OT - Question about goats

[Guest guest]

Personally, I think you should ask a few questions about his "grain fed" goat meat. Is this a person who use to raise cattle, hog, etc and has become use to marketing saying grain fed thinking it's what the consumer wants or what. He's going to market like he has before and found to work. Also, how much grain is he feeding that he's saying grain fed. A lot of grass fed beef also get grain but they are saying grass fed so we know they aren't dry lot raised and fed hay 24/7. If this guy is saying grain fed, he MIGHT just be supplementing grain to go with their pasture time. The kids may be nursing on the does yet and the does need the grain. Meat bred goats are bred hoping they will produce triplets or even quads and feeding 3 or 4 kids (even 2) means the doe needs supplementing with grain and extra protein. Her kids will eat with her and they often need a bit of grain supplementation. There is a big difference in grain fed with the animal being loaded up on grain vs getting a little to add to their pasture feeding. Also, the region you are in can make a difference. We have the benefit of lots of green browse where I'm at but I sure don't expect southern TX, AZ, So. Cal and some areas to have the benefit of that. If a person is farming in a drought area and hay is at a premium I would expect they are supplementing with grain.

Also, what one person on a group does pertains to the area they are in. Therre are places where hay is a much higher protein % and where I'm at it's low. I have to supplement with grain so I can meet their protein requirements. But my grain has alfalfa meal, beat pulp, BOSS and a protein pellet with a limited amount of oats and corn.

Then there's the genetic issue of some goats being easier keepers than others. Some you could pour grain in vs the easy keepers who need little.

So I think you really need to talk with the guy a bit more and find out what exactly he is offering and why it's "grain fed". Things aren't always so black and white and are far more often in the gray.

~*~ Shar ~*~http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ManagingCaprineBucksandWethershttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoatMilkCheeseMeat/