Feeding AC to bucks - need some ideas

[mzgarden]

So there's probably a very simple answer to this but I'm not finding it.

I have Nubians -  1 buck (2 y/o) , 2 wethers (2 y/o and 9 mos), 1 doe (3 y/o)  in milk who is probably also bred and one doeling (9 mos) who is also likely bred.  My boys and girls run together during the day and then the girls plus the youngest wether overnight separately in the barn with the older boys in the pasture shelter.

My buck is no longer in rut and he and his companion, the older wether,  are being slowly cut back on their grain ration to just good hay & pasture (& water, minerals, etc.).  They are not in danger of losing condition at this point.  The grain feed had A/C in it.  When there is no more grain feed, I feel like I need to continue the A/C but can't figure out how to get it in them.  They will not eat peanut butter, molasses, apples or any other treats I've tried.

Am I overlooking the simple solution?

[shellymay]

A/C is put in the grains because high grain diets cause Urinary problems in goats, so they put the a/c in to help prevent it....... goats that are not on high grain diets don't really need the A/C, but some people feel better giving them some, check your minerals as there is goat minerals out there that have A/C in it and the ratio is good for goats who are just on pasture/hays, hope this helps?

[mzgarden]

shellymay , thanks. I'm going to have to go back and re-read my information. I thought a diet of quality hay and pasture without the grains resulted in an imbalance of phosphorous and calcium which I why I thought I needed to supplement AC if I took the grain out of the picture. Maybe I'm making this harder than it needs to be

[shellymay]

HELLO, @redfish,

[shellymay]

@redfish,

  Are you back for a while?

[comfortablynumb]

I just sprinkle a little ac on a handful of feed a couple times a week for buster. He seems to like it.

[motdaugrnds]

I've never...no never...fed AC to any of my bucks. All my large Nubians have lived off the same food for years and the last few years mostly off pasture with only a slight supplement of grain (alfalfa pellets and shredded beet pulp). They are all as healthy as they can be. Maybe it is the area one lives in. I don't know; but I figure if my bucks don't have that problem why treat for it....

[Deleted]

I've only sprinkled it on top of feed when I used it and had no problems. But I do have a very picky buck so here's my solution for anything that needs to be hidden: peanut shells. All of my goats will fight over a peanut so I empty the shell of peanuts, fill with whatever I'm sneaking in, and then re-glue the shells together with a TINY bit of peanut butter if needed- things like Replamin Gel don't need the peanut butter glue. This is the only time they get peanuts so it is a very rare treat.