Should I give my goats baking soda?
It’s interesting (and confusing) to read up on the controversy around baking soda. Some people feel very strongly that goats should have free access and others never give it to their goats at all.
Sodium bicarbonate is something that goats produce naturally while they are chewing. Because of that, there are a lot of arguments that it doesn’t need to be provided to them. Goats raised in farms and on pasture are not living in a natural environment - we control how they eat, when they eat, and what they eat. Since every breeder/farm/barn is different, so differ the rules to follow and results you will get - but any way you spin it, a goat can’t tell you when they have a tummy ache, and this is what will remedy it - the purpose of sodium bicarbonate or baking soda is to balance the pH in the rumen (stomach) and to control bloat.
If the goats are grazing most of the time and are given limited amount of grain and full access to hay and freshwater, they may never need baking soda. In my first five years with goats, I (ignorantly) did not give access to baking soda and I never had a problem. Because my set up is a certain way, my goats never had the ability to overeat on grain or get access to grain from other animals.
If your set up is such a way that your goats could get into chicken feed or potentially get accidental access to their own grain in unlimited supply, then it is important to give free choice access to fresh, dry baking soda. Additionally, if your goats do not have regular access to pasture and you are supplementing with grain, you should give free choice access.
If you have baking soda available free choice, you may find that it disappears faster at some times than at others. You may go days or weeks with little to no baking soda disappearing — and that’s very good!. In fact, that’s great! It indicates healthy rumens and properly fed goats!
Let’s talk science for a second :
Studies have shown that goats who consume more processed grain are more likely to develop bloat. They naturally produce sodium bicarbonate by chewing, so pasture goats will produce a lot of it naturally. Processed grain requires a lot less chewing so they don’t produce as much on their own. (I have some (ok most) goats that will inhale their feed.)
Studies have also shown that provided sodium bicarbonate does not impact mineral consumption, so there is no risk of leaving it out for them.
Sodium bicarbonate should not be provided to goats through their feed or water supply, only by free choice. Improperly balancing the pH in the rumen will cause health problems.
My heard of Nigerian Dwarfs has a very controlled grazing/pasture and feeding schedule. I leave baking soda out when I have milking girls or when we trim hooves and shave (or other maintenance done on the trim stand) since goats inhale grain in the 10 minutes they are on the stand - and it will alleviate any discomfort from that. I keep it fresh and dry, I give them access to other loose minerals, and plenty of freshwater. This enables them to self regulate and for me to rest easy knowing I don’t have to worry.
By understanding the science and reasons behind the use of baking soda, balanced with your own goals and feeding regimen, you can find the baking soda solution that works best for your goats!
