| Author | Message | ||
     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 621 Registered: 07-2005  Rating: N/A |
We feed grain twice a day. I have read (and I believe) that 2 smaller feedings of grain is easier on the rumen and gut microbes than one large feeding. We wether at 10 to 12 weeks old by the burdizzo (a bloodless method that crushes the spermatic cord and blood vessels above the testicles). We used to band, and I don't have anything against that method but I had to do it sooner to be able to easily get the testicles through the band. DO NOT SELL THAT BUCK! Getting a kid onto a bottle at that stage is nearly impossible. Read this article: http://kinne.net/unweaned.htm Burning all that dirty hay stinks and makes alot of smoke. Either continue to broadcast it or build a compost heap as far from the barn as possible. In a year (or less if you turn it once or twice and add lime) it will be the VERY BEST soil amendment for your garden or you can give the compost away to suburban gardeners who are very willing to come get it themselves. Our ground here is so poor I use every bit of compost I can make, spreading it back on the pastures. You can mulch around trees (fruit trees LOVE this) with it as it comes straight from the barn and pens, goat poop does not "burn" like chicken, horse or cow poop. The scabs could be signs of a mite infestation. Using an ivermectin pour on or a synergized delice pour should help. Be sure she has access to clean fresh loose minerals with enough copper and zinc. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Cindy Hance New member Username: chance Post Number: 43 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
Just wanted to ask how often you feed grain. We feed it twice a day. Do we only really need to feed it once? We both work and would cut down on time in teh morning I guess but I wanted to ask around to see what others are doing. Also, when do you wether out your kids? When do you wean them? I've heard 8, 12, 16 weeks. We have a lady who wants to purchase one of our bucks who is approx. 1 month old and start bottle feeding him?! I don't like the idea and wanted to get some opinions. I doubt he'll take to it very well and mom is always best. thoughts? Kind of a dumb question, but what do you do with all the dirty hay? We burned some today on a concrete pad but it's so messy. Otherwise we broadcast it into an area we don't use right now. Almost forgot-one of our does is getting almost little whitish scabs on just the outer rim of her ears, no one has it who's in her pen. Also behind one of her ears it's kind of white and flakey. Is this a mineral defeciency? Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!!! Cindy |