Are you a goat farmer looking for ways to improve your herd’s health? If so, you may be wondering if goat supplements are a good idea.
This post will explore the benefits of goat supplements and discuss some of the most popular options available.
Keep reading to learn more!
What is a Goat Supplement?
A goat supplement is a type of food given to goats to improve their health or increase their productivity.
Goat supplements can be either liquid or dry and are often made from various ingredients.
Goat supplements are typically given to goats that are not getting enough nutrients from their regular diet or need extra nutrients for a specific purpose, such as pregnancy or lactation.
In some cases, goat supplements may also be given to goats as a preventative measure against disease. For example, certain supplements can help prevent the spread of parasites in a herd of goats.
Ultimately, whether or not to give a goat a supplement depends on the individual animal’s needs and the farmer’s goals.
Goats have been around forever – and nobody is buying minerals for wild goats. So why are they necessary for captive goats?
It’s simple – goats raised in captivity don’t have the freedom to roam around and get the nutrients they need, while wild goats can roam over thousands of acres to find the minerals they need.
They live in the mountains and deserts, not on feedlots or in barns – without providing goats with the minerals they need via a supplement, they won’t be as healthy.
One type of supplement that just about every farmer will give their herd of goats is a mineral supplement. We’ll discuss this in more detail below! Let’s get started.
What Goat Supplements Do You Need?
Nutrition is an essential part of raising goats, so it’s good to keep the right supplements on hand to always have them when your animals need them. Here are some of the most important ones to keep on hand.
Mineral Supplement
Goat Mineral Supplement Mix
Loose minerals are something you should give to your goats to make sure they always have the exact vitamins they need to stay healthy.
These should be offered free choice and available to your goats.
You may want to provide your goats with minerals to make it difficult for them to step in them or soil them.
Don’t feed loose minerals directly on the ground. But instead, use a feeder or even just a separate bucket to administer the minerals to your goats.
Otherwise, you could have a significant mess on your hands, and your goats could be more susceptible to parasites.
You can make your feeder from PVC or wood or buy a mineral feeder. Either way, these options won’t break the bank but ensure that your goats get the nutrients they need.
When shopping for your loose mineral for the goats, select one explicitly listed for use in goats. Using a mineral supplement for cattle or other animals won’t work 0you need one that has been uniquely formulated to meet the needs of goats.
Copper for Goats
Watch out for loose minerals described as being for “sheep and goats.” Sheep and goats have very similar nutritional requirements except in one area – copper.
Copper is essential for goats, but sheep cannot have copper under any circumstances (at least not at the required levels).
Sodium Bicarbonate for Goats
The jury is still out on whether you should be providing goats with sodium bicarbonate regularly or if it should just be given as needed.
Either way, this is something you should keep around if you need it.
Sodium b bicarbonate – yes, baking soda! – it is essential for goats to help with their digestion. It is precious when it comes to preventing bloat.
You can use the same baking soda you use for other things on the homestead, like cooking and cleaning.
Keep some in the barn so you can give them to your goats.
Goats will only eat as much as they need, and if the baking soda you have on hand starts to look old, all you need to do is sprinkle the older stuff on the barn floor and replace it with new.
Probiotics for Goats
Again, probiotics aren’t mandatory for goats like a loose mineral supplement is, but they’re still good to have around.
Probiotics will help keep your goats’ digestive system working correctly – just as they do for us!
Make sure you use a probiotic that is specifically for goalposts, though. These probiotics are unique because they help to jumpstart the rumen.
Most people choose to give goats a probiotic supplement, like Probios, as soon as they are born (around three days of age or so) and to adult goats when they are sick, stressed, or being transported.
It’s a good idea to give goats probiotics whenever they are given antibiotics, too, since this will help balance out the bacteria in their digestive systems that have been disrupted.
Goats Need Copper Supplement
We mentioned copper as an essential nutrient for goats earlier in this post. Usually, copper is added to goat feed and mineral supplementation.
However, this is not always the case, and even if it is, you may still find that your goats need additional supplementation of this crucial mineral.
That’s why copper is often supplemented separately, in the form of a copper bolus.
As is the case with many other supplements on this list, don’t worry too much about toxicity – your goats will only consume as much as they need when needed.
Without copper, though, disastrous effects can occur. Copper deficiency leads to poor coat development, reduced resistance to parasites, and even a failure to thrive (lack of growth) in kids.
How can you tell if copper deficiency is to blame for these problems? You’ll often notice a fishtail appearance to the goat’s tail – this is when it splits and looks like the tail of a fish!
Provide a copper bolus at least once a year, ideally three times.
