i read in an old question and it said that feeding goats sea kelp will increase their yeild by 25% is there is an truth or is it just an old wives tale. and if it is true can you get it some were?

-- marie (marie@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002

Answers

I've read that and other breeders have said that. However, there is not a lot of conclusive researh to substaniate that. Sea Kelp is good for flushing the body of toxins and can even help in the prevention of CL. Now i read that too, someplace. To increase milk production there is a new mineral mix out called Blue Bonnet. And, Vicki I was given the ingredients and have a question? There is animal plasma from cows in it and I am wondering how safe that can be. I simply use fennelgreek seeds to boost production and a little dill top dressed. But the increase in milk production also depends up your breedings as well.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.

If pressed I haven't seen anyone who can substantiate the claims. Think about it, that would mean that a doe who is regularly milking 8 pounds here would milk 10 pounds! I can increase butterfat, and I could increase the milk a little with feeding alfalfa hay, but 2 pounds a day with kelp? Na...When we sold milk we took kelp out of the diet because we saw no numbers from it, the girls were in good condition with it, but they were also in good condition without it. And the bottom line was that it cost to much to feed the entire herd. Now that my herd is tiny I do feed it, the girls like it, and the bottom line isn't as important as it once was.

Bernice, I haven't heard about this new supplement. Cow plasma would be a blood product right? And here I thought that was against the law? Or perhaps it is only being marekted to horses, pigs and dogs and not ruminents? This type of product along with the other supplements made from cattle blood and colostrum just simply make me very uneasy! I am a big Red Cell fan, but now that my head is out of the sand about the beef liver as the blood builder in it, I am not using it either! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.

I don't know that much about goats, but I was caretaking a farm on the coast two winters ago, and I fed kelp regulary to chickens, ducks, and geese. I just gathered it on the beach with crab shells and other critter bits, that I'd mash up for the chickens. The folks I was caretaking the farm for said the seaweed was good for thier laying production, but I don't have anything to compare it to. There were 18 chickens. They slept in an unlighted coop that had a roof partially made of plexiglass, but was dark a lot because it was winter, and we are at latitude 54 N. They gave about a doz. eggs on average per day. I ate kelp, bladder-rack, and sea lettuce while living within easy gathering distance. I'm convinced that It's good for me, and the chickens ate it up like they would if it was chickweed, and worms, which I'd say is a good sign. Now that sea- weed was live, or recently dead, and quite juicy. It was also free. You may be able to find seaweed in Agriculture supply shops, as a soil additive (I know when I lived on the outer coast we used lots of it) but I imagine that even a dty weight of Kelp would probably be an outrageous expense for someone not near the coast. I don't know for sure. Your goats would probably love some as a vitamine rich treat though. You could try an experiment and see, but I doubt you'd get a 25%yeild increase, that seems to incredible.

-- roberto pokachinni (pokachinni@yahoo.com), January 07, 2002.

Call Thorvin Kelp at 800-464-0417. They may be able to refer you to a distributor in your area. I bought a pallot load for my cattle and sell some on the side. $37.50 for a 55-pound bag. The recommended feeding rate for goat is one-half ounce per day, so a bag would go a long way. Thorvin Kelp, for some reason, is not recommended for rabbits.

There is also a form of powdered kelp which can be provide to livestock through a pipe water supply. A distributor for the mixing container and kelp is Kentucky Graziers Support at www.kygraziers.com.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 07, 2002.

If anyone wants one of Thorvin Kelp's brochures, they can send me a business-size, SASE with one first class stamp attached to Ken Scharabok, 1645 West Blue Creek Road, Waverly, TN 37185. I'm not a dealer for them.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 07, 2002.

We feed Thorvin Kelp free choice. It provides vitamins and minerals that the goats require. Since it's free choice, they seem to know when they need it and when they don't. Sometimes I can't keep the dish full and sometimes it will sit there for a while. I have to order it at the same price that was previously posted. But as Vicki said, it's more affordable with a small herd. No, I hadn't noticed a milk increase because of kelp. There are milk increases due to overall healthier feeds and managements, but I couldn't say the kelp alone was responsible.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), January 07, 2002.

thanks to all that answered. 25% did seem really outragous to me but i was not sure. i live in IL so it is a little hard to go to the coast and get some :-D i am going to look into getting a bag and trying it. Thanks

-- marie (marie@hotmail.com), January 07, 2002.