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SageHill

SageHill

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Ridgetop said:
You have to look up the tables of protein for different hay varieties and grain online. You can have your hay tested, but if you are buying several hundred bales at a time from different locations (if you are buying from a dealer/broker they will be bringing it in from different growers) that really won't be worth doing. Just take the average for that variety - alfalfa has a much higher protein percentage as well as higher calcium levels. This is why it is excellent for lactating animals and for high milk yields in dairy herds. It is standard for dairies to feed alfalfa. When we were milking a lot of animals, on test, and fielding about a ton a week, we bought our hay by the field. We couldn't get first cutting - that was all under contract to the dairies, but we got second cutting which was about the same protein. Bermuda and Bahia are similar to each other in protein levels but far lower than alfalfa. In Yantis we will buy a year's supply of hay and have it tested. Then we can decide how and with what concentrates/grains to supplement for the right amount of protein during each phase - breeding, lambing, lactation, dry, and growing out young stock.






Last year we bought 1000 bales at $25/bale. We still have 100 bales credit but are paying $17-18/bale in AZ. Currently we are buying about 70-80 bales of prime alfalfa (100 lb. bales) on each return trip from Texas since we are traveling back to CA with the empty 20' flatbed.. When hay tops out this winter, we will cash in our remaining 100 bales of credit. Hopefully, we will have extra alfalfa to bring back to Texas to help wean the sheep onto Bermuda and Bahia. We may also bring the large trailer to CA when we come out for a visit so we can pick up 70+ bales to bring back to Texas. We will keep the alfalfa in the barn for the lactating ewes. The AZ hay grower said that they had a good crop this year due to plenty of rain. Also hay was dropping in price since the Arabs who are the biggest buyers couldn't ship out this summer - some sort of dock problem - so all the growers had full barns and prices were going down. We will be picking up another 80 bales of alfalfa on the way back from picking up the new trailer. I like to stock up when prices are low instead of waiting until prices start to go up in late autumn. Alfalfa on the west coast has a longer season since most farmers use water lines and we have a long warm season.
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Good to know about the Arabs. Hope the lower prices will hang low on.
 
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farmerjan

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I also hope your back/legs are okay. He deserved it, and you will not be selling a buck that could hurt someone else... There are too many goats in this world to keep one that is going to hurt someone. Just like there are too many bulls to keep one that will hurt you.... or too many other cows to keep a high headed one that will also hurt you.
NOT WORTH someone getting hurt worse than you did... it could have been one of the kids (human kids) that were in where they shouldn't be that could get seriously hurt...
You did the right thing.
 
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