# Pure Alfalfa Hay- not mixed with anything?



## New2This (Aug 29, 2012)

I have someone that is going to sell me alfalfa hay.  They told me yesterday that it is pure alfalfa and not mixed with any other type of grass.  Is this ok to feed to my goats?


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## BarredRockMomma (Aug 29, 2012)

That's what mine get. The one thing you have to watch for is that they don't really eat the stems and you have to pick them out from time to time so they can get to the leaves


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## New2This (Aug 29, 2012)

Ok, so is it better to just take it off of the stems for them?  That doesn't seem like it would leave a lot left.   The person that has the alfalfa said some people couldn't feed their animals just alfalfa because it had to be mixed.  I wanted to make sure it was ok before I purchase it!


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## BarredRockMomma (Aug 29, 2012)

Once you have the bales you will see what I mean by the leves and stems. Now sometimes my goats will munch on the stems but for the most part the leave them alone.


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## Alice Acres (Aug 29, 2012)

With alfalfa, it gets stemmy if it's harvested late. That - and also if they rake it a lot before baling, the leaves fall off....and you have stems left. It is great stuff, high protein. We used to have our own alfalfa field, and we didn't need to use grain with our sheep. It is harder to process though. 
Easier to bale and dry down when mixed with a little grass in the field. 
No - you don't pick the stems out  - just that some animals are picky and only eat the leaves and leave the stems.


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## BarredRockMomma (Aug 29, 2012)

Picky is a good way to decsribe most of my goats. Well the girls the boys only care that they have food, and Capione just wants to go everywhere.


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## Catahoula (Aug 29, 2012)

Mine are picky also, they won't eat the stem. I also noticed dried leave crumbs on the tray...so I really don't know what part of the alfalfa hay my kids eat! I went for alternatives rather than wasting money on alfalfa hay.  My neighbors have milking doe so they feed her pure alfalfa hay and she loves the stems. I was told 3rd or 4th cuttings are leafier with shorter stems. Some goats love that more. Someone once told me...Whoever said goats will eat anything never owes a goat... How true is that. Whenever I tell people about my goats not eating...they'd said they thought goats eat anything....


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