According to Pat Coleby,* a good mineral mix will be a mix of dolomite, kelp, copper sulfate, and sulfur. None of the goat minerals I could find that were adequate otherwise, included sulfur in the mix and on top of that they almost all had mineral oil included in the mix. Most people today, I believe, understand that ingesting mineral oil is not a good thing. The alternative was to mix my own.** For milk goats, on a daily basis, Coleby suggests a dessert spoon (about two tsp according to Wikipedia) of dolomite and a teaspoon of sulfur and kelp mixed in their grain daily. She also says to add a teaspoon of copper sulfate a week, run through their feed daily. That adds up to 1/7 of a teaspoon on a daily basis. The copper she suggests mixing with the soaked grain portion of the concentrate. I did soak the grain and add the copper sulfate to the soaked grain, but switched to feeding it free choice without the dolomite, but giving the dolomite separate free choice. I also have rock salt, and baking soda available ad lib. In addition to this mineral mix, I add 1/4 cup of pure, usually homemade and raw, apple cider vinegar to each gallon of water the goats receive.

 

Goat minerals 

 

You can mix your own in small portions. All Ingredients can be purchased online at GoatWorld.

• 6 1/4 lbs. Dolomite

• 1 lb. sulfur

• 1 lb. copper sulfate

• 1 lb. seaweed meal (kelp)

• 1 lb. rock salt (optional - not included in Coleby's mix)

Let them have access free choice or top dress with their feed.

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*About Pat Coleby: she is based in Australia and is becoming the top expert on Natural Goat Care around the world. I like her no nonsense approach to goat husbandry. She has raised goats since the 1960's and has worked with veterinarians for a good many years. 

 

** I did finally find someone who made up the general mix for all livestock that Coleby recommended from GoatWorld. GoatWorld has two mixes via Pat Coleby. One is goat mineral with salt added and one is horse minerals without salt. The horse minerals is the one that Coleby recommends in her book Natural Goat Care as a general purpose mineral mix for most livestock.

 

Disclaimer: Please use the information on this page at your own risk! I am am not an expert and this is just how I manage my goats. The information on this page is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. LinderCroft (Linda Foley) is not liable for any problems that arises from anyone following the information contained on this page or any other page of lindercroft.com