FEEDING GOATS

Feeding goats is probably the most expensive part of maintaining a meat goat operation.  Believe me, goats do not eat just anything.  Hay waste is terrible with goats.  During the summer months we, of course, pasture the goats, but in the winter time its hay.  Depending upon your climate and browse will decide how you feed your goats.  My husband also makes our own grain which is a mixture he puts together of corn, goat feed etc. 

Our goats are only fed once a day and for 30 goats they get one 6 q bucket of feed a day. We use PVC pipe cut in half for grain feeders, they are easy to clean and allow alot of goats to eat at one time.  Believe me when I say I am just touching on the just the tip of feeding goats, pregnant does should be fed differently than ones not bred, babies weaned from their mothers, it all depends on how you want your operation to work.  Also remember, the more break down in how you feed your goats, the more pens you will need.  Sometimes I feel like a person should have at least 25 pens.  We just took bucks away from their mothers and you can't put them in with older bucks or they will never let them rest (if you get my point) or even kill them.  So this is something to think about for fencing etc.