alfalfa pellets

[Melissa Johnson]

bought a bag of alfalfa pellets today - wondering how much I should feed my goats?  It says 1 to 2% their body weight......  I know it sounds like a dumb question - but wondered if anyone else uses pellets.

 

The still have orchard grass hay to eat (supposidly alfalfa/grass mix, I saw a couple of alfalfa leaves) - but I had bought a bale of alfalfa to supplement (bred doe) and it was so stemy they wont even lay on it......

 

any idea?  said on the bag, not by volume, but weight.

[Melissa Johnson]

Adrienne, that's my problem, I cant push "hard enough" to get a bite in the clippers.  While at the vet one time, he said people are usually surprised that you can cut off so much safely.  One day...........I'll get it right.  One of my does, goes bonkers.  If I take ahold of the front hoof, she jumps up with her front feet on the edge of the headgate.  If I let go and reposition, she goes down, I change, she goes back up.  Then I brought out the leash, snapped her in one spot, didnt work.  Then we tried the barn floor, wrestle, wrestle, wrestle, we tired.  Then she decided the stanchion wasnt so bad compared and she jumped back up there, put her head through and we proceded.  LOL.  What a circus!

Adrienne said:

Salviadorrii... When I trim the toes I push the trimmers flat against the hoof and squeeze so that  I can clip the tips of the toenails flatter. I f I need to get in between the toes I just push the toes apart. usually the trimmers don't work here. usually I find  a hoof knife to be the best thing, but it has to be used carefully and a very little bit at a time. I agree with Melissa, use the trimmers to trim the heal area a little at a time. I check hoofs every two weeks, and just do touch ups as they need it, that way they never get bad.

salviadorrii said:

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Adrienne]

I did have my own buck but I sold them. I am getting a buck and a weather from my mentor later this month when she comes to get one of the kids.

Adrienne said:

Salviadorrii... When I trim the toes I push the trimmers flat against the hoof and squeeze so that  I can clip the tips of the toenails flatter. I f I need to get in between the toes I just push the toes apart. usually the trimmers don't work here. usually I find  a hoof knife to be the best thing, but it has to be used carefully and a very little bit at a time. I agree with Melissa, use the trimmers to trim the heal area a little at a time. I check hoofs every two weeks, and just do touch ups as they need it, that way they never get bad.

salviadorrii said:

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Adrienne]

Salviadorrii... When I trim the toes I push the trimmers flat against the hoof and squeeze so that  I can clip the tips of the toenails flatter. I f I need to get in between the toes I just push the toes apart. usually the trimmers don't work here. usually I find  a hoof knife to be the best thing, but it has to be used carefully and a very little bit at a time. I agree with Melissa, use the trimmers to trim the heal area a little at a time. I check hoofs every two weeks, and just do touch ups as they need it, that way they never get bad.

salviadorrii said:

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Melissa Johnson]

My goat shed pen is about 50 feet from the back of the barn area.  Still not sure what to do about a sectioned spot for the first doe to kid.  The clock is counting down too.  I am excited, the buck I bred her to, is really short in body, but he is polled.  That would be awesome!  Do you have your own buck?

Adrienne said:

Once they get used to getting separated and reunited again in the morning, it seems like it would be alright. I don't have that many pens. so I will probably end up putting the babies into a crate or on the porch. Which is about 50 to 100 feet from the doe pen. I had both of my girls bred...If Indiana has any doelings I know I have one sold already...I suppose we will see how it goes.

Melissa Johnson said:

I'm no expert, but it sounds like the heel just needs to be clipped.  The wall between the hooves, do you mean the little tab part that grows between the two?  I am pretty much convinced when I want to part with $30 - to take one to the vet and see how it should be done in "real time".

salviadorrii said:

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Adrienne]

Once they get used to getting separated and reunited again in the morning, it seems like it would be alright. I don't have that many pens. so I will probably end up putting the babies into a crate or on the porch. Which is about 50 to 100 feet from the doe pen. I had both of my girls bred...If Indiana has any doelings I know I have one sold already...I suppose we will see how it goes.

