Posted by Sherry on January 08, 2001 at 12:39:03:
In Reply to: foundered goat posted by Lisa Richards on January 04, 2001 at 18:29:45:
For what it's worth, I would never feed grain free choice to my girls. I have too many "Pigs" in my herd who would keep eating until there was no more to eat! And, as the old saying goes...too much of a good thing isn't good! My girls get a pound of feed per day as a maintenance ration separated into two feedings. The amount of grain goes up depending on stage of pregnancy, lactation, etc. The girls that are milking get some extra alfalfa pellets. Everyone gets some beet pulp in the morning and they all have access to all the grass hay they can munch.
I believe that while corn is a necessary part of a goat's diet, it shouldn't be all they get. There are good feeds made just for goats, but some are expensive. If you're limited on what you can spend, try mixing chicken scratch (cracked corn and barley) with some oats. If you've ever heard of the COB diet, that's what it is..Corn..Oats..Barley. Make sure she has mineral and salt supplements.
Another thing to look at is her hooves...are they in good shape? If it's been a while since they were trimmed, they may be overgrown and causing discomfort. I also use Hooflex when I trim the hooves. It helps to keep the hooves moisturized.
I hope everything goes OK with your girl. I know how I worry when one of mine isn't acting right. Good Luck.