# lezpedza hay



## treeclimber233 (Jan 29, 2015)

I buy hay from a local guy that lives right around the corner from me. He has a lot of lezpedeza (sp)  in his hay. Is this a good hay to feed my goats? I read somewhere that that plant is good to help control worms. Is that correct? Is there any way to find out what the nutrition level is in hay?


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## Southern by choice (Jan 30, 2015)

Yes, it is very good for your goats.
It is not a dewormer but what it does do is kind of causes a coating on the worm which prevents the worm from feeding and also reproducing. This gradually causes them to die off and lowers counts.

You can have your hay tested.
Gere we van go through our extension services but we also often have the feed stores run a one day only "hay testing" they often coordinate with ext. services and you take in a pound of hay... it is sent off.

Some hay dealers test their hay and that is always helpful.


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## goatgurl (Jan 30, 2015)

x2, what Southern said.  i had a hay source that had lespedeza in his hay and my goats loved it.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 30, 2015)

Lespedeza is wonderful for goats.  It's sometimes called the "poor man's alfafa"
I bought 50 bales of mostly lespedeza one time and my goats loved the stuff.


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## Meaghan (Jan 30, 2015)

As there is virtually no lespedeza (or alfalfa for that matter) in Florida, do the lespedeza pellets function in the same way? Or should I just order some seed and sprout them as a way of naturally managing worms?

Sorry for hijacking the topic a bit...


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## Southern by choice (Jan 30, 2015)

the seed is $ but yes you can grow it easily... i really don't know about the pellets. It grows wild here so we just cut some and give it to the goats. Usually they will only eat it fresh and if they don't  have any parasite load they won't really eat it, if they do they will eat it.

Kind of like the pine bark... I have a buck we brought in, well several, and we are really having a hard time with parasites with them... they are all over the pines. My other bucks have very low counts so they aren't touching it.


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 30, 2015)

what does the pine bark do?

how far north does this type of hay grow?


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## Meaghan (Jan 30, 2015)

I didn't know pine bark had tannins, I knew about the Lespedza plant and oak leaves. Perhaps we will buy some seed and spread it in the pasture for it to grow.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 30, 2015)

The bark assist in reducing parasites. Similar to the way the lespedeza  works. High in tannin.

The key to growing it is making sure you leave enough for it to grow back after you cut it...
Here it grows everywhere.. side of highways you name it it is all over. Some states hate it and think of it as an invasive species.
There are several species, the Korean grows wold here but is very effective. The one used for hay and used in the studies is Sericea lespedeza.

This is a good company to order from...
https://hancockseed.com/

This link is also helpful 
American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control
http://acsrpc.org/Resources/sericea.html


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## jodief100 (Feb 1, 2015)

Lespedeza is a legume, like alfalfa.  High in protein and calcium.  Good stuff if you can get it.  The pellet work as well but goats need some roughage.  If you feed the pellets they will still need some kind of long, stemmy stuff to eat.  Either forage or hay.


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## Southern by choice (Feb 1, 2015)

jodief100 said:


> Lespedeza is a legume, like alfalfa.  High in protein and calcium.  Good stuff if you can get it.  The pellet work as well but goats need some roughage.  If you feed the pellets they will still need some kind of long, stemmy stuff to eat.  Either forage or hay.



Mine won't eat it dried  They only eat it when it is cut fresh and handed to them.... I guess my goats are weird. Can't find the hay here... I'd like to and see if it is mixed in some timothy or orchard if they'd eat it.


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## Meaghan (Feb 1, 2015)

@Southern by choice: Spoiled perhaps?


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## Southern by choice (Feb 1, 2015)

Meaghan said:


> @Southern by choice: Spoiled perhaps?


Nah, they are just snots... the whole lot of them! 
Well... not Ruby... she is a perfect little angel!


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2015)

@Southern by choice can you post a picture of it?


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## Southern by choice (Feb 1, 2015)

I have posted a bunch of pics from what grows in my woodline... I will see if I can search it...


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## Southern by choice (Feb 1, 2015)

first pic...  pic is labeled
http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/longing-for-spring-me-too-img-heavy.27951/#post-353564

this one has a bunch
http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/general-discussion-thread.27741/page-2#post-351490

down the road from us they were going to put up a development... due to the market no one can afford these lots let alone build on them... The whole place has this growing everywhere!


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## Baymule (Feb 2, 2015)

Thanks Southern! I don't think I have seen any of it growing here.


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 3, 2015)

Southern by choice said:


> first pic...  pic is labeled
> http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/longing-for-spring-me-too-img-heavy.27951/#post-353564
> 
> this one has a bunch
> ...


Wonder if the developer would allow you to graze your goats on the Lespediza if you had like the electro-net fencing? Win, win situation. They get the property manicured/ fertilized and your goats get dewormed naturally.


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## Southern by choice (Feb 3, 2015)

goatboy1973 said:


> Wonder if the developer would allow you to graze your goats on the Lespediza if you had like the electro-net fencing? Win, win situation. They get the property manicured/ fertilized and your goats get dewormed naturally.



I have it growing here... way too much hassle to transport them miles down the road and then I'd have to sit there all day! I look at the development and think hmmmm if I could harvest that than I might make enough money to but more goats!


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 3, 2015)

Southern by choice said:


> Mine won't eat it dried  They only eat it when it is cut fresh and handed to them.... I guess my goats are weird. Can't find the hay here... I'd like to and see if it is mixed in some timothy or orchard if they'd eat it.


My goats eat the stuff when they have depleted the honeysuckle and wild multi-flora rose. Mine also love the wild blackberry and totally go bananas over poison Ivy and poison oak. I think my goats' motto is "Leaves of 3, I want to eat; leaves of 5 it is all mine!" LOL!!! They eat the stuff like popcorn shrimp on a buffet.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 3, 2015)

NCDOT actually plants it for erosion control here
Remind me this summer to get some pics at I540/Bufalo Rd exit


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 3, 2015)

Southern by choice said:


> I have it growing here... way too much hassle to transport them miles down the road and then I'd have to sit there all day! I look at the development and think hmmmm if I could harvest that than I might make enough money to but more goats!


Yep. I think the same way. My grandfather was a seed salesman for 40 yrs and he would have samples of Lespediza he would give to highway departments to try for erosion control and there was always always bunches of out of date seed or low germination rates so instead of just tossing the stuff in the trash, he would spread the stuff on a few places on the farm where it washed really bad. Now there are huge patches of the stuff growing that he and I spread 20+ yrs ago. He has since passed away, so when I see Lespediza growing on the farm I think of my grandfather Calfee.


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 3, 2015)

OneFineAcre said:


> NCDOT actually plants it for erosion control here
> Remind me this summer to get some pics at I540/Bufalo Rd exit


Lespediza grows just about anywhere. It is drought tolerant, has a very deep root system, and is also tolerant of too much rain, and extreme temps either heat or cold.


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## Southern by choice (Feb 3, 2015)

goatboy1973 said:


> Yep. I think the same way. My grandfather was a seed salesman for 40 yrs and he would have samples of Lespediza he would give to highway departments to try for erosion control and there was always always bunches of out of date seed or low germination rates so instead of just tossing the stuff in the trash, he would spread the stuff on a few places on the farm where it washed really bad. Now there are huge patches of the stuff growing that he and I spread 20+ yrs ago. He has since passed away, so when I see Lespediza growing on the farm I think of my grandfather Calfee.


Now that is a very cool story! So that is where Calfee Farms comes from.


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 4, 2015)

Yep, in his honor. I am glad you liked the story. There's more where that came from. LOL!!!


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## Fullhousefarm (Feb 16, 2015)

Whoever was asking about growing it in Florida... 
Hancock seed is out of Dade City, FL so they might even be able to tell you if it will grow well here.

Also, in central/north Florida peanut is a great goat hay. Another legume similar to Alfalfa, it can be found inexpensively (sometimes..) and is high in protein, our oats don't waste it like they do the thick Alfalfa stems either. 

I want to experiment with lespidiza  or peanut for grazing. But the time... Just never enough.


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