Every aspiring nigerian dwarf goat owner needs to know how and what to feed their beloved future goats. That's why I made this article to help you figure out your routine and cost of feeding your goats. First and foremost if you are raising dairy goats this is the number one rule.
-Alfalfa hay = milk.
Alfalfa is a high protien hay at 17% and your girls will need a high protien hay if they will be in milk but since it is so high in protien they should not strictly eat it. You can do 50% alfalfa and 50% brome or timothy. I use half alfalfa and half brome timothy mix. A niggie doe in milk will consume around 1 flake per day. A flake is a 3-4 inch thick "slice" of hay. There are picture references at the end of the article. Pregnant and nursing goats also need grain. You can just buy goat grain which is a special formulated mix for goats or c.o.b. which is a mix of corn, oats and barley that is just as effective, at the feed store. They need 4 cups of grain per goat per day.
Now that we have covered hay and grain there are a few other things goats need.
Loose minerals are a must! These have all the things your goats need to live a long, happy, healthy life. You can free feed these as well because goats know how much to eat. You may read elsewhere that goats love salt mineral blocks, but the truth is they will either not touch it becuase it does not have what they are looking for or they won't leave it alone because they just can't get enough minerals from it. So loose minerals are definitely a more complete choice.
Other routine vitamins.
-Selenium paste will aid your goats in growing hair to protect areas from sun burn and growing a thick winter coat. An adult niggie should be dosed 3ml once a month
-Vitamin B. Is for stressfull occasions only, such as traveling or birthing. These both come in paste form in a syringe and are available at your local feed store.
-They may also need copper depending on your area.
Now, we will talk about what you need feeder-wise.
Goats will not eat off the ground but the good news is, there are lots of different feeder options for your girls or boys! I use a metal cage feeder (picture below). Never use net feeders that horse owners use because your goat can get it stuck around their neck and could possibly choke.
All animals should have full time access to fresh water. Little giant 5 gallon rubber bowls are a great option. I do not use metal water buckets since they are not flexible and are harder to beat ice out of.
For grain pretty much any container is sufficient. I use a shallow 2 gallon rubber bowl I had lying around. For minerals something plastic fastened to the side of the cage is best so the goats won't knock it over or poop in it.
To conclude I did want to make a small note if you are raising niggie bucks.
Bucks are bigger therefore will eat more. Bucks should not be given grain not only because its not neccessary but also too much corn will poison them.
Last but not least, bucks are not as gentle as doe's so be sure to fasten your feeders down extra well.
I hope that this helped you and wish you the best of luck on your goat journey. Happy farming!!
-Alfalfa hay = milk.
Alfalfa is a high protien hay at 17% and your girls will need a high protien hay if they will be in milk but since it is so high in protien they should not strictly eat it. You can do 50% alfalfa and 50% brome or timothy. I use half alfalfa and half brome timothy mix. A niggie doe in milk will consume around 1 flake per day. A flake is a 3-4 inch thick "slice" of hay. There are picture references at the end of the article. Pregnant and nursing goats also need grain. You can just buy goat grain which is a special formulated mix for goats or c.o.b. which is a mix of corn, oats and barley that is just as effective, at the feed store. They need 4 cups of grain per goat per day.
Now that we have covered hay and grain there are a few other things goats need.
Loose minerals are a must! These have all the things your goats need to live a long, happy, healthy life. You can free feed these as well because goats know how much to eat. You may read elsewhere that goats love salt mineral blocks, but the truth is they will either not touch it becuase it does not have what they are looking for or they won't leave it alone because they just can't get enough minerals from it. So loose minerals are definitely a more complete choice.
Other routine vitamins.
-Selenium paste will aid your goats in growing hair to protect areas from sun burn and growing a thick winter coat. An adult niggie should be dosed 3ml once a month
-Vitamin B. Is for stressfull occasions only, such as traveling or birthing. These both come in paste form in a syringe and are available at your local feed store.
-They may also need copper depending on your area.
Now, we will talk about what you need feeder-wise.
Goats will not eat off the ground but the good news is, there are lots of different feeder options for your girls or boys! I use a metal cage feeder (picture below). Never use net feeders that horse owners use because your goat can get it stuck around their neck and could possibly choke.
All animals should have full time access to fresh water. Little giant 5 gallon rubber bowls are a great option. I do not use metal water buckets since they are not flexible and are harder to beat ice out of.
For grain pretty much any container is sufficient. I use a shallow 2 gallon rubber bowl I had lying around. For minerals something plastic fastened to the side of the cage is best so the goats won't knock it over or poop in it.
To conclude I did want to make a small note if you are raising niggie bucks.
Bucks are bigger therefore will eat more. Bucks should not be given grain not only because its not neccessary but also too much corn will poison them.
Last but not least, bucks are not as gentle as doe's so be sure to fasten your feeders down extra well.
I hope that this helped you and wish you the best of luck on your goat journey. Happy farming!!
