What would you goat folks reccommend as the best free choice mineral supplement for dairy goats? I cannot seem to find anything locally. I used sheep/goat minerals in the past and do not want to do that anymore because of low levels of copper. I will need to order something on-line or mail order. I wanted to get a product that is really good and has a history of being balanced and properly assimilated.

-- Tiffani (cappello@alltel.net), December 15, 2001

Answers

Response to best free choice minerals for goats?

The best loose mineral mix we ever used is from Springbriar. We used their mix when we lived in VA along with our speciality mix. The mineral mix was excellent, perfectly balanced almost and our goats did very well on it. Then we switched shortly before we moved and afterwards. I began to notice suttle little things at first like baldy tails, course hair, etc. I then immediately called a local dealer in MO who carries the Springbriar products. Now we are back on track again. This may or may not work for everyone and there may be other mixes that are just as good. However, its been our experience that the Springbriar mineral works well for us. You can get more information on their products by going to their website, www.springbriar.com Hope this helps.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), December 15, 2001.

Response to best free choice minerals for goats?

I've been using custom milling's Golden Blend goat loose mineral mix, and like it alot. They are in GA, but have a website (www.custommilling.com), and you can order from there or email them for a catalog, etc. they come in 25# buckets or 50# bags. I agree with Bernice...Springbriar's another good one. They have a website as well..although off the top of my head can't remember the url...you could do a general search using that keyword however. If you don't want to pay the shipping for the Golden Blend or Springbriar mix, most cattle loose minerals at farm supply stores have plenty of copper in them, and would be at least better than blocks, or anything labeled for sheep and goats...I've never found one for sheep/goats that's really appropriate for goats, as you mentioned. TriQuest also sells goat-specific loose minerals, and they're good, but on the expensive side IMO. Hope that's helpful... good luck! :)patty

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-- Patty Putnam (WI) (littlegoats@wi.rr.com), December 15, 2001.

Response to best free choice minerals for goats?

Here in the West we use Purina 12-12 minerals

-- westbrook (westbrook_farms@yahoo.com), December 15, 2001.

Response to best free choice minerals for goats?

I went to the grain store today to get minerals for my goats, they looked at me like I was an idiot. They said,"There is no such thing as lose minerals for goats, only for sheep, that'll probably be what you need". I said, "I better not until I get some help from the goat people on the computor". What is it that we ask for when we go to the feed store? The owner read several pamplets to me but I was really confused. She kept mentioning Vita-Mix with copper but since she was really unsure and she had me confused I left without anything until I found out what it is that I'm looking for.

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), December 15, 2001.

George,

Since my area is very low in Selenium that is a must for me. Copper is the other one that goats must have. Sheep need Selenium but no copper!

If you can't get anything for goats then use Cattle minerals with copper as well as the goat/sheep minerals with Selenium. I have mixed them together in the past. Take a look at the brand of feeds your feed store carries, then get on line and see if they have a web site. See what they offer then go back to your feed store and see if they can get it for you. If not go somewhere else for it.

-- westbrook (westbrook_farms@yahoo.com), December 17, 2001.

I also use Purina's 12 12 loose cattle minerals. Given a choice always use the cattle information. A good dairy cattle mix would be the best, but unheard of in our area. Even the dairy cattle grain mixes are better than goat anything here in my part of Texas. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 17, 2001.

I order my loose mineral mix on line from Caprine Supply (www.caprinesupply.com) They have one mix for goats on pasture or fed grass hay and one mix for goats on alfalfa hay. -- Cheers, Renee M.

-- Renee Martin (icehorse@altelco.net), December 17, 2001.

The best thing I ever used was Sea Kelp.... It has everything from A TO Z in it... And its natural!

-- Ginny (yehagirl@rockinredranch.com), December 17, 2001.

I have recieved that blank stare when I asked for loose goat minerals at the feed store too...this helped me alot. They do carry Purina brands, so I am going to ask for the 12 12.

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), December 18, 2001.

OK dumb question whats the difference between cow and horse minerals /

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), December 18, 2001.

Here, and minerals are mixed different everywhere, they have sweetners in it for the horse to consume more. Also since it is for a single stomached animal the range of minerals I want are way to high. The cattle minerals work great for me. I have used the Purina Horse 12 12 before.

KELP: From this and another thread: I do feed kelp, but kelp does not have vitamins in it, and kelp has only trace amounts of the biggies for me, copper! If Kelp could increase milk production by 25% it would be used in all daires. I use it now, because my herd is very small and I can give each goat very individualized care. When we were milking, adding kelp in no way increased milk production, in fact with only the hard facts of, that I would like to have them eat it, there is no secret bullet to it that you can see, in performance or production, so I couldn't afford to feed it, the girls milked no more, had the same amount of kids, same herd health. Diamond V Yeast fed at the beginning of lactation with baking soda, does have numbers on milk production increase, and we used it successfully, but once they are in production for awhile this was also stopped because the helpfullness stopped. Yes I think Kelp is a very good idea, no it shouldn't be given as their only mineral choice. But if you are goating on a shoestring, or goating for profit, keep you loose minerals and ditch the kelp! If you can afford both feed it. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 18, 2001.