Goat Feed for Nigerian Dwarf Goats. What We Feed and Why

Can goats live on pasture and/or hay alone? Our experience is no, and I explain why in this video. This is the 3rd video in a series on our feed program. The first was an overview. The second looked at the types of hay and how to use them. Now we take a look at why goats need grain (goat feed concentrates) and how we feed them here at Novella Farm.
Link to video #1 - The 5 Components of Our Feed Program: • What Should I Feed My ...
Link to video #2 - What Kind of Hay Is Best for Nigerian Dwarf Goats? • What Kind of Hay Is Be...

[@daughterofmyabba]

Thanks, this is helpful. I've had a couple people tell me I give mine too much grain (they get about a cup each a day for non milking, and 2-3 cups each in milk) but everyone is happy and healthy so I'm good with that. This was a helpful video, thanks thanks making it, your goats appear to be in fantastic condition.

[@colsonscritters]

Thanks for the help and great video

[@cindyboard7816]

I have really enjoyed your videos!! Finished them all and would enjoy more!!! Thank you for sharing!!!

[@novellafarm9879]

Thank you!

[@CanterburyTrailsFarm]

Really useful info. Thank you.

[@WickedAwesomeGardening]

Super helpful! I am hoping to get my first goats in a year or two!

[@PineViewS]

Thank you for this video! I am picking up my first 2 ND doelings next month and there are so many grain options! I could not figure out feed if they needed grower until a certain age or just a regular formula so thank you for the information!

[@missmamtube]

Shalom! Hi Chad, I have really been enjoying your series on what to feed goats. I am a newbie and my family and I just moved to a city in southern California that allows farm animals. We want to purchase goats and I have learned so much and gleamed many things from you, thank you. Blessings to you and yours!

[@RettsAdorablePets]

Thanks for the video !!!!!!!!!! Helpful !!!

[@stuartskrabec1156]

Great video, thanks!

[@lizpurvis2386]

Thanks for info

[@newdayfarm9463]

Nice looking herd there!

[@novellafarm9879]

Thank you!

[@kebunku7182]

Adorable

[@monicag9117]

I sure wish you were still putting out videos!

[@GoatyGoatGirl]

I heard that you should not feed grain to pet wethers as they do not have babies or give milk etc.

[@ericnewton3434]

Great video here. I have a question how many times a day do you feed them. My two girls graze the land eating small amounts of pine needles, bark but not much of the hay we supply them. Right now we only feed them minerals 1 times a day but it seems like not enough.

[@justiceandrade5810]

I've watched, enjoyed and learned from your videos, Thank you. I am starting a small herd over the next 2 months. I really like your hay feeder. Would you be able to make a short video about it if you built it or a link where to find it please?

[@novellafarm9879]

It's really a pretty simple design. We based it on a picture we found somewhere on the internet. This video shows it a little more up close: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3u6iKVjbNB5oNk

[@novellafarm9879]

And thanks for watching! I appreciate the kind words.

[@stuartskrabec1156]

Mulberry tree. That's my favorite fodder

[@versatileyoungyahmantin5089]

💪🏿

[@yvonneceleste2677]

Ps we live in NH Hampshire

[@paulbassett5047]

Hi I just got 2 baby goats 1 is a buckling and as of now they are still on a bottle but have access to hay and minerals already but I have read some things that say that a male goat can’t have any grain or else they will develop kidney stones is this true??

[@tammylindsay5559]

I have one 35-40lb adult buck. I just got him and all that the person gave me was a jar of sweet feed. Can you please tell me what to go get and ratios please!!

[@bjvfgdfxhgfhg8984]

How many cups or quarts do you feed per goat?

[@wildkiger]

Do you feed any specific mineral supplement? At the feed store, I see mineral blocks and loose minerals to provide.

[@novellafarm9879]

We have a whole mineral and supplementation regimen. I review it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXeQg413lNKNr5Y

[@geriegomez3342]

What's best hay you've fed that the goats don't waist?

[@kkchacko]

Is this a music program

[@finallyfriday.]

It's interesting that you feed them calf milk to increase their (milk) production. Trading milk for milk. Hmmm...

[@rebelwraith8138]

I feed mine brush feather creek goat ration non medicated.

[@yvonneceleste2677]

What diet would you give weather in the future I plan on getting three baby goats all will be weather I am doing all my research on what would be the best food for them thank you for any help

[@novellafarm9879]

I recommend free choice grass hay (coastal, tiffany, orchard) and goat feed once a day. Most any goat feed that your local feed store provides should work just fine. Follow the label instructions for the amount. Have fun with the new goats! Wethers make fun pets!