Read the instructions on the copper bolus you buy because there are a few different ways you can administer this. Some farmers prefer to give it more often but at a lower dose. This tends to work well for younger goats especially.
Selenium Supplement for Goats
Selenium Goat Supplement
Double-check your loose mineral to make sure selenium is included. If it’s not (it isn’t always included as part of a standard mix), you will need to provide it to your goats.
Selenium is naturally present in the soil, but it is deficient in many areas due to commercial agriculture and many other reasons.
You can do a quick soil test to determine whether that’s the case on your farm. If it is – or if your goats are exclusively barn-raised – then a selenium supplement is a good idea.
Soil is considered deficient in selenium when less than 0.5 mg is present.
Why do goats need selenium?
A few reasons.
One is that it’s vital for muscle and reproductive health. Selenium deficiency most often presents in weak kids – the disease known as white muscle disease is prevalent in selenium-deficient kids.
You might see other signs of deficiency in adults, like stillbirth, abortions, or an inability to conceive.
Give selenium in various ways, but one of the fastest-acting options is BoSe, a medication that’s available by prescription only and is meant to be administered about one month before kidding.
You can also give this injection to kids showing signs of white muscle disease.
There’s even a combination of selenium and vitamin E gel that you can give to your animals at the beginning of the breeding season.
Goat Supplement Nutritional Drenches
Another supplement that’s wise to have on hands for goats is a nutritional drench, like Nutri-Drench.
These are some of the most widely used supplements and are concentrated minerals and vitamins that they can readily absorb for quick energy.
You can give this drench to any goat that seems off or is recovering from an injury and illness. It’s a great idea to give it to newborn kids and their mothers.
This gives them the energy they need to grow and recover.
Although this isn’t something you need to administer regularly, it’s a good shot of energy and essential vitamins to help sick animals get through their illnesses.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B Complex 30ml
B vitamins are made within a goat’s rumen every day. Most of the time, supplementing with vitamin B is not necessary.
However, if your goats aren’t feeling well or have stopped eating normally, you need to supplement them with B vitamins (namely, thiamine). This is frequently given as an injectable.
Vitamin B is required for neurological activity and a strong metabolism. Thiamine deficiency can cause many life-threatening conditions, many of which progress quickly.
It’s a good idea to keep an injectable vitamin B complex on hand. You can also use a paste for less severe conditions.
Have Goat Supplement Red Cell on Hand
Red cell is another supplement to have on hand. This iron supplement can help you treat a goat with anemia.
You can give a goat an iron supplement and other treatments to help build up their red blood cell count.
Most goats take Red Cell pretty quickly. You can also buy injectable iron or iron pellets, but these aren’t usually necessary except in cases of extreme deficiency.
What is the Best Loose Mineral for Goats?
You can use just about any mineral supplement you’d like for your goats. Just make sure it has the following nutrients or that you’re supplementing with an additional supplement if that is not the case:
- Selenium
- Zinc – a zinc deficiency can cause things like stiff joints, excess salivation, poor coat, low breeding volatility, deformed hooves, and more
- Copper
- Calcium and phosphorus – these two nutrients, usually found together in loose mineral supplements, are necessary to prevent things like rickets and milk fever.
- Iron
- Iodine – a deficiency in iodine can lead to goiters
- Sodium – if your goats are deficient in sodium, you’ll be able to tell because they might be eating the dirt or licking the ground
- Boron – a boron deficiency causes arthritis and joint problems
- Manganese – Manganese deficiencies can cause slow growth and vigor in kids, along with other reproductive issues like reduced fertility and stillbirths
You’re in good shape as long as you’ve made sure the goat supplement contains these nutrients. There are a few excellent loose mineral brands to choose from –
- Herbamins and Kelp – this combination will give your goats the exact formulation of minerals they need, particularly copper and selenium
- Sweetlix – this loose mineral is perfectly balanced without too much salt. Some mineral supplements have so much salt that your goats don’t eat enough of the minerals they need, but that’s not the case with Sweetlix.
You can also offer plain salt on its own. This helps your goats stay properly hydrated.
Goat Supplements To Try Today for a Healthier Herd Tomorrow
If you’re considering adding goat supplements to your herd, keep a few things in mind.
First, make sure that the goats have access to plenty of good quality hay and browse.
This will help them stay healthy and meet their nutrient needs. Second, start with a few supplements and gradually increase the dosage as needed.
This will help avoid any digestive upset. Don’t forget to keep other medical supplies on hand for your goats, either – things like Blu Kote, vet wrap, and other supplies are always good to have on hand.
Finally, always consult with your veterinarian before making any changes to your herd’s diet.
Have you tried supplementing your goats with goat minerals? What has been your experience?
