Replies

  • Clover is okay, but alfalfa will give you the best production in milkers. If you're talking bucks or wethers, they should get grass hay. If clover is in any mix, that's fine. I've never heard of 100% clover hay.
  • Is clover hay ok for the goats or is mixed grass better?
  • presently I am not working away from home - I have started giving them a little hay, then more as they clean that up. They are not on pasture and where I am this time of year the pasture is nice and brown. I do let them out to forage as I go about my projects through out the day. The hay I have been buying is a grown alfalfa/grass mix but this last bale has a lot of alfalfa - I thought maybe I should put out more of the oat hay for their lunch, snack and more snack hay ;) I could get real tough if I remember one of these does tries to take a bite out of me when I clip her hoofs. I put her in the stanchion today to trim, boy you would've thought I was trying to kill her. Now I know where I need to screw a small piece of wood to block her - I really appreciate everyones experience on this site and the willingness to share it.
  • I don't give alfalfa to dry does because it is very rich in calcium and calories. If they're dry and on pasture, they don't really need hay. If they're not on pasture, mixing it is a good idea, and gradually reduce the alfalfa. And then you could just get tough and refuse to give them alfalfa. Only put a little hay in there at a time though, because some goats refuse to eat hay simply because it's been in their feeder for a few hours.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    bought a bale of oat hay to try - just my luck, my goats dont love it. So I just mix in a little with the hay they do love. This particular bale does have a lot of alfalfa, it is a grass/alfalfa mix. Feed store told me feeding alfalfa isnt such a great idea for dry does - she said too much calcium. They are spoiled for it and refuse to eat regular grass hay. Should I be worried? I read about milk fever - that was a concern. I intend to breed them in October/November.

  • bought a bale of oat hay to try - just my luck, my goats dont love it. So I just mix in a little with the hay they do love. This particular bale does have a lot of alfalfa, it is a grass/alfalfa mix. Feed store told me feeding alfalfa isnt such a great idea for dry does - she said too much calcium. They are spoiled for it and refuse to eat regular grass hay. Should I be worried? I read about milk fever - that was a concern. I intend to breed them in October/November.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    as a note on food - I see periodically people comment on feeding "meal" in their grain ration - do you have any idea what that would be? just curious

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    Makes sense that the oat hay protein is lower than alfalfa, but I don't think it's much lower, and unless they're milking, they don't need a lot of protein. If they are milking, you could add something like Calf Manna to their grain ration to increase the protein, if their body condition needs improvement.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i will add that I looked on the net and of course, all hay would be different depending on so many variables - but it said the protein (?) was lower than alfalfa but better than grass hay.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i'll have to get a bale and see what they think - awesome! I am remembering all that I have read on changing feed around - so, let them try it out - but not totally. Even with good hay, they are so tired of eating it I think after the winter, which pretty much lasted October - July 4th - even alfalfa/grass doesnt sound good to them ;) But I was impressed with what came out of that bale -

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    I went to a workshop several years ago, and there was a woman there with a 600-head dairy who said that if you can ever get oat hay, go for it! She said goats love it, and it's really good for them. I've never been able to get any, and I've asked all three of my hay suppliers.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    I just bought a bale of alfalfa/grass hay for my 2 goats. There was oat/grass hay which I have never seen. It looked all brown and dry on the outside, but he pulled some out and it was green with oat heads in it. It looked stemy but not too bad. Would this be something that would be good for goats? It was almost as much as the alfalfa/grass which was 13.99 a bale - the oat/grass was 10.99 - just curious.
  • as a note on food - I see periodically people comment on feeding "meal" in their grain ration - do you have any idea what that would be? just curious

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    Makes sense that the oat hay protein is lower than alfalfa, but I don't think it's much lower, and unless they're milking, they don't need a lot of protein. If they are milking, you could add something like Calf Manna to their grain ration to increase the protein, if their body condition needs improvement.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i will add that I looked on the net and of course, all hay would be different depending on so many variables - but it said the protein (?) was lower than alfalfa but better than grass hay.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i'll have to get a bale and see what they think - awesome! I am remembering all that I have read on changing feed around - so, let them try it out - but not totally. Even with good hay, they are so tired of eating it I think after the winter, which pretty much lasted October - July 4th - even alfalfa/grass doesnt sound good to them ;) But I was impressed with what came out of that bale -

