oat hay?

[Fullhousefarm]

We get seasonal oat hay here. Its priced comparably with coastal/tifton hay.

Is it better? Not as good? Same? I haven't been able to find much info on it relating to goats.

 

[OneFineAcre]

We get it here as well. If the weather holds good they will cut around the first of May.
It's very good but the quality is dependent upon when it's cut. Most is cut at the milk stage, when the grain is still green. Everything I've read is that it is similar in protein to alfalfa. My goats love it, but it isn't available very long here. The horse people really buy it up quick here.

It smells wonderful because it is seasonal and always fresh. Smells so good you want to try some yourself.

 

[Fullhousefarm]

Yes, I love the smell. We got it once two years ago because EVERYONE ran out of grass hay and that was about the only option.

I'll watch for it this time and throw some in the hayloft for the goats, then. Thanks! I need a Hay 101 class. Or, maybe I need Hay 102 now. At least I don't get that lost look anymore when I go into the feed store and they list of 10 different choices and ask what I want. LOL.

 

[goatboy1973]

If it is a late cutting or cut at a later stage, it has very low protein %.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Most around here is cut at milk stage. I think in some places they cut at dough stage which is the best.
Last year some couldn't be cut in the milk stage because it was too wet to get in the fields, so instead of cutting as hay at a later stage, they just harvested the oats instead which was more valuable.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I dug this old post up on Oat hay. It was an unusual year here in that we were able to buy much more oat hay than we normally would through a new source. So, we have been feeding oat hay exclusively for about 10 weeks and we still have access to more.

My goats have never looked better I don't think. The does are well into lactation and all are very well conditioned. In fact, Ginger, Cookie, and Clara Belle are a little bit fat. And all of their coats are so shiny. Look at the two black does. You can always tell with the black animals their coats will look rough first. And the colors on Rosemary (the brown and white pinto marked doe) just pop out.

And, we just moved. Up until 1 week ago, they were all on a "dry lot". No pasture or browse at all. Just the hay.

 

[Fullhousefarm]

Thanks. We've had it longer than normal here too. More waste, but at 1/3 price of peanut and 1/4 alfalfa I don't mind the waste- and the chickens like the nice nest box padding.