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12/7/2009 1 Comment

Keeping goats warm

Picture
Peggy Sue & Prudence enjoying breakfast
Hay!  Its whats for breakfast - especially when the temps are in the teens!  Most of the year I don't feed any hay at all since they have plenty of pasture.  But icy grass and cold water don't keep a goat warm.  The long fiber in grass hay stimulates rumen wall contractions, which in turn creates body heat and keeps the goats warm.  

So on those rare occasions that we get freezing temperatures I feed them hay in addition to their usual alfalfa pellets and haul hot water from the house out to the various watering troughs.  Last year, when we still had the cows I hauled over 80 gallons of hot water in two, 2 gallon watering cans in a single morning.    The watering can spouts allow me to pour water into the trough without having to go into the pasture and they are easier on my back than using 5 gallon buckets.   Plus I'm less likely to get water on myself.

The chickens also benefit from the warm water, and will come running when I start pouring.  It helps to keep their egg production going, just like it helps keep milk production up. 

Picture
The does enjoying the sun and hay.
Picture
Chickens enjoying some hot water, while the boys and weanlings dive into the hay
1 Comment
annabanana:)
12/7/2009 04:48:14 pm

hi jane:0 thanks 4 the great pics~memories:) in france they give the goats (and all animals inclu moms2be) in winter the "herbs de provence" dried herbs in tea or you can put them into the warm water if you can find them online or from a friend economical enough, in provence they are sold in large batches for a reduced price~mostly parsely sage rosemary thyme basil savory fennel lavender, the proportions are up to you, its lovely with 40cloves of garlic peeled, a bottle of good white wine, just mix and put in a large dutch oven and roast for 2 hrs, no fuss, it will fall off the bone, put the garlic in the food prossessor or fine chop yourself and spread on toasted french or italian bread or day old bread of any kind, nutricious, delicious and will keep the strep throat away! everyone is sick at home, work and school but me, i keep my string of garlic around me neck like the vampires of true blood were in town!
lollol:) i was so glad when my children were big enough to do the heavy lifting!

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