# Question about Alfalfa for goats...



## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 1, 2013)

*I have read over and over and from many different breeders that dairy goats need to be on alfalfa hay. (As mine are, they are Nubians).

I was talking to an acquaintance of mine who just got goats and she said that her breeder told her NOT to feed alfalfa because it upsets the Calcuim/ Phosphorus ratio with her goats, they are toggenburgs I believe. So she has them on Bermuda....

I've always heard the opposite.

Confused now. Thoughts?*


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## alsea1 (Jan 1, 2013)

I am int. as well.
So far I just feed mine all breed livestock and grass hay and loose goat minearls.
Mine are one nubian, two boer.
My goats will not eat alf. pellets. Tried it . They just leave them in the dish.


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## ragdollcatlady (Jan 1, 2013)

My milkers give the most on alfalfa hay. When you reduce the alfalfa even just for a day or so,  the milk reduces drastically. I use magnum milk minerals to of set the calcium in the hay.  I believe it is the balance between the calcium and the phosphorus you want to be aware of when feeding any food. You can adapt the rest of the diet from there.


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## kstaven (Jan 1, 2013)

Alfalfa pellets are hit and miss with goats. They are so hard most don't find them palatable and they are wasted. Cubes tend to be accepted with less wastage. We feed alfalfa hay because it is readily available here and notice a difference in condition and milk outputs if it is reduced. We have run many toggs and they thrive on it.

For may of us alfalfa hay is MUCH CHEAPER than reliance on overpriced bagged supplements and feeds. While this may not be a huge deal to those with a few goats for pleasure, home production or as a hobby, the cost is massive when one dairies a large herd. 

Personally I think your friend has it backwards. Unless she is "specifically" talking about wethers or bucks. Then I would limit alfalfa access and use more straight grass hay.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 1, 2013)

We feed coastal bermuda supplemented with a locally mixed all stock and minerals.

In the SE, alfalfa is not grown here and is very expensive.

It's not necessary for dairy goats.

Everything I have ever read indicates that alfalfa will increase production in dairy animals.

Our farm is a hobby.  We show our animals and we get more than enough milk for our use.  We have no need to go to the extra expense to boost production.

I suppose it depends on what your goal is.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 1, 2013)

kstaven said:
			
		

> Alfalfa pellets are hit and miss with goats. They are so hard most don't find them palatable and they are wasted. Cubes tend to be accepted with less wastage. We feed alfalfa hay because it is readily available here and notice a difference in condition and milk outputs if it is reduced. We have run many toggs and they thrive on it.
> 
> For may of us alfalfa hay is MUCH CHEAPER than reliance on overpriced bagged supplements and feeds. While this may not be a huge deal to those with a few goats for pleasure, home production or as a hobby, the cost is massive when one dairies a large herd.
> 
> Personally I think your friend has it backwards. Unless she is "specifically" talking about wethers or bucks. Then I would limit alfalfa access and use more straight grass hay.


*

This is exactly what I thought, but she insisted I was backwards! I tried to explain and she refused to listen. Oh well!*


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## pdpo222 (Jan 1, 2013)

I have alfalfa pellets out all the time.  Jenny and April love them.  The new goats think I am trying to poison them I am sure.  My buck doesn't seem to care one way or the other.  I mix some alfalfa pellets in their grain to get them used to it.   They will eat all of them in the grain when i do it that way.  So now that they are used to them I will let them pick when to eat more.  We don't have alfalfa hay around here that can be counted on and if you can find it it's way to expensive.  We us second cutting grass hay because they waste less.  Other then the minerals and water that is always there, this is what works for me.


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## Catahoula (Jan 1, 2013)

What I understood was too much phosphorous cause bladder stone in goats and the ration for CA to PH should be 2:1 or even 3:1. While alfalfa is higher in calcium, I find that other grasses as well as BOSS and grains have higher phosphorous. To balance that... I make sure calcium is higher in their total diet by feeding them alfalfa. Even totally alfalfa diet is ok for wethers since they browse on the property...and eat grass/bushes that are higher in phosphorous. I feed all my goats the same (three wethers and one doe). They get alfalfa hay and pellets, some grains and BOSS with free choice of minerals, baking soda and kelp meal. I am only feeding them grains till they are about a year. 
For us here in CO, alfalfa hay, mixed grass/alfalfa or other grass hay cost about the same...very expensive.


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## Chris (Jan 2, 2013)

We feed a good quality grass hay, it's the same hay my wife's Uncle plants/feeds to his 100+ dairy cattle. Alfalfa is way to much around here and we never seen the need to feed it. Our goats put out from 3/4's to a gallon of milk per milking on our feed mix and good quality grass hay. 
Here is a article that sweetlix wrought on Alfalfa.



			
				http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Goat_WhatKindHayBestGoats.pdf said:
			
		

> Alfalfa is a high-quality legume that is commonly grown in the Northwest, Northeast and
> Midwest. Alfalfa is extremely drought resistant with a substantial taproot. It requires welldrained soils with a low water table. Unless you live in an area where alfalfa is grown locally,
> this hay option can be quite expensive. Advantages of alfalfa are that it is an excellent source of
> protein and is highly palatable to livestock Good quality alfalfa hay delivers 15-20% crude
> ...


Chris


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## meme (Jan 2, 2013)

We feed about 3/4 quality alfalfa and 1/4 orchard grass hay. Most of our goat friends feed only alfalfa. Alfalfa is about $17-$22 a bale, depending on the time of year and gas prices at the time. Grass hay is $11-$14 a bale.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 2, 2013)

meme said:
			
		

> We feed about 3/4 quality alfalfa and 1/4 orchard grass hay. Most of our goat friends feed only alfalfa. Alfalfa is about $17-$22 a bale, depending on the time of year and gas prices at the time. Grass hay is $11-$14 a bale.


What size bale?


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 2, 2013)

*Ours are the standard 100 pound bales and the 4 Way, Bermuda, and Alfalfa is all the same price. $18.99*


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## SheepGirl (Jan 2, 2013)

$0.19/lb for hay?!  That's only a little bit cheaper than grain and grain is much more nutritious! I pay $0.0625/lb for hay and $0.24/lb for sheep feed, so for me it makes sense to feed more hay than grain. Even though 1 lb of grain is = to 2 lbs of hay nutritionally (for the most part, depends on the hay and grain fed), hay is still cheaper to feed.

As for the alfalfa thing, like other legumes, it is famous for being very rich in calcium--which builds strong bones, produces lots of milk, and reduces (or even eliminates) the potential for urinary calculi in male ruminants. It is great to feed to lactating females, growing youngstock, and males of any age.


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## meme (Jan 3, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

> meme said:
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I think they are usually 100 lb. bales. It's outrageous, I know.  That's why we still only have three goats and I am reluctant to keep more. If only our land wasn't so hilly and dry, we would grow our own.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 3, 2013)

meme said:
			
		

> OneFineAcre said:
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*
Us too. It's all about location location location!   *


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 3, 2013)

WhiteMountainsRanch said:
			
		

> meme said:
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Yeah, I don't know much about the California hay scene.

I buy 4'x5' round bales of coastal burmuda approximately 900 lbs for $35 dollars.  But, a square bale of alfalfa costs $18 here.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 3, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

> I buy 4'x5' round bales of coastal burmuda approximately 900 lbs for $35 dollars.  But, a square bale of alfalfa costs $18 here.


*We don't even have round bales available.  You'd think we would since we can't grow our own! *


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