Alternative to pure alfalfa hay?

[Evergreen160]

Hi all!

My new goats (a doe in milk and a kid wether) are coming to live with me in a couple of weeks and I am busy getting everything ready for them. I've been looking at hay and alfalfa prices are through the roof where I live - $14/bale! I'm wondering if I could go with a combination bale - maybe alfalfa and timothy grass? My understanding is that alfalfa is very high in calcium so if you are feeding less of it you need to make sure that your mineral is higher in calcium. Is that right?

Thanks!

 

[SheepGirl]

You can just feed regular grass hay plus a free choice loose mineral. If you are keeping the wether as a pet, you don't need to feed him grain, but if you are feeding him out for butcher, then you can feed him grain to help him grow faster. As for the doe in milk, you can feed her alfalfa pellets or a complete goat feed (pelleted or textured) to meet her nutritional needs.

As for the alfalfa--how much do the bales weigh?

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

Where do you live? That's a question that can't really be answered without knowing what part of the country you're in. Here is the South alfalfa hay isn't always the best choice. We feed alfalfa pellets and Chaffhaye. Trying to maintain your goats on grass hay and grain (or just straight grass hay) without alfalfa is a recipe for disaster. You MUST maintain proper calciumhosphorous ratios (by feeding alfalfa or another legume) for both your does in milk and your bucks/wethers. Balanced Ca is what is going to keep her from getting hypocalcemia and your wether from getting UC.

 

[Evergreen160]

I live in Colorado - front range foothills. Both goats will get a free-choice mineral and the dairy goat will get a local dairy goat grain feed on the milking stand. I definately plan to feed both goats alfalfa hay but I'm just wondering if it can be cut with something else and if so, what type of hay?

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

We supplement good quality grass hay (available free-choice) with alfalfa. Typically coastal bermuda, but what is available will depend on your area. But yes, free-choice grass hay with measured amounts of alfalfa is perfectly fine.