What is best ?

[Sandy christen]

Have a question what type of alfalfa would be good 50% or how do I determine what to buy thanks

 

[Latestarter]

Some buy and feed pure alfalfa... some feed orchard mixes and give alfalfa pellets more as a treat. IMHO: If that's what you have available to you, start out with the 50:50 alfalfa mix and see how they do on it. If they start getting fat (slow metabolism) then you know the hay is too "rich" (alfalfa) and you can switch to a "cheaper" hay. If they do well on it, then good to go. If they still aren't growing/gaining, too skinny, etc, then fecal exam to make sure it's not parasites and either add grain or go to high quality like pure alfalfa... or add in some sort of goat chow mix.

 

[TAH]

Some buy and feed pure alfalfa... some feed orchard mixes and give alfalfa pellets more as a treat. IMHO: If that's what you have available to you, start out with the 50:50 alfalfa mix and see how they do on it. If they start getting fat (slow metabolism) then you know the hay is too "rich" (alfalfa) and you can switch to a "cheaper" hay. If they do well on it, then good to go. If they still aren't growing/gaining, too skinny, etc, then fecal exam to make sure it's not parasites and either add grain or go to high quality like pure alfalfa... or add in some sort of goat chow mix.

I agree with @Latestarter

 

[SteveElms]

@Latestarter said it best.

We feed different types depending on the goat. Our dairy and nursing does get pure alfalfa (either 3rd or 4th cutting) because they are producing milk for us or their kids and need the extra protein. Our bucks and wethers get alfalfa and grass, mostly grass hay. We also put the grass hay in a self feeder so they have as much as they want. We looked at the cost of supplementing grass hay with alfalfa pellets and it was a lot cheaper to buy a few tons of alfalfa bales. I also adjust the amount depending on how the goats look. Mostly I overfeed them "just to be safe."

I should add that we buy our alfalfa in large round bales, and we have about 25 acres of hay fields for our grass hay. Alfalfa is fairly easy to find around here and not outrageously expensive. Our last load of alfalfa was $80 per ton for 4th cutting.

 

[Latestarter]

Wow, that's an excellent price for 3rd/4th cutting alfalfa! Do you transport it yourself? Just wondering if that's a delivered price or field/farm pickup price...

 

[SteveElms]

We pick it up about 70 miles from where we live. We can load 3 big round bales on the trailer at a time, so roughly 2.25 tons. The last load we got was the last the guy had for sale. I am sweating the fact that I might have to head west and pay Colorado prices for alfalfa since I'm struggling to find any locally this time of year. Most of the hay producers sell off their hay before they start with the new hay season, and we got in too late to find some close to us. I saw some dairy quality alfalfa for $200 a ton, and I'd have to drive 150 miles each way to get it. Then the cost of pellets may seem more reasonable. I just cut the string on our last big round bale.

I have no idea what transportation would cost but I know he will sell it by the semi load. There is a grain elevator with a scale close to his house to get an accurate weight on. We aren't to the point of buying a semi-load at a time either. Maybe next year.

 

[babsbag]

I feed everyone strictly alfalfa. Alfalfa is cheaper than grass hay so that is what I feed. On a very rare occasion I will throw in a bale of wheat just to mix it up and give the chickens something to do. Wheat hay is not good for the boys so don't make it a staple in their diet.

I pay between $15-18 for a 110 lb bale of alfalfa or 180.00 for a 1200-1400lb bale.

 

[Sandy christen]

Thanks everyone for the feed back...