For Matamata goat farmers Wayne and Robyn Montague, Sprayfo Goat milk replacer is set again to play a key role in their rearing programme for 2013.
Wayne and wife Robyn moved out of dairy cows and into goats over 10 years ago, and today run 900 head in an indoor operation.
The move from cows to goats has not been without its challenges, but the Montagues, like other established goat farmers, have enjoyed some strong returns as the NZ Dairy Goat Co-operative moves from strength to strength.
One of the animal health challenges the couple have faced is kids contracting abomasal bloat as they approach the weaning stage. It is a condition not fully understood, but United States research indicates the condition may be linked to the occurrence of certain gas producing bacteria in the goat’s gut. Fatality rates for abomasal bloat are high, from 75-100%, and few cures appear completely effective.
“There is some thought it may be related to how kids are fed, there are a number of theories, and everyone feeds their kids differently but it usually occurs towards the end of rearing, just before weaning.”
After attending a Sprayfo field day hosted by importer Warren Tanner of AgriVantage, Wayne decided he would give the company’s whey based, Dutch sourced, goat specific replacer a go.
Sprayfo Primo Goat milk replacer was available for the first time last season, in response to growing demand from goat farmers for a goat specific replacement.
Wayne’s previous milk replacer had been a more traditional, fat based powder aimed at calf rearers.
“The opportunity to take on a formula aimed especially at rearing goats seemed a good option, and we wanted to try something that would deliver better results,” says Wayne.
With one season’s use of Sprayfo Primo Goat replacer behind them, the Montagues are optimistic they have hit on the right mix, and are keen to get another season behind them to confirm it.
“We did not get any abomasal bloat on the Sprayfo Primo powder. We also noticed the kids seemed to have more condition on them, and generally do better on that powder.”
Wayne believed it may even be that the kids were reaching weaning weight quick enough to be weaned even a week earlier.
Robyn is responsible for much of the kid rearing, and she noticed the Sprayfo formula mixed smoothly with water, with no clumping or lumpiness associated with most powders.
Rearing 260-300 kids a year is a high stress busy time, and the couple have welcomed the absence of any ongoing bloat issues using Sprayfo.
“It is certainly not an expensive option as a powder when you are not losing any kids with it,” says Wayne.