Goat Feed Alternatives
If you want cheap goat feed alternatives, weedy hay is among the suitable options because it’s inexpensive and contains sufficient nutrients your goat needs.
Cost of Keeping Goats
We’ve found the total cost of keeping a goat is around $20-$25/month. Of course, if you decide to raise your goats for milk, there will be breeding costs involved.
Feeding Goats
- Each goat needs about two to four pounds of hay per day (3-4% of body weight in pounds), which can be fed free choice or twice a day.
- Goats don’t need grain to survive, in fact, they can live happily on pasture or hay, or a combination of both.
Types of Hay for Goats
- Presence of vitamins and minerals in goat feed is a must because vitamins and minerals keep the goat productive and help prevent various diseases.
- Alfalfa hay is common hay to keep goats fed. It has all the protein your goats need to stay healthy. Goats should eat about 2-3 pounds of hay twice a day.
Homemade Goat Feed
A homemade goat feed recipe saves money and provides a healthy, nutritious meal for your goats.
Foods to Avoid
- Never feed more than 50% corn of the total diet, except for heavily producing dairy goats.
- Avoid feeding goats avocado, azaleas, chocolate, plants with oxalates such as kale, any nightshade vegetable.
Cheapest Food for Goats
Feed your goats mold-free qualified grasses based hay. Weedy hay is also a cheap option with necessary nutrition.
Pasture Feeding
Pasture is the primary and most economical food for goats on a farm. This food offers them sufficient nutrients for healthy physical development.
Goat Fattening and Nutrition
Having the right nutrition and a balanced diet is the most natural way of fattening goats. Goat fattening can be easily managed with proper feeds and supplements.
Making Cheap Goat Feed
Making goat feed is a simple process that can be achieved with a few common ingredients. The important thing is to provide enough feed for the goat to prevent obesity and health problems.
Grain Feeding
Adult goats should be fed grain sparingly; adults will only need 1 1⁄2 pounds a day as an absolute maximum.