probably need more. You could bolus him if you think he’s deficient-copasure. Read the link for symptoms of deficiency, like a ratty faded coat and a balding tail.
Both those links will give you an idea of what will work for him. :yes:
You can also worm him with ivermectin at 3-4 times the dose, then feed him the Christmas tree, pine branches, leaves, bark off of firewood, cheerios, craisins, raisins, apples, carrots, and just about anything else that looks good! Goats need a variety but they really do need some protein and some copper.[/QUOTE]
Wow! This is my first goat so I’m learning as I go. Took him at the plea of my vet otherwise she had to put him down. Nothing wrong with him other than having 3 legs because a pit bull attacked him. I seem to collect the misfits.
[QUOTE=cowboymom;7353130]
Nope, check out the link. It’s not calcium or not calcium, it’s the ratio.
I feed my 5 year old wether equine senior feed and alfalfa pellets in small amounts all the time and he helps himself to laying pellets when he can. He gets a ton of alfalfa/grass hay daily.
There is a lot of discussion on the copper but they can have at least as much as a horse can have, and probably need more. You could bolus him if you think he’s deficient-copasure. Read the link for symptoms of deficiency, like a ratty faded coat and a balding tail.
Both those links will give you an idea of what will work for him. :yes:
You can also worm him with ivermectin at 3-4 times the dose, then feed him the Christmas tree, pine branches, leaves, bark off of firewood, cheerios, craisins, raisins, apples, carrots, and just about anything else that looks good! Goats need a variety but they really do need some protein and some copper.[/QUOTE]
Wow! This is my first goat so I’m learning as I go. Took him at the plea of my vet otherwise she had to put him down. Nothing wrong with him other than having 3 legs because a pit bull attacked him. I seem to collect the misfits.
Also how much feed in one sitting??? I’ve been doing 3 measuring cups of hay extender 2x a day. I don’t want to over feed him but he’s not fat, if anything he’s skinny.
My goats eat horse feed, hay and alfalfa.
They get a blend of Purina Enrich Plus and Ranchway senior, about 1/2 pound per day per goat.
It never ceases to astonish me just how much misinformation about goats comes from vets! I’ve had one tell me things that left me boggled at how incorrect they were.
Cowboymom is right on track - you are not going to overdose him with copper on a senior horse feed, or any horse feed. We actually give our goats copper boluses twice a year and I’m starting to think that’s still not enough. Copper deficiency is a problem.
Urinary calci is indeed caused by an unbalanced diet - most bucks/wethers get it from a diet of grass hay and grain, because alfalfa has wrongly been given a bad rap when it comes to buck and wether goats.
Being up north, you’ll have far less worm issues than we do down here so using Ivermectin should work just fine. Check the eyelids - pull down his eyelid and look at the color inside. If it’s pale pink or white, you have an issue. You want salmon pink to red.
Good on you for rescuing him - they are amazing pets. Goats are my passion - they are my life. I am sitting here counting down the days until our kidding season starts - less than a week. We will have upwards of 150-200 babies this year.
I love my goats too-they’re such fun creatures, such a great outlook on life! Goat owners are a great resource for goat care.
I’m jealous-I want baby goaties!
[QUOTE=Epona142;7353240]
It never ceases to astonish me just how much misinformation about goats comes from vets! I’ve had one tell me things that left me boggled at how incorrect they were.
Cowboymom is right on track - you are not going to overdose him with copper on a senior horse feed, or any horse feed. We actually give our goats copper boluses twice a year and I’m starting to think that’s still not enough. Copper deficiency is a problem.
Urinary calci is indeed caused by an unbalanced diet - most bucks/wethers get it from a diet of grass hay and grain, because alfalfa has wrongly been given a bad rap when it comes to buck and wether goats.
Being up north, you’ll have far less worm issues than we do down here so using Ivermectin should work just fine. Check the eyelids - pull down his eyelid and look at the color inside. If it’s pale pink or white, you have an issue. You want salmon pink to red.
Good on you for rescuing him - they are amazing pets. Goats are my passion - they are my life. I am sitting here counting down the days until our kidding season starts - less than a week. We will have upwards of 150-200 babies this year.[/QUOTE]
Is there anyway you could give me a balanced diet for this guy? I have triple crown senior, hay extender, alfalfa cubes and Nutrena Empower boost as feeds around the barn. I do give him flax seed oil in his feed for his coat which has helped tremendously!!! My hay is 2nd cut grass which he can eat a little of.
Good for you for taking him in, poor little guy. We had a sheep that had lost a leg to a coyote; predictably, her name was Three Legs. She’s been gone for a long time but I still think of her often. 
You could look around on this site for feeding ideas. http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/feeding.htm#grain I honestly don’t worry about my goats; I give them a small scoop of senior and/or alfalfa pellets with their hay when they need it; our doe was thin last winter and was eating quite a lot of senior at a time but the wether doesn’t get as much, a couple cups at a time. I keep hay in front of them.
The feeds will have the ratios on the tag too-or look them up online.
Epona is more professional about it than I am and I’m sure will have better input!
Having had experience with a three legged goat you’ll be feeling sorry for him about 5 seconds before he runs you down in the pasture. Three legged goats play on their disability but can run surprisingly fast on 3 legs.
good luck with your goat!
Find a feed with ammonium chloride in it to prevent urinary calculi. Nutrena goats feeds have it in there or you can buy it in a feed store and add it to what he is already eating.
Please: find an extension goat specialist. Not a livestock agent, but one that is specifically an expert in goats.
In NY:
Dr. tatiana Stanton
Goat Extension Specialist
114 Morrison Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone 607-255-5923
E-mail:tls7@cornell.edu
List of USDA goat extension agents
http://www.usextension.org/goatspecialists.pdf
I think this is the best way to be sure you are getting the right info. As others have said, a lot of misinformation from vets & others that normally are good sources, but don’t have expertise with the details for goats. Your tax dollars at work. Our Extension Service is amazing, take advantage.
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