can goats overeat on alfalfa pellets?

[bj taylor]

i'm new to the pellets. I've been giving them pretty short rations of alfalfa pellets. i'm always afraid of letting them have much of anything. they're fine & fit now, but winter is coming & the forage is getting thin. do I just dump the alfalfa & let them have at it - or do it ration it out?

thanks

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Depends on how heavy you want them to be. Mine won't necessarily over-eat, but if I dump a bunch in the first few days they will pig out and then ration themselves, they will still eat until they are full all the time and they gain weight well on alfalfa pellets- if I left them in all the time they would be too fat.

 

[meme]

Alfalfa hay can be given out free-choice, but I would definitely measure out the pellets.

 

[goatboy1973]

Alfalfa is not recommended as a sole food source for male goats (bucks or wethers) due to the high Calcium content in alfalfa which can cause urinary calculi (bladder stones) and blockages in the urinary system of male goats which can in turn lead to death. Alfalfa also has a natural form of estrogen (female hormone) which can cause the female goats to start fighting amongst themselves. Mixing it with other feeds or given in small amts. in frequently is perfectly okay. Giving it as a sole source of feed can cause the above problems in goats and diarrhea also. I feed alfalfa sparingly to weanlings and preg. and lactating does also without any problems at all. The key is to feed it in conjunction with other feed and a good grass hay with plenty of free choice goat minerals and clean fresh H2O to complete a well balanced goat diet.

 

[bj taylor]

thank you all for the advice and input. i'm going to work toward a herd small enough they can thrive on native forage. i'm about four goats too many & i'm going to have my daughter teach me how to take pics & post them on craigs list. boy, the alfalfa pellets were a mess. i'll reserve them for a very sparing use.