Question for the goat folks here

[keeperofthehorses]

The wind chill here was -1 this morning. Ridiculous...

Anyway, I have two goats. They are big goats; Alpine/Nubian crosses, a wether and a never-bred doe, siblings. George and Gracie. Terribly cute and funny. They will be ten years old in the spring. I'm thinking that's pretty old in goat years? They get the same type of grass hay as the horses & ponies, plus a goat pellet. I've also been adding a small amount of oats since the Artic Blast arrived.

They look to be holding their weight so far in this cold spell, and look healthy and happy, but I am worried about their water consumption (naw, three colics in one year hasn't freaked me out at all). I can't safely get power out to their water tank, so I'm busting ice two or three times a day, and adding hot water. But I really can't tell how much they're drinking and it's worrying me.

Is soaked beet pulp safe/appropriate to give goats? It would be easy enough to add it to their diets, as I'm already up to my armpits in it with the equines.

Thanks!

 

[Ashley]

They dont drink much, but then again ours dont drink much even in the summer.

Goats live 10-15 years.

 

[runamuk]

Ashley is correct...if they aren't pregnant they just don't consume much. I know with sheep if it snows they often (not always) will eat snow over drinking water. Our pygmy goat is drinking very little he gets his water bucket thawed out twice a day he takes a few sips as soon as you do it then who knows.........he is fat and sassy as always ....d@mn goat

 

[Sonya]

My two goats (a pygmy and a nigi cross) drink about 1/2 gallon a day in the winter (heated water bowl) and in the summer it's hard to tell since their container is so big, but I'm assuming it's a little more. Before I put their heated bowl out there they were definately drinking less than what they are now.

I'm really not sure about goats and beetpulp. I've only had my goatees about 6 months so I'm kinda new to it. If you find out, let me know, could always be an option to add to their feed if needed. I would think it would be hard for them to eat since they chew cud, but you never know. I'm sure my picky goats would turn their noses up at it.

 

[Jill]

We have four Nigerian Dwarf Goat wethers, and they drink very little. Ours have a 5 gallon heated bucket and it's hard to tell that they drink much at all, the level goes down so slow. They may also be drinking out of some of the horse containers through the fence, though.

As to the soaked beet pulp, I was told on a goat message board that they will not drink it when wet, but that would be pretty easily determined. The people on the message board were using it dry for their goats, so at least they seemed to think it was okay for goats to eat the pulp.

OH, I just had a brain storm. Were yours bottle fed? If so, you could easily give them each a baby bottle of water, even warm water. Ours will suck down a bottle fast to this day if they get the chance. They are seriously done in less than a minute.

 

[USMCshamusmom]

any change done for goat feed must be done slowly and gradually since it will disrupt the bacteria count in the rumen and may cause them to get sick if done all at once. If you have had them for 10 years, you are doing great with them... those are elderly goats at this point! just make sure open water is available and they will drink as much as they need. Mine always used to love drinking the warm water straight from the bucket as I brought it out. I let them have all they wanted then added the rest to the tank!

 

[keeperofthehorses]

Thanks all. I thought they were getting up there in years. Gracie is aging very well, but George outgrew his leg capacity and is wobbly in the back legs, but still very fiesty and active.

I am going to try leaving the warm water bucket out for them for a few minutes while I'm doing other chores (endless in this weather) and if I get real panicky I will dig out their old bottle tops and offer them water that way.

Thanks again. Always helps to have some peace of mind...