[@lorenzolopez602]

Hey I’m looking to buy some goats for my herd since my male is getting kind of old are you interested in selling any of your bucklings or any does. P.S. my kids love your Chanel.

[@novellafarm9879]

Hi, Lorenzo! Yes, I have some boys I could sell. Head over to novellafarm.com and you can send me an email through the contact us form. Tell your kids I said thank you for watching!

[@user-cl9ew4ie4g]

Do they eat grass

[@enod9746]

I typically let mine feed until they are full.

[@leedanielson7452]

Hi! As of 3/7/21 I’m looking for a couple pygmy goat bottle babies for pets only..prefer females as if I get males I would have to get them fixed! Any help would be appreciated! I live an hour south of Orlando by the way...

[@novellafarm9879]

I'm happy to help you out. Head over to novellafarm.com and send me an email through the contact us page.

[@charlietaylor4020]

Can u feed Nigerian a sweet feed

[@catgoatfoxlover]

Would you also feed grain to Nigerian dwarf goat wethers? I've read that you're not supposed to feed them grain but I was wondering you're opinion? I'm really hoping to get Nigerians in the future.

[@patriciadiaz777]

I’m wondering the same thing!

[@catgoatfoxlover]

@@patriciadiaz777 I was doing research and to me it looks like no for the grain. Possibly just some to use as treats once in a while is what I would do. Do you have goats? I don't yet lol

[@patriciadiaz777]

@@catgoatfoxlover yes we got 2 Nigerian goats 🐐 and we are getting hay and in the beginning we tried the grain and they didn’t want to eat it!. So that brought me to this video!

[@catgoatfoxlover]

@@patriciadiaz777 Oh! That's interesting. I wonder why they wouldn't want it

[@jenniburnsartist2094]

The wethers don't need the grain, just make sure they have a good quality local hay, and goat minerals free choice as well as browse if it's available. No

[@chrisdog818]

I know this video is like guzzling years old but do u happen to know what Feed I can give my nigiran dwarf goat so she stays small and not for milk and not for food just as pet! so I want her tiny as possible lol! thank you

[@chadturnbull]

I understand your desire to have your goat stay as small as possible, but her size is really out of our control. Your goat has a genetic disposition to be a certain size (most likely around the size of a labrador retriever). Stunting her growth, which would really only occur by starving her, isn't something that you can or should do. She'll naturally be small because of her breed and trying to make her smaller by not feeding her will make her miserable and sickly, not smaller. She won't make milk unless you breed her, so you don't have to worry about that one.

[@RettsAdorablePets]

We have three Nigerian Dwarf goats.... two little nannies (does) Jewels and Ruby, and Baron our Stinky Billy Goat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@chigozienwankwo234]

Yeah, they are stinky 😂

[@florencetomi2223]

I am from Nigeria, I feed my goat with Cassava peel_ Manihot I guess that is Scientific name.

[@evegreenification]

Thank you, this is helpful

[@davidleandro7026]

West African dwarf goat .

[@mohsinmujawar3762]

1 pice price

[@chessyglow2738]

Would you suggest the same for Nubians?

[@novellafarm9879]

Nubians, and other standard sized goats, have a much higher calorie need than the small, efficient Nigerians. The key thing for standards is a free choice hay with more calories, so something like alfalfa or an alfalfa blend. From there the grain and process I outline here could work.

[@chessyglow2738]

@@novellafarm9879 ok thank you

[@francotheafrican7550]

Hi. Great work with the videos. I’m watching from Sierra Leone, West Africa. I’m new to goat farming. I just started 3 months ago with 60 Nigerian Dwarf Goats. I have a Goat housing and a two acre exercise field they go to during the day. I’m growing alfalfa and Sudangrass which I plan to use part of for silage and some for dry hay. We have no access to pellets or seed feeds. Will my goats be ok with just two two grasses and a few fruits?

[@debbiehall2133]

What's safe gor them I fear our government is messing with feeds

[@morgancalvi6675]

Your answer doesn't consider fixed males...telling people they need to feed your goat grain could kill them. Giving loose minerals is a-ok.

[@novellafarm9879]

Thank you for this comment. It allows me to address misconceptions about wethers (castrated males) and feed. The key thing to prevent urinary calculi (stones) is the proper calcium: phosphorous ratio. Feed can help the ratio or hurt the ratio depending on the type of hay and forage one offers. It is not true that wethers should universally never have feed because it "could kill them". It is true that too much calcium is a problem. So a grass hay diet with feed is perfectly fine, particularly if the feed offered has ammonium chloride to balance the ph levels. I've seen more dead or sickly wethers on a hay-only diet due to poor nutrition than I have wethers that die because they're given feed, especially when fed grass hay and the right feed.