Feeding Meat Goats



We decided to start raising some boer goats last year and have had a great time doing it.  There has been a ton of learning that has gone into it and thank heavens for internet for research.  There is, however, an abundance of information out there and depending on what type of goats you are raising some may or may not apply.

We had decided to keep pasture fed goats as our cows are because we believe this is the healthier way to go for us.  Since getting our first three goats last year and many more this year all have done well on pasture with supplemental corn based feed.  We also keep a mineral block with them that they eat on as needed. 

We did get a bit of a shock when taking our goats to the county fair this year (our first time).  All the goats there were bigger and more muscular than ours.  In talking with everyone there it seems that no one pasture feeds -they all grain their goats from birth to sale and mostly with show feed.  Since returning from fair we have changed our feeding program a little.  They are still out on pasture, but they also get a daily ration of goat feed.  This supplements them in protein and nutrients.  

After doing my own research on the different feeds on the market and available locally, we decided to go with Kent goat feeds.  We have been using the 18% kid developer since the fair and wow!  What a difference it has made in only 6 weeks.  I highly recommend their feeds.  It is costing a little more than pasture with the corn based feed, but well worth it!  The goats look more muscular, have more energy and just act healthier overall.  Next year a couple months before the fair the goats that will be shown will switch to Kent Show Goat feed.  

We don't raise "show" goats and have every intention of someday having enough goats to sell goat meat.  We firmly believe in having happy, healthy goats no matter what their purpose.  We believe the Kent goat feed is assisting us in our endeavor to produce quality goats whether showing or butchering them. 

    Each day is what you make it out to be. . .Have a great one!!

Preparing for Goat Kids

Last Friday I noticed that our very pregnant doe, one of the first purchased last year, had a swollen hind end.  Hubby and I looked at her when he got home from work and he didn't think it was enough to warrant separating her.  I don't think he is as "in tune" with noticing these things like me!!

  By Sunday she was swollen enough for him to notice so he moved her into the stall we had prepared in the barn that now houses the 8 bottle goats and a new 4H calf, Stella, that we purchased last week.  Dazzle is friendly, but not super excited about being touched since she was very young.  Yesterday Dazzle was very receptive to me being in the stall with her and for a little grain she let me feel the babies and pet her.

Today, on the other hand, she seemed more nervous and did not want me touching her at all.  She is starting to have a small amount of clear discharge from the hind end as well as more swelling.  There is no bagging up yet, so I am hoping that won't be a problem. From what I have read, the birth could still be days away.  I get very excited about babies!  Enough to even warrant extra trips outside in the cold!

Hers will be our first kids born here.  Her counterpart, Razzle, is looking pregnant but not near as big as her.  I was hoping they would be kidding around the same time, but as of now I am doubting that.  These girls are full boer and bred to our all red full boer billy.  I will be posting some pics of the new little ones as soon as they arrive!!

As always, HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Snowflake -A New Calf Story

I love having cows and calves!

I always watch craigslist for any good deals to increase our herd.  Last week I found my deal, but it was over two hours away.  The big question was whether it would be worth paying for her and all that gas?  I have always wanted a charolais cow to contrast all of our black cows.  I love their color and build and wanted one badly and have looked for one for quite a while.  It didn't take long for me to make up my mind that yes she was worth it.  It couldn't have been a worse week for it to happen as we had had a death in the family.  I did, however, have my mind made up that I would have her.  My wonderful husband and son took off one evening with trailer in tow to go pick her up. 

After a round about trip due to his GPS following instead of my directions, they dealt with a very nice gentleman who purchases calves to resell.  He had not had her long and she was doing well.  She wouldn't drink off his nurse cow and did eat some grain he told us.  She was also just over 6 weeks old.

