A LOT of livestock is available for sale currently and one has to consider if this is the result of rising feed prices due to the economy and a terrible harvest due to the amount of rain we have experienced this summer.

As far as your goats are concerned, feeding the best diet you can will ensure good growth and a prolific milk supply throughout the worst months of the year.

We have been fortunate in many ways because the long wet and mild autumn is at least providing us with an extension of growth of herbage and wild plants.

October normally shows a flush of growth but this year it has seemed spring like in temperature and rain fall from September onwards and the grass and plants have responded accordingly thus deferring for some of the need to feed winter rations so soon.

YOUR WINTER REGIME
HAY - HAYLAGE - STRAW

  • First decide the winter regime you will put your goat on. Will it be hay, a hay/straw mix or haylage?

Whatever you decide, you should stick to it and not make changes as this will effect the goat's productivity and health.

My own choice has always been the best I can buy and I buy either farm assured haylage. Farm assured is very important - you need the haylage to be properly tested and see the certificate to make sure there are no foreign micro-organisms and the protein levels are correct.

If you can find good quality meadow hay or Rye Grass hay, this is excellent too but it must be free of mould and smell sweet. This is something that will become increasingly difficult this year with a poor harvest. This first crop top quality hay will be sold at a premium. Always buy horse- quality hay for goats.

CONCENTRATES

  • The most economical and well-balanced form of concentrates is a mix which is branded and will contain all the nutrients and vitamins needed.

You can mix your own concentrates if you wish but you should make sure that it has a good mix of maize, oats, barley, alfalfa and linseed cake.

You should also then supplement that with a goat specific supplement such as Caprivite. The latter suggestion is probably only viable if you have six or more goats to feed.

Feed-branded concentrates according to instructions on the package mixes at a rate of one kilo per day to milkers in a minimum of two feeds. A teacup full of soaked Sugar Beet Pulp can also be added to each feed if liked by the goats.

Also add any dried herbs or nettles that you may have prepared earlier in the year on a daily basis.

Stale bread which has been oven baked and broken up plus any vegetable trimmings (not potato if possible) apples and ageing bananas from your household will be readily eaten.

A goat specific salt and mineral block is a good idea and a very large one, tied up with a rope will keep several goats going for a whole winter.

I like the larger blocks because several goats can lick at one time which makes it a bit of a social event for them.

VIABILITY OF OVER WINTERING ALL OF YOUR STOCK

  • A touchy subject as many goats are kept as pets but now is the time to consider the on cost of your goats and seriously consider the economics.

If you think it will be difficult to feed them all effectively it might be wise to consider which ones you might either sell or even cull.

Your meat goats are worth spending a little more on to produce an earlier carcase. It might be slightly smaller but you need to weigh up the advantages/disadvantages of a smaller carcase and an earlier kill.

Your dairy goats cannot be skimped if you want them to stay productive and or produce healthy kids in the spring.

The cost of all livestock keeping will always increase but I think this year that I would estimate the cost of goat keeping has risen by 20 per cent.

This ought to add value to your stock but unfortunately, at this time of the year, that is unlikely.