How to access the quality of hay

[Southern by choice]

Love to try this... doubt we could get that here.
Alfalfa is pricey here... $17 for a compressed bale (average).

 

[Azriel]

Sanfoin should be able to be grown anywhere Alfalfa can be grown. But it isn't as well known so most people don't want to try growing it. It is better as a dry land hay as it gets crown rot with too much water. Alfalfa here is about $9.00 for a 70# bale. We mostly sell the large rounds, 1200# we get $200 a ton for both the Alfalfa and the Sanfoin and the grass hays just a little less $175 a ton.

 

[Southern by choice]

Wow...we pay $20 for 800-900lb round bale, mixed grasses that are local. We like having them eat what grows here so they will not just eat out of they hay feeders. I like the consistency, but the alfalfa is supplemented depending on time of year, and if they are pregnant or in milk.

 

[Beekissed]

I look for an olive green/sage green color, a good balance between leaf and stem, a fresh smell, no dust. I try to get second cutting hay, but have fed first cut just fine and it's cheaper in these parts. I've found that my hair sheep actually preferred a less rich mix in their hay than I imagined and would often eat a lot of browse type supplements(stored corn shucks) when I had the "good" hay and would waste a lot of hay, but would clean up every morsel when I bought the less quality hay(first cut, year old). Go figure.

I offered BOSS now and again during the winter to provide a little more chance at selenium. Also used kelp meal and salt as my mineral mix.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Azriel, I had to look that one up. I had not heard of Sanfoin before. Looks like this is grown where you are. Very interesting.

Learn something new everyday!

I haven't heard of Sanfoin either. Haven't looked it up yet, but I will too. I certainly like to learn new things too. You want to google something, look up "perennial peanut". Not really peanuts at all but is a legume. Grows in S. GA, N. FL and on the gulf. When I bought the GA goats from near Atlanta breeder had it delivered. Really nice stuff.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Love to try this... doubt we could get that here.
Alfalfa is pricey here... $17 for a compressed bale (average).

Southern,
I know a guy in Fuquay that grows Alfalfa. I bought (3rd cut I think) for $9 per bale. It was really nice, he enters in the fair every year. Fuquay wouldn't be too far from you. I got another guy in Louisburg which is closer to me who grows too. He had an ad on Craigs List that he still had some end of November for $12. I didn't get any because I had the peanut hay.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I haven't heard of Sanfoin either. Haven't looked it up yet, but I will too.

Wow...we pay $20 for 800-900lb round bale, mixed grasses that are local. We like having them eat what grows here so they will not just eat out of they hay feeders. I like the consistency, but the alfalfa is supplemented depending on time of year, and if they are pregnant or in milk.

You can't beat what we buy grass hay for here. Mine eat coastal best.

 

[Southern by choice]

One Fine, I know you want to go check in on your dad.... and maybe bring back another round of peanut hay...

Yep can't beat what we pay here... now out in CA they get some alfalfa for nothing... I am a bit envious of the alfalfa prices!

 

[OneFineAcre]

Sanfoin should be able to be grown anywhere Alfalfa can be grown. But it isn't as well known so most people don't want to try growing it. It is better as a dry land hay as it gets crown rot with too much water. Alfalfa here is about $9.00 for a 70# bale. We mostly sell the large rounds, 1200# we get $200 a ton for both the Alfalfa and the Sanfoin and the grass hays just a little less $175 a ton.

The pictures of the Sanfoin I see online, look very similar to Lespedeza although most of the lespedeza varieties I see around here do not bloom like that.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Perennial Peanut.
They grow this in Florida. I know when you think of FL agriculture you think oranges, but it is a big beef producer too. This is probably why. I bought some goats in GA and the breeder fed this to his goats.