Alfalfa vs. Grass hay

[arabianequine]

Which is best to be feeding to possibly pregnant does? My does are getting 4-6 flakes of alfalfa a day. For 3 does to share. 2 are boer goats and one is a togg. I started this am to cut back a little. They have some free choice orchard grass hay in a feeder too.

I also have a saanen buck and I have been giving him mostly just alfalfa but he gets weeds and tree leaves to every other day or so. He gets a small flake am and pm. Probably a normal size flake for the day.

None of them are getting grain of any kind right now.

 

[elevan]

I feed a mixed hay - orchard grass / alfalfa / clover to all of my goats at all times.

 

[arabianequine]

The does are getting a mix then. I was wanting to know how much to feed each day to each goat too. Someone thought I might be feeding my does too much?

You do the same for bucks? I have some timothy grass for my horse so I try giving some of that to saanen buck cause he is by the hay and in a separate pen a ways away from the does. He does not like it. Well not like the alfalfa anyways. I throw some over sometimes and he turns and walks away.

 

[arabianequine]

I got new hay thurs. evening and all my does and buck turn their noses at it. My buck just won't eat it. The 3 does go and eat the old stuff in there feeder....there is a big bale of hay that is almost gone in there.

The new stuff I got is 1st cutting grass...like orchard grass. It is a bit greener then the stuff in the feeder. They ate it well the first feeding and now keep holding out it seems for some alfalfa?

What do I do about this? Cause I want to make sure they get enough hay. I have only had them 2 months and got them very skinny. I worked hard to get them in way better health then they came in.

I think they are spoiled.

 

[lgdnevada]

I feed a mixed hay - orchard grass / alfalfa / clover to all of my goats at all times.

Ditto here, feed this year-round except the few months my goats can live off the weeds and native grasses in my fields. Works well, they stay fat and healthy....

 

[Goatmasta]

They will eat the new hay as soon as hunger sets in. Here we give our standard size goats a decent size flake 2x/day. The miniature goats get a flake per 2 goats 2x/day. It is my opinion that you have to make the call based on the conditioning of the goat. Here all goats get grain all the time and the ration is increased for pregnant does and for the bucks that are "working".
PS: Here we feed the same type of mix hay as Elevan.

 

[arabianequine]

I have both it is just not mixed already.

I have some grass hay bales and some alfalfa hay bales. So I gave some alfalfa flakes and some grass flakes and they seem to be being picky. Sorry if that was not clear.

Thank you for the help. Maybe I should just get a mix next time for the goats.

 

[elevan]

If you want to mix it imo it's easier to get it as a mixed bale already.

I never buy 1st cutting anymore as I find most of it ends up as waste (bedding). Hay for my goats is out all the time except for late spring through early fall when they are on pasture / browse.

Anytime I get a new batch of hay my goats turn their noses up to it...until they get hungry as goatmasta said...they will eventually eat it but they are trying to train YOU to give them what they want and only what they want when that doesn't work they'll eat what you gave them