Goat Not Eating Grain

Grains provide energy for the goat and they form a good portion of their feed.

Sometimes they goats stop eating grains and you may not know the reason why it happens no matter what you do. 

In this blog post, you are going to discover the reason why goats are not eating grains and what you can do about it. You are also going to discover if it is good to serve grains to the goats everyday. 

Why are goats not eating grains? Goats will slack off or stop eating grains when they are on heat. Goats will not eat grain when they have been filled up with hay and other treats provided they are not on heat. 

Sometimes the goats will stop eating grains and other feed if their rumens have been messed up by one of the, perhaps new treats you serve them. 

Are grains good for goats?

Grains are good for the goats but it’s advisable to serve them in moderation to the goats especially the bucks. 

Grains provide the goats with enough carbohydrates and other minerals for the goats. Grains are a good source of energy for the goats. 

You can only serve the adult with grains as the kids are yet to develop teeth which they can use to break down the grains. 

Common examples of grains which can serve the goats are corn (fresh and dried ones), sorghum, barley, oats etc. 

You can serve grains alone or with other treats to make up a feed for the goats and other livestock you have in the yard. 

What to do if a goat is not eating grains?

At first, you need to observe and watch the goats which refuse grains closely to determine the next line of action. 

You need to determine if the goat is on heat. You can do this by checking the temperature of the body. 

You need to listen to the rumen to discover if there is any reaction going on. Check the eyelids if they are red. Do the goats show signs of lethargic?  

If all of these are true of the goats, it means they are on heat. You just have to wait for a while for the goats to recover. 

There is a high chance the goats will continue eating the grains once their body systems are back to normal. If there are no chances after a while, you can activate probio. 

If it happens that the goats do not not show any symptoms, then you should feed them with hay, alfalfa pellets and some other treats etc. 

Sometimes, your goats might just be avoiding grains so that they are not going to experience bloat after eating a series of treats. 

Can goats live without grain?

It is possible for goats to live without grains for a long time. In fact it is not advisable to serve grains regularly to the goat, especially the male ones. 

You might not be able to feed the goats with grains if it happens that you have a lot of treats on the meal plan for the pets. 

Carbohydrates are the major sources of nutrients goat derived from eating grains. Goats can also derive this food nutrient from order but it might be a lower quantity compared to grains. 

Why should male goats not eat grain?

Male goats are going to develop urinary calculi, a type of kidney stone developed by the goats when they eat excessive grains. 

Goats that are affected by urinary calculi usually find it difficult to urinate. And they may not be able to meet with the female counterpart. 

It is also not good to serve grains to doe so that it will not affect them when they are experiencing the heat during lactation. 

Do goats need grain everyday?

Goats do not need to consume grain everyday as their body system usually get rid of excessive carbohydrates. Goats need more protein both the young ones as well as the adult ones. 

Do goats need grains in the winter?

Goats need to consume more grains in the winter. The reason is that grains, especially corn, are a good source of heat and energy for the goats. This helps them to withstand the cold outside the pen. 

Just because you want to serve the goats enough grains to the goats so that they will have more energy in the winter, does not mean you should go overboard and start serving the grains in excess to the goats. 

How do you get grain for goats?

There are many ways to get grains for your goats. You buy from the feed mill or local pet food store near you. Just ensure that you are buying grains that are still fresh for the goats. 

You can even decide to cultivate different grains on the farms for the sole purpose of serving the goats as treats. 

Treats you can feed goats

There are some other healthy treats you can serve the goats if it happens that they are rejecting the grains you serve. 

Lettuce

Lettuce are one of the healthy vegetables you can serve the goats as a treat. Lettuce provides the goats with antioxidants as well as some vitamins and minerals. 

Watermelon

Watermelon is good for the goats. You can cut the watermelon into smaller pieces to make it easier for the goats to consume. The goats can also eat watermelon rind and it’s good for the body. 

Cucumber

Cucumber is also good for goats. Goats also drive antioxidants from eating cucumbers. You can serve cucumber alone or together with some other treats. 

Animal Crackers

Animal crackers are one of the treats you can serve to the goats. You can go over to the Amazon store to buy one for your pets. It comes in different sizes and type. 

Bamboo leaves

Goats can eat bamboo leaves. You can help the goats to get some bamboo leaves and serve the goats. You can give goats access to eat bamboo leaves if they are found in your surroundings. 

Conclusion

Goats will not eat grains once they are well fed on hay and other feed you serve. Goats will also avoid grains when they are experiencing heat. 

You can administer probio if you notice some symptoms on the goats, perhaps they might have eaten something strange which makes your goat avoid grains. 

Reference

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/goat-not-eating-grain.10815/