12/26/2025
Why Free-Choice Minerals Don’t Always Tell the Whole Story for Goats ---
Getting good results from giving free-choice minerals can be tricky for your goats.
If you’ve raised goats for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed this:
Two goats on the same pasture, eating the same hay and minerals — yet one thrives while the other struggles.
Why? "Minerals don’t work in isolation. They work in relationships."
A goat can be “getting enough” of a mineral and still not be able to use it properly if other minerals are out of balance.
That’s why issues like poor growth, parasite struggles, inconsistent milk production, weak hooves, or stressy behavior don’t always respond to simple fixes.
On our farm, we’ve learned that stepping back and looking at long-term mineral patterns, rather than reacting to one symptom at a time, makes all the difference.
For those who want to learn more about how mineral patterns can be evaluated in goats, we’ve put together information here: 👉 https://naturopathy.horse-n-bear.com/htma-for-goats/
Charlotte and Tim
Horse-n-Bear Ranch
Educational information only, Not veterinary care.
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