I fed my dry doe her grain the other day, then put in a feed bucket of the supplement du jour...broccoli plants. She walked right away from the grain for those plants, quite happily. I supplement my goats and sheep with whatever is on hand that is appropriate. This time of year they get apples, carrots, a variety of plants from my winter garden (broccoli plants, Holland tyfon greens, cauliflower plants), apple tree trimmings (it's pruning time), and occasionally bread. In the winter they get evergreen branches, apple tree trimmings, bread (used more sparingly since it's a grain instead of a green), and anything else that shows up in enough quantity for a little for everyone. In the spring, summer and fall there's all sorts of things they'll eat. What are the supplements that you offer your animals that they will walk away from their grain to eat? Do you grow anything just to feed the livestock? If so, what and why?

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), December 01, 2001

Answers

bread from the bread outlet,, 160 loafs for 3 dollars, been using that for the chickens lately. I grew buckwheat last year,, tunred the first crop under for the garden,, harvested the second for "haylage",, they loved it. MAybe more next year.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 02, 2001.

Poultry loves sprouts, and sprouted oats are cheap and easy to do in wintertime in a plastic bucket or pail with some holes in the bottom. Just soak the oats for several hours then drain, then rinse them 3-4 times a day thereafter. Keep covered with plastic wrap to conserve moisture. When sprouts are 1/2 to 1" long, they're ready. If you have a lot of wheat, sprout that.

-- bruce (rural@inebraska.com), December 02, 2001.

Sheryl,

Right now the does are enjoying pumpkins. They also love apples & pears, limited amount of cabbage & brussel sprouts. I think the most favorite plant is sunflowers. The entire sunflower plant. Just cut it off at ground level and throw it in. Our neighbor lost half his weeping willow tree in a storm, so he brought it over for us. I grow comfrey for the girls too. In the spring they eat the pea vines after we're done harvesting. They always line up against the fence when I mow the lawn too. Everything that I've listed is also given to our chickens. But the chickens get table scraps also.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), December 02, 2001.

During the fall, my goats get everything from the garden...except the rhubarb leaves! Their electric fence is about 15 ft. away from my garden, so as I pull up spent plants and old veggies I just throw everything into their pasture, where they're anxiously waiting :-)!! Anything "questionable" I give to the pigs...whose pen is on the other side of the garden! For grain supplement, I feed Sunshine Supplement (Blue Seal), cider vinegar and sunflower seed. About the bread thing...we get day old bread from a local Nissen bakery for the pigs and chickens also. Some of my goats love the oatmeal or whole wheat varieties! Always check for mold before feeding it to goats.

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), December 03, 2001.

My goats prefer bagels to other types of bread. There's nothing like having gourmet goats! My chickens are next to my garden, so they turn my weeds into fine soil (I just throw the weeds over the fence as I go). I've decided that livestock is the lazy woman's compost bin...I just process most of my compostables through the livestock!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), December 04, 2001.

Good way to think about it, Sheryl. I've always felt guilty 'cause I haven't taken the time to start a compost bin...but I already have one...via my goats :-)!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), December 04, 2001.

If I can get them, corn stalks for the horses. They eat everything but the roots and seem to have fun waving the long stems around and whacking each other with them.

Apple tree prunings for the rabbits, as well as cutting maple brush in the woods for them in winter. I grow barley grass and oats on the green house benches as weather/time permits for fresh 'grass' for the small stock as well. The rabbit loves the brussel sprouts leaves too, especially after the first few frosts and on up until really hard freezes.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), December 04, 2001.