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    I went to a workshop several years ago, and there was a woman there with a 600-head dairy who said that if you can ever get oat hay, go for it! She said goats love it, and it's really good for them. I've never been able to get any, and I've asked all three of my hay suppliers.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    I just bought a bale of alfalfa/grass hay for my 2 goats. There was oat/grass hay which I have never seen. It looked all brown and dry on the outside, but he pulled some out and it was green with oat heads in it. It looked stemy but not too bad. Would this be something that would be good for goats? It was almost as much as the alfalfa/grass which was 13.99 a bale - the oat/grass was 10.99 - just curious.
  • Makes sense that the oat hay protein is lower than alfalfa, but I don't think it's much lower, and unless they're milking, they don't need a lot of protein. If they are milking, you could add something like Calf Manna to their grain ration to increase the protein, if their body condition needs improvement.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i will add that I looked on the net and of course, all hay would be different depending on so many variables - but it said the protein (?) was lower than alfalfa but better than grass hay.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i'll have to get a bale and see what they think - awesome! I am remembering all that I have read on changing feed around - so, let them try it out - but not totally. Even with good hay, they are so tired of eating it I think after the winter, which pretty much lasted October - July 4th - even alfalfa/grass doesnt sound good to them ;) But I was impressed with what came out of that bale -

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    I went to a workshop several years ago, and there was a woman there with a 600-head dairy who said that if you can ever get oat hay, go for it! She said goats love it, and it's really good for them. I've never been able to get any, and I've asked all three of my hay suppliers.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    I just bought a bale of alfalfa/grass hay for my 2 goats. There was oat/grass hay which I have never seen. It looked all brown and dry on the outside, but he pulled some out and it was green with oat heads in it. It looked stemy but not too bad. Would this be something that would be good for goats? It was almost as much as the alfalfa/grass which was 13.99 a bale - the oat/grass was 10.99 - just curious.
  • i will add that I looked on the net and of course, all hay would be different depending on so many variables - but it said the protein (?) was lower than alfalfa but better than grass hay.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    i'll have to get a bale and see what they think - awesome! I am remembering all that I have read on changing feed around - so, let them try it out - but not totally. Even with good hay, they are so tired of eating it I think after the winter, which pretty much lasted October - July 4th - even alfalfa/grass doesnt sound good to them ;) But I was impressed with what came out of that bale -

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    I went to a workshop several years ago, and there was a woman there with a 600-head dairy who said that if you can ever get oat hay, go for it! She said goats love it, and it's really good for them. I've never been able to get any, and I've asked all three of my hay suppliers.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    I just bought a bale of alfalfa/grass hay for my 2 goats. There was oat/grass hay which I have never seen. It looked all brown and dry on the outside, but he pulled some out and it was green with oat heads in it. It looked stemy but not too bad. Would this be something that would be good for goats? It was almost as much as the alfalfa/grass which was 13.99 a bale - the oat/grass was 10.99 - just curious.
  • i'll have to get a bale and see what they think - awesome! I am remembering all that I have read on changing feed around - so, let them try it out - but not totally. Even with good hay, they are so tired of eating it I think after the winter, which pretty much lasted October - July 4th - even alfalfa/grass doesnt sound good to them ;) But I was impressed with what came out of that bale -

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    I went to a workshop several years ago, and there was a woman there with a 600-head dairy who said that if you can ever get oat hay, go for it! She said goats love it, and it's really good for them. I've never been able to get any, and I've asked all three of my hay suppliers.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    I just bought a bale of alfalfa/grass hay for my 2 goats. There was oat/grass hay which I have never seen. It looked all brown and dry on the outside, but he pulled some out and it was green with oat heads in it. It looked stemy but not too bad. Would this be something that would be good for goats? It was almost as much as the alfalfa/grass which was 13.99 a bale - the oat/grass was 10.99 - just curious.
  • I went to a workshop several years ago, and there was a woman there with a 600-head dairy who said that if you can ever get oat hay, go for it! She said goats love it, and it's really good for them. I've never been able to get any, and I've asked all three of my hay suppliers.

    Melissa Johnson said:
    I just bought a bale of alfalfa/grass hay for my 2 goats. There was oat/grass hay which I have never seen. It looked all brown and dry on the outside, but he pulled some out and it was green with oat heads in it. It looked stemy but not too bad. Would this be something that would be good for goats? It was almost as much as the alfalfa/grass which was 13.99 a bale - the oat/grass was 10.99 - just curious.
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