# how do i determine if the hay is good quality for the goats?



## bj taylor (Sep 23, 2013)

we harvested rolls of mixed grasses hay this summer.  they're not moldy and don't have thorns or toxic plants in it.  how else do I determine if it is of a quality to be good for my girls?  thanks


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## Southern by choice (Sep 23, 2013)

Have it tested.


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## chicken pickin (Sep 24, 2013)

I wondered that also. We buy hay from my husbands friend that has a hay field and we get it at a very good price from him. But I had my DH ask what kind of hay it was and all he got from him is "It is Organic". Are thorns bad? sometimes my bales will have a few vines of thorns. Other than that I am not sure what to look for. Where can you have it tested?


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## OneFineAcre (Sep 24, 2013)

If you have an agricultural extension service in your state, you could contact your county agent for assistance.  Your state Ag Dept may have a lab that can test for you at little to no cost.

OP said it was mixed grasses, was not moldy and had no toxic weeds.  I assume since you harvested the hay you know what type of chemicals were applied, i.e. herbicides and fertilizers.  What kind of grasses?

Do your goats eat it well?  Do they seem to pick through it eating only part of it?

Short of getting it tested you can only tell so much.


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## bj taylor (Sep 24, 2013)

thank you.  there is no herbicide or pesticide.  the grasses are mostly indigenous bunch grasses.  it's not really a cultivated pasture.  it could use some renovation for sure.  so far the goats have had zero interest in it


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## OneFineAcre (Sep 25, 2013)

bj taylor said:
			
		

> thank you.  there is no herbicide or pesticide.  the grasses are mostly indigenous bunch grasses.  it's not really a cultivated pasture.  it could use some renovation for sure.  so far the goats have had zero interest in it


They aren't eating it at all?
Probably not a need to test the nutritional value if they will not eat it.


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## AshleyFishy (Sep 25, 2013)

Are they on a dry lot?

If the goats can get at any type of browse or grass they wont really touch even the best hay yet (unless it is haygrazer's sorghum/sudan..about the only long stem I can get them to eat when they have browse or pasture). They will stand on their tippy toes and eat over the fence before touching most hays this early in the season.


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## lovinglife (Sep 25, 2013)

Mine have been on pasture all summer, they go nuts for hay in the evenings now.


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## bj taylor (Sep 25, 2013)

ashleyfishey, THAT is the point I have been looking for.  I couldn't figure out what was not quite right.  here sat this big role of hay that they simply had zero interest in.  they are still foraging on their own, but, being new to this goat thing, I expected them to eat the hay also.  they are not on a dry lot.  they are currently foraging a lot on cedar as that is what is mostly available to them right now.

i'm a little less worried now.  i'm trying to think in advance to prep for winter.  i'm going to acquire alfalfa pellets in the next few days & introduce that to them a tiny bit at a time so that by the time there is no real forage - they can do ok w/the pellets & the hay rolls.  I hope that is a pragmatic and 'good for the goats' idea.

I love this forum.  y'all have saved me so many times.  between wounds, worms, feeding - I couldn't have done it without all of you.  Thank You So Much!


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## OneFineAcre (Sep 25, 2013)

Are your hay rolls sitting in the weather, or are they in a barn out of the rain?


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## bj taylor (Sep 26, 2013)

the hay rolls have this type of wrapping, for lack of a better word.  they sit outside.  I have no barn that could possibly accommodate these big rolls.  I do peel off the outer layers of a roll periodically to expose what has been kept in better condition - but they do not seem to care either way.  
rain is a very rare thing here.  we are pretty consistently hot and dry


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