Melissa Johnson said:

I'm no expert, but it sounds like the heel just needs to be clipped.  The wall between the hooves, do you mean the little tab part that grows between the two?  I am pretty much convinced when I want to part with $30 - to take one to the vet and see how it should be done in "real time".

salviadorrii said:

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Melissa Johnson]

I'm no expert, but it sounds like the heel just needs to be clipped.  The wall between the hooves, do you mean the little tab part that grows between the two?  I am pretty much convinced when I want to part with $30 - to take one to the vet and see how it should be done in "real time".

salviadorrii said:

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[salviadorrii]

Hmmm

I am left-handed too and have been having troubles clipping hooves.I never keyed into that the clipper would be like scissors.I had been thinking about the hoof plane as I do not have one.I have trouble with the heel.On one of my goats it gets kind of smooshed over to one side.I also have trouble getting the side-wall between the 2 parts of the hooves.The use of pellets for trimming sounds good to slow them down.I had been giving rolled barley and they pretty much inhale it.
Adrienne said:

My only problem with hoof trimming is that I am left handed and there are no left handed trimmers to my knowledge.  Sam and Stan never gave me any issues  at all hoof trimming. I just trim down as far as  I dare and check them every two weeks to do more if they need it. The girls hooves just need to get done before kidding... What seems to work for me is filing them down with the hoof plain after I have cut all I dare. I haven't ever clipped the goats, but I got myself once. ow!!! I do keep the blood stop powder on hand just in case.

Melissa Johnson said:

Trimming hooves??  I am continually forlorn over that.  Someone locally said she would come over and help me get them straightened out - still waiting on that.  However, we are just coming through the crazy Christmas holiday/New Year - far as I know, everyone feeds grain while they work on hooves.  I tried again couple of weeks ago and one of my goats still looks at the stanchion with contemp.  Someone emailed me with a very good lesson of hoof.  She said it goes from black to white to pink to blood.  That I will never forget.  I am STILL afraid to cut off enough to do a good job.  I just recently discovered the white.  I wish you success!
Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Melissa Johnson]

I have extension cords running up along the wall.  It is so damp here, I have had 2 heat lamps going for months. One red and one white, so the lighting is fine for me.  My concern is this is a "barn room".  So it really isnt big enough.  probably 12x10??  I will have to measure.  I would like to bred the other doe (I only have 2), but then I am kinda afraid, what if I cant sell the kids???  Of course, I hope there is a doe I can keep.  I do have another goat shed but that is only 8x8.  -( But on the other hand, I dont want more than I can afford either.  I am thinking when I separate the kids at night - I could put them in the goat shed, of course, I know that will upset everybody.

Adrienne said:

WOW! I have only noticed that in my does recently as their udders have begun to form, and they are due this month. Every goat is different I guess. Seriously cannot wait for those babies to come out...Indiana is HUGE...I bet she has triplets. Isabel not so huge, she may only have 1 but I am hoping for 2.  I am moving them up to the porch next week, @ day 138 and 14o. That way I can "lock " them up there and be able to here anything that goes on in the night because they will be right outside my bedroom window. plus I have lights there where I don't have in the goat pens.

Melissa Johnson said:

Adrienne, I was curious so I looked so see where Pearl River was.  I used to live in Gulfport, and Slidell, Waveland, Bay St. Louis, was some of my old stomping grounds.  Funny-and I can relate to the rude business folks-I went to a knit shop here in town and they acted like I was a nuisance when I asked some basic questions... ish.  I was excited today, my first doe to be bred, is getting her "nu-nees" more pronounced!  She is due 2nd week in March-yikes!

Adrienne said:

The one very close to my house is ok, aside from the fact they don't always have things. They have the best price on dog and cat food and we get free bags after we buy so many.   The one in town near where I work I only dislike because the people are so rude there, and get offended if I say I don't want something. I like my brands and I don't want to change them just so I can buy there. However they have pine shavings at the best price of anyone, and they also have the least expensive pine cat litter I have ever seen ( Can't use clay because of the dogs) . There is rumored to be another feed store in town somewhere, but I have not been able to confirm yet, and there are two stores 20 minutes away in MS. That we have also visited. One of them caries cheep cattle panels and usually has what the other 3 don't and the other usually has a lower price on hay.

