| Author | Message | ||
     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 1799 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.242.73  Rating: N/A |
Nope, the grain is still high protein, it isn't making his total diet 20% protein just the grain portion of his diet. So for instance if he is getting 2 pounds of feed at 20% protein and 10 pounds of hay at 2 percent protein his total dietary protein is 6%, if you cut that grain ration in half it would still be nearly 5%, not a really significant difference (okay I have had enough higher math for the day...) Does being milked need the extra protein, bucks don't they are just doing what they would do anyway. When teh excess protein is filtered out by the kidneys and passed in the urine, some of that urine gets into the sheath and creates an ideal environment for the growth of fungus and bacteria. This is not such a problem with does. Most goats get along fine on 10 to 12 percent protein feed, if not being asked to put alot of extra effort into a milk pail. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Don S. New member Username: don_s Post Number: 23 Registered: 01-2007 Posted From: 64.12.117.12  Rating: N/A |
I been also currently feeding the herd 20% protein including the buck. This is good to find out before anything bad happened to him. Just a thought... Couldn't you just cut down on the daily portion for the buck? For example, say you normally give him two pounds of 20% feed daily, but if you would give him only one pound daily of the same feed and then give roughage,would that in comparison be lowering his daily intake to 10%? | ||
| Keith Johnson Member Username: mobear708 Post Number: 11 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 72.161.60.103 Rating: N/A |
Maggie, Thanks for the information. I will continue to feed the bucks the reg. feed. It is not that it takes us very long to go through 500lbs. I was just thinking of the convience of feeding everything the same feed. Knowing what I now know, I will just have to be a little inconvienced. Thanks again. | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 1787 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.242.73 Rating: N/A |
High protein feed predisposes a buck to an infection of the penile sheath called pizzle rot or more correctly posthitis. Its your choice but bucks unless they are working very hard don't need this high protein feed. How many goats do you have? I have a herd of about 60 pygmies and I order a ton of feed every 4 to 6 weeks... 500 pounds is just 10 bags of feed, how long does it take for you to run through that amount just feeding the does? Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Keith Johnson Member Username: mobear708 Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 72.161.60.103 Rating: N/A |
Maggie, After many yrs of serching, I have come up with a 20% protein feed, that we feed our milking does. Is there any reason why we can't feed the same feed to our bucks? If I buy 500# at a time the feed store will mix it for me. Just want to make sure it is ok to feed bucks that high protein feed. Thank you. Keith |