They arrived home at 1:30am that night with her.  We unloaded her into the barn and she was so frightened.  She ran when we got close at all.  I gave her some hay, grain and water.  We quarantine new calves for 10-14 days when we get them just in case something is wrong with them.  Through the last week we have put a halter on her -which she hated tremendously.  She has nibbled on hay and grain, but not eaten a bunch by any means.  We did find out about day 2 that she would eat grass pretty well so we give her some each day.  She had loose stools, but not watery, when she came to us, which I watched closely so I would know if that worsened or if it was just due to stress and change in feed.  I made calls to the feed store and the vet to get their opinions on her and if they thought she still needed to be bottle fed.  Their concensus was not if she is eating enough otherwise.  Usually we get bottle calves a little younger that do need bottle fed and they don't usually eat grain very well at first.  They also don't usually eat grass at first either.

 

One week later, she is starting to tame down.  We left the halter on her and she is getting more used to that.  Her bm's have thickened up a bit and look like normal now.  In the afternoons we walk her and let her eat grass outside which she does very well.  She has been eating more hay and a little more grain.  She even let my husband and I pet her in the pen last night for quite a while before she decided she didn't want that anymore.  We also, well my husband, thought of a good name for her too --Snowflake.  I love it!  This morning I was very excited when I walked in to give her her daily ration of grain -expecting to dump the old uneaten grain and put in the new-  and for the first time her grain tub was empty!  She also let me pet her some while she ate some grass.  I finally feel like now she will be just fine.

I am always such a nervous ninny when it comes to the calves.  I am a worrier until I know they are ok and doing well.  It's almost like I was with our children when they were born!  I love having calves and raising them up to be great mommas.  The kids love them, too, and love to show them at the county fair.  Each cow we have is special to me.  I am looking forward to the calves next year, already!

Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed

In all my years of loving to eat steak I had never given any thought to what it was fed until recently.  I am a lover of lean, tender meat with lots of tastiness.  Steak is by far my favorite food.  I would say that most cattle around here are grain fed.  Lots of them spend much of their time in a feed lot.  Our cows, on the other hand, wander the pasture as they please eating grass.  They sometimes get some grain -as a treat more or less.  They also get apples, melon and carrots as treats.  This, to me, makes my cows happy cows!  I am not, however, trying to make a living with them.

As I spoke with the very nice lady at the locker, who answers all my questions about the meat and processing without complaint when we take a steer or buy one from someone else, she mentioned that they could tell our cow was grass fed due to the color of the fat layer and thickness.  This amazed me as I had no idea that it really made any difference.  I began my research into the difference and here is what I came up with:

Grain fed cattle grow faster and to promote this are sometimes given a growth hormone implant.  The meat contains more marbling that promotes tastiness (which can be debated).  The fat is thicker and white in color.  This beef is much more abundant and cheaper to buy.

Grass fed cattle may take a year longer to finish than grain fed.  The fat is yellow in color and the meat has much less marbling.  This meat is higher in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins A & E and lower in calories.  It costs more and is much less abundant.  The quality of the meat can vary widely depending on the breed of cow.

This all being said, we raised our first grass fed cow and butchered him this year.  I was a little nervous that it wouldn't taste as good as the beef we purchased in the past, which was grain fed.  When we cooked our first steaks I was AMAZED!  This beef is exactly what I love to eat -tasty, lean and as tender as can be.  From what I have read we may have gotten lucky as to the cow, the breed or luck alone, but it tastes amazing.  We definately have no problems with raising our own grass fed beef again.  Also, I haven't crunched a bunch of numbers but it seems to me that it was cheaper for us to grass feed.  It took 2 years to grow him so we had to hay feed him through two winters.  We did not,however, have to buy grain for a year which seems like it would have been lots more expensive than letting him pasture eat.  The cost would be different, though, if we crop farmed and had our own grain so we wouldn't have to pay the higher prices of buying it. 

At the end of the day, we had a good experience and came out of it with a freezer full of great beef to eat that may be a little healthier than what we would have bought at the store and a lot less expensive!