Minerals and Musings

 Hello There!  Thanks for stopping by "The Great Goat Adventure!"

Minerals:  I still have a lot of research to do in the area of minerals.  Minerals are vital to goat health.  Copper is a must, along with calcium and phosphorous.  I have heard that salt and kelp are great minerals to feed "free choice," and I am hoping to eventually formulate my own mineral mix.  Until I more fully understand minerals and find a source for purchasing them, I started feeding out MannaPro Goat Mineral.  Edna didn't seem too interested in it, however, she isn't all that interested in grain either.  Hopefully her solid-food intake will increase soon!

             
 Many goat owners have "breeding goals."  "Breeding Up" is a common term, and many breeders try to improve the genetics of their goat herd.  There seems to be two types of goat genetics: family milkers and show goats.  Both types can produce large amounts of milk, however, much of the differentiation has to do with the way the goat is "built."  I hope to strike a balance between the family milker style and the show goat style.  At this point, I don't have a desire to show, however, I might like to sell goat kids that other people can show.  Although I am still learning to understand the conformation of goats, Edna is somewhere in between a family milker and a show goat.  If I breed her to a show buck, her future kids should be really nice!  As a fellow goat owner once told me, the characteristics of show goats improve functionality.  And functionality is my main goal!

Apparently Edna thinks the grass is greener on the other side of the fence!