Melissa Johnson said:

I am from Southeast Alabama, maybe they dont do peanuts in LA.  Dont you have any good feed stores nearby?  Doesnt sound like it.-(   I just know a facebook friend in TX feeds the big round bales and I just assumed it was peanut hay, cause that's how they bale it in Alabama.  50 lbs. of boss are about that here.  close anyway,  my goats still arent sold on them,  I wondered today, what do I have to do to get them to eat them???  grind it?  ish..... goats.  My goats will be a bad influence on their kids...... ;)

Adrienne said:

Peanut hay? I would not even know where to get that here. They all only have horse hay. We also use hay in the chicken coop because they don't kick down so much of it as they do with the shavings....I have not found anything that works as well yet. I live in South east La. I really don't know where they get some of the prices around here. I once had to pay $20 for a 50lb bag of black sunflower seeds while my mentor paid less than half that for the same amount around the same time near her house. And sometimes I cant find all that I need without having to call around to all 4 stores, and sometimes I STILL have to order online.

Melissa Johnson said:

good gosh!!  I thought 13.99 for bale of alfalfa was bad!  arent you down south Adrienne?  I would think you could get the peanut hay - isnt that high in protein??  anyway, I paid 8.99 for 40 lbs of pellets, now I feel bad knowing you paid bout dollar less per lb. lol.  All I know is goats eat fast, faster when you are trying to milk I think. LOL.  A lady here told me she feeds hay rather than grain when she milked - I dont think i'd have much luck with that.  The alfalfa here comes from southern and eastern oregon - valley doesnt have conditions for growing alfalfa.  -(

Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Adrienne]

WOW! I have only noticed that in my does recently as their udders have begun to form, and they are due this month. Every goat is different I guess. Seriously cannot wait for those babies to come out...Indiana is HUGE...I bet she has triplets. Isabel not so huge, she may only have 1 but I am hoping for 2.  I am moving them up to the porch next week, @ day 138 and 14o. That way I can "lock " them up there and be able to here anything that goes on in the night because they will be right outside my bedroom window. plus I have lights there where I don't have in the goat pens.

Melissa Johnson said:

Adrienne, I was curious so I looked so see where Pearl River was.  I used to live in Gulfport, and Slidell, Waveland, Bay St. Louis, was some of my old stomping grounds.  Funny-and I can relate to the rude business folks-I went to a knit shop here in town and they acted like I was a nuisance when I asked some basic questions... ish.  I was excited today, my first doe to be bred, is getting her "nu-nees" more pronounced!  She is due 2nd week in March-yikes!

Adrienne said:

The one very close to my house is ok, aside from the fact they don't always have things. They have the best price on dog and cat food and we get free bags after we buy so many.   The one in town near where I work I only dislike because the people are so rude there, and get offended if I say I don't want something. I like my brands and I don't want to change them just so I can buy there. However they have pine shavings at the best price of anyone, and they also have the least expensive pine cat litter I have ever seen ( Can't use clay because of the dogs) . There is rumored to be another feed store in town somewhere, but I have not been able to confirm yet, and there are two stores 20 minutes away in MS. That we have also visited. One of them caries cheep cattle panels and usually has what the other 3 don't and the other usually has a lower price on hay.

Melissa Johnson said:

I am from Southeast Alabama, maybe they dont do peanuts in LA.  Dont you have any good feed stores nearby?  Doesnt sound like it.-(   I just know a facebook friend in TX feeds the big round bales and I just assumed it was peanut hay, cause that's how they bale it in Alabama.  50 lbs. of boss are about that here.  close anyway,  my goats still arent sold on them,  I wondered today, what do I have to do to get them to eat them???  grind it?  ish..... goats.  My goats will be a bad influence on their kids...... ;)

Adrienne said:

Peanut hay? I would not even know where to get that here. They all only have horse hay. We also use hay in the chicken coop because they don't kick down so much of it as they do with the shavings....I have not found anything that works as well yet. I live in South east La. I really don't know where they get some of the prices around here. I once had to pay $20 for a 50lb bag of black sunflower seeds while my mentor paid less than half that for the same amount around the same time near her house. And sometimes I cant find all that I need without having to call around to all 4 stores, and sometimes I STILL have to order online.

