Free choice hay or not
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Chirpy
Loving the herd life
This is one of those questions that you will get different answers from different people.
I have dairy goats (I milk) so my does have free choice hay always available to them. They only get grain/feed on the milk stand.
When I had a wether I tried to keep him from having access to the hay all the time. I would chose to feed a wether twice a day with hay (and no grain except for an occasional treat).
You don't want fat goats nor do you want skinny goats... you will need to watch over a period of time and see if they are getting too much (and getting fat) or too little (and getting thin) and learn to feed accordingly.
I have dairy goats (I milk) so my does have free choice hay always available to them. They only get grain/feed on the milk stand.
When I had a wether I tried to keep him from having access to the hay all the time. I would chose to feed a wether twice a day with hay (and no grain except for an occasional treat).
You don't want fat goats nor do you want skinny goats... you will need to watch over a period of time and see if they are getting too much (and getting fat) or too little (and getting thin) and learn to feed accordingly.
helmstead
Goat Mistress
We do free choice hay in three feedings per day (to avoid waste) for all of our goats.
cariboujaguar
Exploring the pasture
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Everyone gets free choice hay here. Bucks, wethers, does, milk, meat and pet. Now alfalfa I would only leave out free choice for milkers or heavily worked goats. Our Boers are holding weight just as well on our high legume hay as they did on alfalfa but are less fatty (which in my opinion makes for better meat) I feed alfalfa in winter months on top of their hay, just 1/2 or so flakes per head morning and night...
But if they are hoovering it up non stop and you arn't seeing any gain or worth to wasting so much hay you should stop. At first they may overeat due to excitment over free choice, but you should see them loose interest and spend less and less time at the feeder. If they are the lazy types who never get over it and just eat and eat then I'd consider it wasted money and would go to 2 good size feedings per day...
But if they are hoovering it up non stop and you arn't seeing any gain or worth to wasting so much hay you should stop. At first they may overeat due to excitment over free choice, but you should see them loose interest and spend less and less time at the feeder. If they are the lazy types who never get over it and just eat and eat then I'd consider it wasted money and would go to 2 good size feedings per day...
Free choice feeding of hay for all our goats here. We are a little different in that we never grain feed and use a little alfalfa while milking.
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so how much hay should 4 - 3 1/2 months goats should be eating? 1 buck, 1 wether, 2 does. I was told by previous owner that they were eating all about 1/4 of a flake a day, with no grain. Although she found out that the girls weren't weaned when I got them. I'm scared of over feeding them, because those boys can eat. I gave them 1/2 a flake (5 inches thick) and they were ready for another meal in the evening.
Rence
Chillin' with the herd
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All my goats have free choice hay, year round. I heavily grain the milkers with sweet feed, alfalfa pellets and beet pulp. I will grain anyone who can't hold their condition on the browse and hay, but of course, they get significantly less grain.
My bucks get terribly skinny and horrible looking when they're in rut, and they're just starting to come in rut, so they're getting grain too right now.
We must not have enough browse because I'v heard of people getting a lot of milk with just grass and hay. Wish I could ....
I agree with looking at your goats to gauge their food. If they look good, whatever you're doing is just right. If they're skinny, you need to give more. If they're getting fat, you need to give less.
My bucks get terribly skinny and horrible looking when they're in rut, and they're just starting to come in rut, so they're getting grain too right now.
We must not have enough browse because I'v heard of people getting a lot of milk with just grass and hay. Wish I could ....
I agree with looking at your goats to gauge their food. If they look good, whatever you're doing is just right. If they're skinny, you need to give more. If they're getting fat, you need to give less.
Brandywine
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I'm a little confused about "free choice hay all day."
Do you have hay out on pasture with them?
My doelings spend the daylight hours out in a moving goat tractor, with a good mix of browse and grass. We shift the pen about every third day, when they've made a good dent in all the forage. They get hay and grain in their stall at night.
My intention is for them to get most of their nutrition from browse -- which at this time, is effectively unlimited here.
I wouldn't want them eating hay when they could be clearing multiflora in their pen. Would I?
Do you have hay out on pasture with them?
My doelings spend the daylight hours out in a moving goat tractor, with a good mix of browse and grass. We shift the pen about every third day, when they've made a good dent in all the forage. They get hay and grain in their stall at night.
My intention is for them to get most of their nutrition from browse -- which at this time, is effectively unlimited here.
I wouldn't want them eating hay when they could be clearing multiflora in their pen. Would I?
()relics
Overrun with beasties
I feed my boer does and yearlings/kids free choice good alfalfa hay at all times...They , right now are on new fresh grass mix pasture...But they still get all the hay they want...The alfalfa is a good source of protein and calcium....because the grass they are browsing on has very little of either...The browse serves to stimulate the rumen while the hay gives them the extra protein/calcium....Both are important to a healthy animal....Feed the rumen and the goat will be healthy...The exception might be your older billies...They are probably better on just browse...because they will eat everything that you give them...and who wants fat billies..
