Chaffhaye question and concern

[breezy B ranch]

So I have a question. We have been feeding Chaffhaye for 2 or 3 months now to our goats. We bought some this week and returned it because when we opened the bags It smells like straight vinegar and it is super wet almost like you could ring it out. There was also none of the white stuff on it like you normally see. We took it back and got more but they are all from the same pallet. So we went to a different feed store and got a different lot of the stuff but this bag was also super wet and it had red colored patches on it. Were the bags I got before when we started feeding not normal or are these bags not normal? When we first started feeding this it was tightly compressed and just barley damp. You also had to work hard to shred it up (we do this for the goats). Also it had a weird smell we came to know but not this strong vinegar odor. It is also very loose not tightly packed into "flakes" like when we started with it. Our normal feed store called the company and the girl was not helpful or nice about it telling them to sell it half price!! If it is no good why would they say that?! I love the stuff because we have 0 waste and want to keep using it but I'm not going to risk my goats health if I don't get some straight answers.

 

[Catahoula]

I have been feed Chaffhaye for couple months now and have not encountered anything like the batch you have now. It was never super wet or with red colored patches. I have experienced the white patches and knew that was normal. Kimber Davis is the person I contact when I have questions. kimber@chaffhaye.com I would contact the company directly and send her some pictures. If you have a Facebook page, you can also go on the Chaffhaye FB page and ask about it with pictures. There are a numbers of people would love to see that and maybe some would have answers too. Kimber is also one of the moderators for the FB page.
I am very happy with my Chaffhaye also. Hay price is higher than Chaffhaye here so it is definitely worth it for me to get Chaffhaye. Even when hay price comes down...it would be REALLY low for me to switch.

 

[Catahoula]

Were you able to get some answers from Chaffhaye?

 

[breezy B ranch]

Yes I was able to talk to the owner (Kimber) directly and she said that the bags were "newer" and had not fermented as long as the bags I had used previously. She was very nice and very concerned. Assured me that it was ok to feed to my goats and even went so far as to have a pallet of bags that are older like the first ones I used to a feed store near by. So i will have it by Monday!! I'm still leery about the what I call "bad" stuff but as she said she would not tell me to use it if she thought it would make them sick because she "doesn't want to have to replace all my goats". So my babies are a bit irritated at having to eat the stuff but I didn't want to switch back to regular hay for the week end and make them sick.

 

[Catahoula]

Glad to hear you have some resolution to this issue. I didn't know Kimber is the owner. I always email her with questions.
Just wondering. How much Chaffhaye do you feed your goats? Do you go by the 2-2.5 lb per 100 lb animal? my goats are doing too well on Chaffhaye. They are a bit FAT! I need to cut down on the Chaffhaye.

 

[breezy B ranch]

We just eyeball it but it is about 2lb per goat in the am and in the pm. Only our does get grain on the milking stand. They all seem to be a good weight. We have a little wether (Nigerian) who use to look pregnant lol I guess people call it "hay belly" but since the chaffhaye it is gone. I swear they all have even better ruman sounds. I like the stuff for the zero waste factor too. Our goats would end up dumping 1/4 to 1/3 bale on the ground! At 20.00 per bale we had to try something else. I was impressed with how fast Kimber jumped on the problem and has really worked hard to make it right and keep us as customers.

 

[breezy B ranch]

I asked my husband and he's not sure the weight of what we are feeding. We just shred it up for them and dump a bunch in each feeder. We have a few pens due to some of the goats don't get along , our buck etc. I think it is about 1 1/2 to 2 lb per goat though.

 

[Catahoula]

I should at least measure the bucket with the Chaffhaye to get some idea. My two Boers are pigs. The Alpines are more polite. Often when the Boers finished their portion, they 'atttack' the Alpines for their portion. That's why they are so fat! I also leave regular alfalfa hay out. The Boers didn't like it much but had started to eat it too...just because they see the Alpines eat it. Feeding time is more complicated for me now. I stay awhile making sure the smallest get her share. In the morning when I have more time, I would pull her out and give her more Chaffhaye. I love Chaffhaye.

 

[HappyFamilyFarm]

We feed Chaffhaye about 2 pounds in morning and then they have access to hay all day. Our LaMancha's all seem to be fat and happy, but we are feeding a little more due to milk production and pregnancy.