Giving Molasses to Goats

When raising goats, issues can arise that you must be prepared for. For example, when a female goat reaches the end of her pregnancy, she can develop a life-threatening condition that can adversely affect both mother and child. However, this condition can be remedied through the use of molasses, a common sugar-based cooking ingredient.

  1. Ketosis

    • Ketosis refers to a pregnancy toxemia which can occur in goats. The main factor in ketosis is low-blood sugar, which first affects the goat's behavior, then its overall health. Ketosis symptoms will generally present in the late stages of the goat's pregnancy and include depression and loss of appetite. The mortality rate for ketosis is high, but easy to cure if the symptoms are noticed early enough.

    Molasses as a Cure

    • Since molasses is a form of sugar, it can be given to the pregnant goats as a homemade cure. It should be given to the goat through the remainder of her pregnancy with either food or water. If you do not have access to molasses, you can also use sugar or honey as a replacement.

    Molasses with Food

    • When a pregnant goat develops ketosis, she will likely stop eating grain but will still eat roughage. Cover the roughage with a thin coat of molasses and feed it to the goat. When the goat's condition improves, you can begin reintroducing grain to her diet.

    Molasses with Water

    • You can also add molasses to the goat's water if the goat is eating less than you'd like. Simply add the molasses to the the goat's water bowl and stir thoroughly.