# Alfalfa Hay and Pellet Question



## cyanne (Oct 12, 2009)

Okay, I need some help figuring out a feed question.  Is there something in alfalfa that goats need that would not be met by feeding pelleted goat ration? Also, what purpose do beet pulp shreds serve or what advantage is there to adding them to a feeding program?

I have Nigerian Dwarf goats; 4 adult does, currently pregnant, 1 wether, and 1 buck (the boys are 8 months old) currently sharing a pen (the boys are in temporarily for breeding).  These guys are used for milk and are shown so I want them to be in their best physical condition, not skinny and not overfed or fat.

Currently, I feed Purina Noble Goat pellets and free-choice coastal hay.  They get a mix of 1 cup each of the Noble Goat with about 1/4 cup (per goat) of black oil sunflower seeds twice a day and have unlimited access to the coastal hay and Purina loose goat minerals.

Now, I see that a lot of people add alfalfa pellets or alfalfa hay to this mix...I sometimes feed alfalfa as a treat, but it is not a regular part of their diet.  Are they missing out on something important?

If I add the alfalfa pellets, how much per goat should I add to their twice-daily ration?  Should I subtract some of the Noble Goat and add the alfalfa pellets or just give it in addition to what I already feed?

As for the beet pulp shreds, what do they add?  How much and how often do you feed of this?

I know that if you ask 10 people about goat feed you can get 10 answers, but I just want to try to fine tune my own program so my goats are getting what they need without over-complicating things.  Also, many of the feed programs I see seem to be for the large goats so I am struggling with adapting that to my own herd of little Nigi's.  
Right now, all of my goats seem to be in great shape, nobody is thin or looks overweight, but I want to make sure I am feeding the right nutrients for their internal health.


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## kimmyh (Oct 12, 2009)

I feed straight alfalfa and my grain mix, which among other things includes shredded beet pulp. Alfalfa and beet pulp are higher in calcium than nearly all types of grass hay. Alfalfa pellets are not a grain, so you would not need to reduce your grain ration, if you are adding them to your feeding program. Goats need the fiber of hay, with pieces of 1-3" in order to properly develop their rumen, and aid digestion. For that reason, we do not feed straight bagged feed, it has to be in addition to hay. Trying to provide enough calcium for a pregnant doe can be a challenge in some situations. If I was adding alfalfa pellets, I would start with 2-3 cups and work up from there. Free choice alfalfa pellets will not hurt them, once they learn to eat them, but like I said before, they also need some type of hay.


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## cyanne (Oct 12, 2009)

kimmyh said:
			
		

> I feed straight alfalfa and my grain mix, which among other things includes shredded beet pulp. Alfalfa and beet pulp are higher in calcium than nearly all types of grass hay. Alfalfa pellets are not a grain, so you would not need to reduce your grain ration, if you are adding them to your feeding program. Goats need the fiber of hay, with pieces of 1-3" in order to properly develop their rumen, and aid digestion. For that reason, we do not feed straight bagged feed, it has to be in addition to hay. Trying to provide enough calcium for a pregnant doe can be a challenge in some situations. If I was adding alfalfa pellets, I would start with 2-3 cups and work up from there. Free choice alfalfa pellets will not hurt them, once they learn to eat them, but like I said before, they also need some type of hay.


Is that 2 to 3 cups for all 6 goats total or 2 to 3 cups for each goat?

And how much of the beet pulp shreds do you usually feed?


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## kimmyh (Oct 13, 2009)

I would feed 2-3 cups per goat. My grain mix is 1/8-1/4th of the grain mix. Which would make it about 1 cup per goat.


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## cyanne (Oct 13, 2009)

kimmyh said:
			
		

> I would feed 2-3 cups per goat. My grain mix is 1/8-1/4th of the grain mix. Which would make it about 1 cup per goat.


Wow, that much for a nigerian dwarf?  Mine are so little...it's hard to imagine them eating that much!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 13, 2009)

I don't think a Nigerian Dwarf should get that much. I feed mine a goat feed twice a day and they only get half a cup each time. I don't have alfalfa pellets but I would probably only give them half to one cup at most.


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## kimmyh (Oct 13, 2009)

Alfalfa pellets are ground up alfalfa, they are not a replacement for hay, but can be a useful tool. Free choice alfalfa pellets can replace free choice alfalfa hay, as long as they are also getting some type of long stemmed hay.


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## mossyStone (Oct 13, 2009)

I can't leave alfalfa pellets free choice my goats would hose those up in a heartbeat, How are you able to free choice those? Do they just get use to them and stop when full? I guess i dont trust mine to stop 



Mossy Stone Farm


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## helmstead (Oct 14, 2009)

They do gorge themselves for the first couple days, but they eventually moderate it.  When I started, I didn't 'fill the bins'...I took the extra time to go add a scoop as they emptied it.   I only had an issue in one pen - the one my matriarch Sugar lived in...she would SLEEP in front of the hopper to guard it so no one else could have any.  (she now has her very own diva pen)


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## cmjust0 (Oct 14, 2009)

I had to feed a handful of goats for a guy once and his regimen was a five-gallon bucket of feed, twice a day, with two measly flakes of alfalfa hay..  They had a little bit of pasture to pick around at, but it was mostly an exercise area..  Couldn't have been more than 20 head, and most were in the 3-6mo range..  

To each their own...whatever works, I guess.


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## mully (Oct 14, 2009)

helmstead said:
			
		

> (she now has her very own diva pen)


Diva pen   Love this, I need to make a Diva Pen because i have one of those special goats.


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## helmstead (Oct 14, 2009)

"Special", hmm, that's a really nice way to put it


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## cyanne (Oct 14, 2009)

I have a wether that might need one of those 'diva' pens.  He usually is in with just the buck, but since the buck is currently out with the rest of the herd for breeding (plus the buck pen is flooded right now due to this never-ending rain), the wether is out there too.  When I feed everybody he acts like he is starving and tries to hoard as much feed as he can.

Probably a good thing that they are about to be separated again before he eats his way to a case of UC.  

In the future I have decided that he will have to be given a special pen with the buck is in with the girls...probably safer for him that way.


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