Melissa Johnson said:

good gosh!!  I thought 13.99 for bale of alfalfa was bad!  arent you down south Adrienne?  I would think you could get the peanut hay - isnt that high in protein??  anyway, I paid 8.99 for 40 lbs of pellets, now I feel bad knowing you paid bout dollar less per lb. lol.  All I know is goats eat fast, faster when you are trying to milk I think. LOL.  A lady here told me she feeds hay rather than grain when she milked - I dont think i'd have much luck with that.  The alfalfa here comes from southern and eastern oregon - valley doesnt have conditions for growing alfalfa.  -(

Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.

[Melissa Johnson]

Adrienne, I was curious so I looked so see where Pearl River was.  I used to live in Gulfport, and Slidell, Waveland, Bay St. Louis, was some of my old stomping grounds.  Funny-and I can relate to the rude business folks-I went to a knit shop here in town and they acted like I was a nuisance when I asked some basic questions... ish.  I was excited today, my first doe to be bred, is getting her "nu-nees" more pronounced!  She is due 2nd week in March-yikes!

Adrienne said:

The one very close to my house is ok, aside from the fact they don't always have things. They have the best price on dog and cat food and we get free bags after we buy so many.   The one in town near where I work I only dislike because the people are so rude there, and get offended if I say I don't want something. I like my brands and I don't want to change them just so I can buy there. However they have pine shavings at the best price of anyone, and they also have the least expensive pine cat litter I have ever seen ( Can't use clay because of the dogs) . There is rumored to be another feed store in town somewhere, but I have not been able to confirm yet, and there are two stores 20 minutes away in MS. That we have also visited. One of them caries cheep cattle panels and usually has what the other 3 don't and the other usually has a lower price on hay.

Melissa Johnson said:

I am from Southeast Alabama, maybe they dont do peanuts in LA.  Dont you have any good feed stores nearby?  Doesnt sound like it.-(   I just know a facebook friend in TX feeds the big round bales and I just assumed it was peanut hay, cause that's how they bale it in Alabama.  50 lbs. of boss are about that here.  close anyway,  my goats still arent sold on them,  I wondered today, what do I have to do to get them to eat them???  grind it?  ish..... goats.  My goats will be a bad influence on their kids...... ;)

Adrienne said:

Peanut hay? I would not even know where to get that here. They all only have horse hay. We also use hay in the chicken coop because they don't kick down so much of it as they do with the shavings....I have not found anything that works as well yet. I live in South east La. I really don't know where they get some of the prices around here. I once had to pay $20 for a 50lb bag of black sunflower seeds while my mentor paid less than half that for the same amount around the same time near her house. And sometimes I cant find all that I need without having to call around to all 4 stores, and sometimes I STILL have to order online.

Melissa Johnson said:

good gosh!!  I thought 13.99 for bale of alfalfa was bad!  arent you down south Adrienne?  I would think you could get the peanut hay - isnt that high in protein??  anyway, I paid 8.99 for 40 lbs of pellets, now I feel bad knowing you paid bout dollar less per lb. lol.  All I know is goats eat fast, faster when you are trying to milk I think. LOL.  A lady here told me she feeds hay rather than grain when she milked - I dont think i'd have much luck with that.  The alfalfa here comes from southern and eastern oregon - valley doesnt have conditions for growing alfalfa.  -(

Adrienne said:

The alfalfa hay that I have seen here is something like $20 a bale, why I don't know...so I use pellets (50lbs for $15.) They like the horse hay we get for $6-$11...The alfalfa pellets are a part of their regular diet and I mix it with the goat chow. Good to know I can feed them a lot of alfalfa if I need to.  I am getting ready to trim these girls hoofs for the first time, and I was unsure of what I could feed them  to accomplish the task. I anticipate also being a slow milker as well.