Catahoula
Overrun with beasties
Pretty much what I feed my goats too. Regular alfalfa hay, Chaffhaye, Standlee alfalfa pellets, BOSS and 15% grains (because they are still growing) and pasture.that's*satyrical said:
Goats not eating the coastal hay
- Thread starter madcow
- Start date
That is a valid point. Alfalfa based hay is common here and considered a dairy standard. Goats thrive on it.that's*satyrical said:
that's*satyrical
Loving the herd life
True. Alfalfa is great for helping increase milk production. It's great to feed your goats straight alfalfa hay if you can afford it. You probably want to slowly work up to a change in diet though the rumens are sensitive! 
All ours are raised on it. It allows us to go grain free and never have loss of condition issues that often accompanies cheap feeds.that's*satyrical said:True. Alfalfa is great for helping increase milk production. It's great to feed your goats straight alfalfa hay if you can afford it. You probably want to slowly work up to a change in diet though the rumens are sensitive!
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Didn't say it was too rich. If a goat had been mostly on grass hay and hasn't been eating alfalfa and you start giving it to them you should limit the quantity and ease them into it. It will turn their firm little "goat berry's" runny.kstaven said:
Goat is a ruminant but more like a deer than a cow. I've never seen a cow "berry". Besides the original poster has Pygmy goats. Big difference in a Pygymy and a Holstein
My wife's dad raises beef cows, I think he has around 80 head. In the fall in this part of the world, peanut hay (also a legume) becomes very abundant for cows. If they've been on grass all summer and you switch them to peanut they get a little runny for a while.
I know out west most dairies feed alfalfa. Any alfalfa in the SE is shipped in and very expensive.
Most cows and goat dairies around here get grass hay and like I said peanut hay when available. In spring you get a nice oat/rye blend which is really good.
We have dairy goats also. So we aren't without experience there.
mdavenport0121
Ridin' The Range
Unfortunately, alfalfa is more expensive than pellets where I live. 100 lb bale is $23 and 50 lb bag of pellets is $11.
that's*satyrical
Loving the herd life
You are in Texas. You should try to get chaffhaye (comes from Dell City TX). I love it. It is alfalfa, probiotics, natural fermentation products & non-gmo. You can store it for a long time too, and there is no waste if you put it in a feeder for them. Check it out! The alfalfa is not quite as nutrient dense after the chaffhaye process, but the nutrients are absorbed better.mdavenport0121 said:
As with any fermented feed you have better balanced biological availability across the spectrum. So yes, you may lose in minor ways on some items, but you gain in many other areas.
- Thread starter
- #30
madcow
Loving the herd life
Ginger and Trixie have slowed down on how much they are eating of the alfalfa over the ensuing couple of days since I started them on it. I think they were just hungery for the bulk at first, because they hadn't been eating any of the other hay. Thankfully they seem to be very hardy little critters and haven't had any stomach problems, which I have been watching for since I started the alfalfa. They have still been having the usual nannyberry BMs and no scours. I was also worried that Ginger, who is pretty close to kidding (in a couple of weeks) wasn't getting a good balance of feed and hay and thus a diet induced phosphorus-to-calcium imbalance and it would set her up for a pregnany toxemia situation here late in her pregnancy. Hopefully by changing her to the alfalfa she's getting more of what she needs and we have avoided a diaster with her. You guys are wonderful with all the advice and I truly appreciate your help. I'm thankful to find this forum.
