I belong to a few goat and hobby farm groups on Facebook and really enjoy seeing all the new baby goats coming into the world. It’s also pretty cool to see new farmers and goat owners come on the horizon, whether it’s because people want to become more self-sufficient, teach the kids, fulfill a lifelong dream, or just because! Unfortunately, along with a lot of the learning comes some misinformation. As of late, I have seen some questions regarding the use of beet pulp in animals’ diets and some myths regarding its use.
Fall is a great time of the year for animals. Everyone’s garden is nearing the end and it’s also time for yard clean up before the winter sets in. I don’t let anything go to waste as I do garden clean up and prepare for the inevitable cold and snow. My animals help me with clean up, and feeding all the excess garden produce and yard trimmings helps to cut some food costs. As I pull plants out of the garden, those that are edible go to the animals. I pick the last of the grapes for the chickens, and the goats get a few delicious meals of gourmet grape leaves. The goats and rabbits love the green bean plants and the chickens enjoy the tomatoes. Had your fill of cucumbers? Goats, chickens ducks, cows, horses and rabbits all enjoy a juicy cucumber. Bruised apples from the tree make great treats and the chickens love it when they find a worm in their apple! You don’t really need to worry too much about your animals eating apple seeds. While it is true that apple seeds contain cyanide, the seed has to be crushed or chewed to release the poison. Chickens swallow the seeds whole, so no problem there and your larger animals would need to consume quite a few apples to be affected by the cyanide. Your animals will feel lucky if your pumpkin patch was a success. Pumpkins are a pretty hardy crop and will store well until the bitter cold of winter. I often hit up the local pumpkin patch after Halloween and take home a truck load of pumpkins that I dole out over the next month to all of the animals for their eating pleasure.
It seems like there is a pecking order or hierarchy in all walks of life and it has existed in history for all time. There is a hierarchy in family units, towns, countries, cultures, and religious organizations. There are people who make good leaders, who love a challenge and aren’t afraid of failure. They are willing to take on the responsibility for protecting others and helping to provide direction for life improvements. Those at the top of the human pecking order are generally elected or appointed because of previous good works and integrity. However, history has shown us the there have been successors who achieved their ranking position on the battlefields. It appears that social groups need pecking orders.
We like to think that our animals can all co-exist peacefully together, but the only way this is accomplished is by establishing a pecking order.Read more about animal hierarchy
First let me clarify that I am not a veterinarian. I do know from having animals that there are occasions when you can not get a hold of your vet and you need to make decisions regarding your animals based on knowledge, experience, and even the internet. I have a really good vet, but he’s entitled to time off every now and then. It seems like nights, weekends, and holidays are prime times for animals to get ill or injured. This is why it is important to educate yourself, talk with your vet ahead of time, and seek out reputable sources on the internet before you need to treat your animal. Be prepared! I recently read on an animal Facebook group about a person looking for help with a sick dog, and holy cow, the suggestions for possible treatments ran the gamut. There was one suggestion to give the dog nighttime Tylenol, that made me cringe. Sometimes we think that if it’s ok for people, it’s ok for animals. And that is just not true!
There are several reasons why you might want or need to bottle feed your baby goat. We have a doe who after kidding refused to feed her babies. The young ones seemed to scare her to death! She was very good at watching over them from a safe distance, but if they came near her, she would bolt! We would milk the doe then bottle feed the babies. You might have a doe who just doesn’t have the milk supply to adequately nourish all her little ones. You might want to supplement the kiddo’s milk with a bottle just to increase their socialization and encourage them to be more people friendly. You might be taking on some kids from another farm who had been nursing off their mom but are not quite old enough to be weaned. Whatever your circumstance, bottle feeding your baby goat should not be a difficult or dreaded process. It should be fairly simple and enjoyed as much by you as the babies.
Bottle feeding provides the perfect bonding opportunity for you and your baby goat.Read full post
My little farm does not look like it belongs on the cover of a country magazine. My chicken coop is not all fancied up and my barn needs painting. My husband will tell you that I have way more animals than I need, they don’t all have names and they aren’t necessarily the prettiest. Heck, there are even some critters that come just for breakfast before moving on. Keeping animals is not necessarily cheap, although it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, and it’s hard work. Things breakdown, there are weeds to contend with, and animals die. So, if farming sounds so gloomy, why do I have animals and what have I learned from them?
I really enjoy spring. It signals not only the end of cold weather and snow, but also new life. It’s the time of year when we see animals come out of hibernation, bees and butterflies make their appearance once again and all sorts of baby farm animals take to the stage! There is not much that is cuter than a baby anything with their pure innocence and clumsy antics. Spring is also the time for planting and realizing new growth on our perennial plants. I always get excited when I see new shoots on my rose bushes. There are so many varieties, colors and smells of roses and they are a plant with many benefits, even for our chickens and other farm animals.
I don’t really know too much about sunflower seeds other than discarded seed hulls generally littered the ground under the stands at baseball games and birds really seemed to like them. They were not a favorite of mine. I enjoyed sucking the salt off of the seed, but breaking into the hull for such a tiny reward didn’t seem worthwhile to me. Just recently I discovered that all sunflower seeds are not created equally. Some have thicker hulls, less oil, different nutritional benefits. Others are a really great source of nutrients for a variety of farm animals. The familiar black seed that is found in wild bird seed is the Black Oil Sunflower Seed, often referred to as B.O.S.S., a very adept acronym for a powerhouse food. No wonder birds love them! They seem to know instinctually the treasures that Mother Nature has supplied for them. Who would have guessed that a common bird feed would also be good for horses, goats, chickens and even rabbits!
The human body is made up of approximately 55%-60% water. Water is a major component is cells, blood, and body tissue. The same applies to animals. Their bodies are made up of water as well. We are told that we can live without food for several weeks, but we can only live a few days without water. The same thing is true with animals. Animals need fresh water for their bodies to function. Water is vital for bodily functions such as regulation of body temperature, lubricating joints, nutrient absorption, removing wastes, body weight, and overall health. When water is withheld or unavailable, dehydration occurs. Dehydration of more than 10% of the body’s water is considered a medical emergency, and the water needs to be replaced ASAP! If the water is not replaced, blood volume begins to drop, temperatures begin to rise, and organs begin to shut down. Animals get the water they need not only through the action of drinking but also from the food they eat. Fresh grasses, fruits and vegetables all contain water. Animals prefer fresh, clean water. Some animals will only drink stagnant water, even if it looks clean, as a last resort. I dump out and refill water pans and buckets every day. When I go away for a few days I always try to make sure my animals have enough feed and more importantly, enough water. I put out extra tubs, buckets and bowls and detailed instructions for my substitute caregiver on what to do about watering. It gives me peace of mind.
The old myth that goats will eat just about everything, isn’t totally true; but if it were, it certainly doesn’t mean that they should! Animals are fairly smart creatures. Left to their own devices, they are pretty good about figuring out what’s good for them to eat and what’s not, and what their bodies need and what they don’t. Goats are ruminant herbivores. Their digestive systems are built for things like grasses, weeds, leaves, small branches and bark. As animal owners, it is our responsibility to take care of our animals and ensure that they are fed a healthy diet. We should feed our goats a good quality hay, not try to pawn off on them the sun-bleached or moldy horse hay. They should enjoy pasture time to browse if available. They should get a quality goat feed or grain mix, and limited treats are a bonus.
The majority of a goat’s diet should be a quality hay, or pasture forage.Read Full post
