Importance of Baking Soda for Goats

[Manger]

I'll like to share this tip for those that will like to go into goat farming where feed high in energy will be used. If you feed grains to your goats, it is important to keep a small can of baking soda in their pen. This is because excess grain can make their stomach acidic and they can correct it by licking the baking soda. This is important if by mistake the goat consume excess grain. A goat can die as a result if nothing is done.

[Charly]

How much grain is good for goat?

[hungle64]

around 10% correct me if i am wrong.

[Henlus]

I got this from a website:
.
"never feed
more than 50% of the total diet, except for heavily
producing dairy goats. Adult meat goats should
be fed a maximum of 1% of bodyweight in
supplemental grain, with lactating does reaching
a maximum of 1.5%.
.
Feeding an animal a large amount of concentrate (grain) causes acidosis, which results in a drop in rumen pH and a decrease in rumen motility. With acidosis, the animal usually will go off feed, have diarrhea, and show signs of depression for a couple of days. In severe cases, acidosis can cause death (Attra-Coffey, 2004).
.
Animals that are fed high-grain
diets can also contract enterotoxemia, which is
caused by epsilon toxin-producing Clostridium
perfringens Type D (pulpy kidney disease). The
symptoms of this disease are soft and pulpy
kidneys, excess pericardial fluid, pulmonary
edema, and hemorrhages on the serosal surfaces
(Sheep and Goat Medicine, Pugh, 2002)."
.
http://articles.extension.org/pages/4293...d-my-goats

[Manger]

That was helpful Henlus. Thanks.

[FarmTech]

Max. Amount of Grain in Goat Feed:
http://farmersjoint.com/thread-29041.htm...light=goat