NH Homesteader's journal

[Mini Horses]

OH -- the horse feed and higher copper -- I picked up another bag of Purina Enrich a couple days ago and checked the label. I've used this to supplement minis on high hay/pasture & lower concentrates to ensure they get enough protein/vit/min...plus when late pregnancy (when I used to breed). WOW the copper is 135 ppmg. 1/4 cup of that stuff would be almost like using copper bolus...?? Anyway, yep my goats get same thing. I lightly top dress their feed about 2X a week. Never use the copper bolus -- too much trouble. Only worm about 2X yr & bright nice lids most always.

It's expensive...$29-33 a bag but, you use very little. Just an update.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@Mini Horses - That's a LOT of copper! You're right though - wouldn't have to use much! The way I mix my feed nowadays is getting me about 30ppm of copper and I can tell a difference in my goats with that.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Ooh thanks!! Good to know!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Mine aren't getting enough right now, hence part of my desire to change feed. The feed store was too busy for me to quiz them this week, but next trip I'll try to get one of the two people who actually know what they're talking about and get some prices, etc.

 

[Mini Horses]

Horse feed runs 40-60 ppm copper. A Blue Seal dairy goat ration is 20% protein, with 30-40 PPM copper (plus all other things). @# $13.49 per 50# it's a good buy if you have lactating does. Personally, I like more protein for them because they are preggers or milking most of their lives. It can take a toll, so buying good protein, vit/min keeps them healthy, kids strong & milk flowing. My minis were always in great shape with strong foals & good milk. I just moved that to the goats, with any special needs they may have had. Calcium is important for all those who are being milked -- by babies &/or humans. If a foal jumped like it had the hiccups, calcium was low. I added some to rations and liquid by mouth...mom & baby.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yeah the only reason I don't use the dairy goat feed is my does are dry and pushing the scales, lol. Especially my Nigerian, she's just fat! When I milk I use Blue Seal dairy goat and alfalfa pellets.

I am fairly certain it costs a lot more than that here though... I'll see when I buy it again!

 

[tortoise]

Back to fiber animals (sorry), all my sheep except one ram have some merino in them. I paid $30 each for my first as bottle lambs (the merino crosses) and $120 for the unrelated ram. My shearer says purebred merino don't do well in WI climate.

Angoras aren't out of reach though. I never had air conditioning for mine and no heat losses. When I was in town, I had them in a shed with little-to-no ventilation. Over 90 degrees, I put them in expens in the shade. It wasn't a good arrangement simply due to labor involved. I sold them after a few years, vowing I wouldn't get rabbits again until I had a suitable building. When we moved, we put them into the barn. Our barn is rather cool even in summer, and their cages were in a corner of the lower level of the barn that is sunk into a hillside for temperature control. Raising rabbits was MUCH less stressful without worry about heat!

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I'll second that @tortoise. I had rabbits for many years growing up in WI and kept them in an old chicken coop (I'd LOVE to have that building for my chickens now!!) I never lost a rabbit due to heat. But it's going to be a whole new ballgame down here in Alabama!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Nope no rabbits here. If we ever do rabbits (doubtful) they will be for meat and I will do a colony set up. I don't like the cage thing. So I don't see angoras in my future.

New England is not the place to find cheap animals. Unless they are sick, and I have zero interest in taking in sick animals. My biggest concern with expanding to other animals is that my goats have been tested for everything under the sun, and have never been exposed to soremouth, and I'm not thrilled about bringing in animals that haven't been, particularly because some of these things are rampant in sheep. But if I keep them separate, forever, it shouldn't be an issue. I keep my pig away from my goats (they'll share a barn but have a solid wall between them) so should be ok. I'm just neurotic about it!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Can't blame you on not wanting to bring any diseases in...

I used to think rabbits were an 'easy' critter to raise - until the kids tried to raise 'em for the fair one year. Geeze louise - they don't do well in the Texas heat AT ALL!

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