• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ransom
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • Timothy Norton
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Tereza Okava
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • M Ljin
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Matt McSpadden
  • thomas rubino

Soft green goat pellets

 
Posts: 103
13
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
We have 2 older goats with our sheep out on pasture, no supplemental feed other than minerals (which I just started feeding a few days ago). We have had them for about two months. The 2 goats don't seem to be putting on weight, their ribs are just barely showing. Their pellets are very soft and very green. They have good energy and eating well.

So what's going on? Do you think their too skinny? Do we need to worm?
Sorry for the silly picture, it's the only one on my phone. But it kinda shows her ribs.

Thanks guys!
image.jpeg
[Thumbnail for image.jpeg]
 
Posts: 102
Location: Friday Harbor, WA
10
hugelkultur chicken food preservation
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Of course, it's hard to say just from pictures. She does look underweight, though, and soft green stools mean something digestive is going on.

Goats are browsers, not grazers. They don't eat grass--or not grass and similar plants alone, like sheep do. Goats go after brushier/woodier feeds that tend to have lower moisture content and higher cellulose and other indigestible fibers than grass has. If you don't have enough browse on that pasture, they might need a little hay to keep the right fiber balance.

Have they been ruminating (cud-chewing) properly? Have you found any regurgitated boluses (little wads of chewed-up plant material, usually smelling very strongly) lying around their spaces?
 
Posts: 134
Location: Zone 4b at 1000m, post glacial soil...British Columbia
10
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Good observations from Libbie Hawker.  
And, if you think they may have an overload of parasites, it is best to have a fecal exam done first. in order to find out what sorts of parasites may be present, in order to use an appropriate dewormer.
 
Whatever you say buddy! And I believe this tiny ad too:
Looking for cold-climate growers to join a GOOF livestream panel (Missoula)
https://permies.com/t/369111/cold-climate-growers-join-GOOF
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic