# Cutting the grains



## TheMixedBag (Jul 7, 2011)

After some suggestions from someone on another site, I have decided to cut grains altogether for my does, and feed strictly alfalfa pellets and beet pulp with alfalfa/mixed hay, free choice on all parts.

Everyone's at a good weight (Jenny's at 130!), nobody's skinny, and so far, everyone's been loving the extra feed. The only problem I'm running into is that they don't get the concept of "free choice". I haven't started free choice yet, they're on 4 scoops pellets with 1/2 scoop manna, dairy ration and a full scoop BOSS still, but next week the manna and dairy ration ought to be phased out completely, though I have a bag of the dairy ration that I'm keeping for feeding on the stand, at least until it runs out.

So, for anyone else who's tried something like this-how long did it take before you could leave pellets out free choice? How much were they going through a day? My main reasons for starting this were for more marketable milk/meat, a healthier herd in general and a BIG cut in feed costs (it was going up to nearly $300 per month).


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 7, 2011)

We rely far more heavily on alfalfa (and more recently beet pulp) than we do grain as the basis of our goat's diet.  I've cut out grain for my dry does (who are well on their way to fat at the moment).  My milkers are still getting grained, but with free choice alfalfa and beet pulp I don't have to push it as heavily.  Still, I'd give some during late gestation and lactation.  Most folks that do it this way don't eliminate grain altogether.  

Unless your alfalfa prices are drastically different there than they are here it's not going to cut your feed costs.  We feed a quality 16% dairy goat ration and it's not all that much more than the beet pulp.  Alfalfa is *slightly* cheaper per pound, but we're feeding a heck of a lot more alfalfa than we are grain, beet pulp or no, so the alfalfa is still our biggest feed cost.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 7, 2011)

I personally wouldn't feed free choice alfalfa pellets.  My goats would gorge themselves, I'm sure of it.


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## TheMixedBag (Jul 7, 2011)

I *can* get alfalfa for $11 a bale at Atwoods, though plenty of people sell it on Craigslist for much cheaper. I'd be mixing it with prairie or bermuda hay (or whatever I can get), so it'll stretch more anyways.

As for the feeds, alfalfa pellets are only $8.30 per bag, and beet pulp is about $15 per bag. The ration was $9.50, BOSS is $18 for 25lb, and calf manna is up to $30 per bag.

The lady I've been talking to about it said the only time she fed grains was on the stand, and that would probably be the only time my does will ever see it, if I can pull it off.

Edit-I know my goats would too, that's why I'm doing it slowly. She said it took over a month before her goats got used to the idea and ended up eating roughly 3lb a day.


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## helmstead (Jul 7, 2011)

Many moons ago, in GA, I needed to get more calcium into my does.  Alfalfa hay was unreasonably expensive at the time, and the quality was a joke for what we were paying - most of it was unpalatable stem and became bedding.

I did the free choice alfalfa pellet thing using PVC mineral feeders.  Cold turkey, just put the feeders out.  I had one doe (Nicki, , it was Shug) that I had to move into a 'no pellets for the fatties' pen because not only did she gorge herself, but GUARDED the dang feeder as her own!  

Otherwise, it was 2 days of hoovering, then it went down to a pretty nice free choice experience.  I went through some probios those first couple of days for a few that got a little loose poo from the change.

As long as you keep the long stem roughage available all the time, alfalfa pellets are great.  Just never try to replace roughage with pellets.


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## TheMixedBag (Jul 7, 2011)

So I'd be able to just fill the bucket and the trough and let them have at it?


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 7, 2011)

helmstead said:
			
		

> Many moons ago, in GA, I needed to get more calcium into my does.  Alfalfa hay was unreasonably expensive at the time, and the quality was a joke for what we were paying - most of it was unpalatable stem and became bedding.
> 
> I did the free choice alfalfa pellet thing using PVC mineral feeders.  Cold turkey, just put the feeders out.  I had one doe (Nicki, , it was Shug) that I had to move into a 'no pellets for the fatties' pen because not only did she gorge herself, but GUARDED the dang feeder as her own!
> 
> ...


LOL, of COURSE it was Shug.  She was the worst about not letting the others eat...

Aggie, surprisingly enough the alfalfa pellets are really self-limiting.  No one here gorges themselves once they get used to them being available.  The first day or two they're like "omg, she accidentally left the pellets in here!  Nomnomnomnom..." then by day 3 or 4 they realize they're ALLOWED to be eating them and they suddenly aren't interested in gorging themselves.

MixedBag- I don't ever give them more than what they can eat in 24 hours, they will NOT eat pellets that aren't fresh.


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## chubbydog811 (Jul 7, 2011)

Here is how I feed...This is for larger breed dairy goats. I have mainly Saanens and Saanen crosses.

Doe kids (up to 1 year) get 1 cup of dairy pellets per goat/day. 
Buck kids (up to 1 year) get 1/2 cup sheep pellets per goat/day.
Dry does over 1 year get no grain.
Bucks/wethers over 1 year get 1/2 cup sheep pellets per goat/day.
Milkers get anywhere from 4-8 cups of dairy pellets per goat/day. Also get 1 cup per goat/day of whole oats.

All goats have a free choice loose goat mineral (also have some goat licks out as well). The milkers get free choice hay (good quality horse hay) and grazing. For dry does, bucks and wethers - they get 1-2 flakes a day of hay.

The grain/hay amount changes is they need extra or less weight, but other than that, that is the base amount that I start at. My herd looks well fed and healthy so I am happy 
I don't bother with extra additives unless they really need it.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 7, 2011)

chubbydog811 said:
			
		

> Here is how I feed...This is for larger breed dairy goats. I have mainly Saanens and Saanen crosses.
> 
> Doe kids (up to 1 year) get 1 cup of dairy pellets per goat/day.
> Buck kids (up to 1 year) get 1/2 cup sheep pellets per goat/day.
> ...


Are you saying you are feeding grain and grass hay but no alfalfa?  I wouldn't consider alfalfa an extra additive...


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## chubbydog811 (Jul 7, 2011)

I don't feed alfalfa unless it is in the hay. I didn't mean that it was an additive, just forgot to add that...I was referring to beet pulp, BOSS, ect.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 8, 2011)

How do you balance your cah?


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## chubbydog811 (Jul 8, 2011)

I guess I don't balance it. 
I honestly had never heard that it was required to feed extra alfalfa to them...even from trusted/knowledgeable breeders that I bought some of my registered herd from. 
I have never had a problem with health (other than this year with cocci, and random injuries through-out my goat owning time) so I must be doing something right.


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## ksalvagno (Jul 8, 2011)

Alfalfa pellets are only $8.50 per bag?   Around here they are $18 per bag. Much higher than the goat feed. It is cheaper for me to feed the goat feed than the alfalfa pellets. Plus my goats don't like them.


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## chubbydog811 (Jul 8, 2011)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Alfalfa pellets are only $8.50 per bag?   Around here they are $18 per bag. Much higher than the goat feed. It is cheaper for me to feed the goat feed than the alfalfa pellets. Plus my goats don't like them.


 Exactly...My goats don't like them either! And that is WAY too expensive for a bag that wont last very long!


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## TheMixedBag (Jul 8, 2011)

They're having a ball with it right now...I filled the pan and left the bag out there (maybe a quarter left) and threw out some new loose mineral (apparently they needed it, even with a 20% protein block, Jenny wouldn't leave it alone as soon as I put it out), and they're all meandering back and forth between the mineral trough, the bag and the pan. I've still got 3 bags left to last me until next payday, I think it ought to do. Nobody's really pigging out, they're just kind of taking their sweet time with eating it.

I'll throw a bit of the old mix out there around noon, and once it's gone, it's gone. All they have left is dairy ration and BOSS.

But yes, I'm pretty lucky with feed prices out here. $8.30 per 50lb bag of alfalfa pellets, and it's now $11 per bag of beet pulp with molasses. Even my mineral (Manna Pro) was on sale for about $8 per bag, instead of the usual $11.


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