Hi everyone,
I am new on this forum and have a question about hay. I brought my first two does home a couple of weeks ago. I would appreciate information on what questions to ask when buying hay. What type of hay is best for my girls? I have a pregnant doe and a 8 month doeling. Currently I am giving them alfalfa hay and some clover.
Also, I was feeding them grain daily however have just read that it is best to not feed grain until the last 2 months of pregnancy...if anyone would comment on this I would really appreciate it. Right now I have cut back to 1 cup grain per day that is shared by the 2 does...should I take them off it completely??
Thanks!
Lisa
Replies
Our farmers turn as well, but still, it can mold because of rain. Most people who buy hay from us ask if its had rain on it --- we usualy lower the price if it has. Just not as good of quality. But true, in some areas turning probably dries out the rain --- just depends on where you live I suppose.
-WG4
The advice about the rain is good, BUT also talk to your farmer about it. We live in the NW, and it isn't humid here, so when it rains on cut hay before baling, if the farmer turns the hay before he bales, there shouldn't be mold. My FIL had to turn his hay three times last year, and there isn't mold in it. I think it has to do with the fact that it isn't humid here.
That's great advice about the rain. The other thing I learned this year was that some farmers will also spray hay with a chemical if it gets rained on, so it doesn't mold! And I don't want that for my goats because we're drinking their milk, and I doubt it's very good for the goats to be eating it anyway.
We raise our own hay out here on RDTEE Farms, and have found the perflect blend of clover/grass/alfalfa mix for our animals. It is ideal horse hay because its grass and clover, yet it has just enough of all three to satisfy the goats. 1st cutting hay is typically just grassy. Clover/alfalfa takes longer to grow, so when the first cutting comes in May or earlier, the grass is usually whats there, with tiny stems of the other. 2nd cutting has a good blend of all three because the a/c has caught up. And 3rd cutting hay is usually the richest in a/c -- usually don't feed this to our goats. Its around late August when its cut, so the grass has started to weaken, but the a/c is still going strong. We like to save this for pregnant ewes. It is even sometime too rich for our horses. 2nd cutting seems ideal.
Also, be sure to ask if it has had any RAIN ON IT. This was cause molding on the inside and is not good. What farmers sometimes do is after they cut the hay, it has to dry out three days. Sometimes, during those three days, the hay willl get rained on. They will sometimes wait an extra day for the rain to dry, but molding may still occur. You really want hay with no rain at all --- mold is really dusty and not always good for goats.
Hope that helps!
-WG4
Welcome to the group!
does it matter 1st cut vs 2nd cut? Is there any other way to tell the quality of the hay?
Thanks...this is really useful! Time to get some more hay!!!
Welcome to the group!
Like Rachel said, you want hay that looks green. It turns brown when exposed to light, so you might need to cut open a bale to see what it looks like inside. Dry does only need grass hay. You can start feeding the alfalfa and grain the last week or two of pregnancy. If you feed them too much earlier, they will just wind up fat and with big babies, and you don't want either. Fat mamas have problems with labor and toxemia, and big babies are just plain hard to deliver. I like two to three pound babies, but I have seen them over five, and it is not fun.
Lisa, yes. You should take your goats off of grain completely. They don't need it unless they are nursing, and at the very end of pregnancy. I get hay from my FIL who cuts hay for his cows. Usually, "cow" hay isn't really that good for goats, but my FIL cuts when the grass is still really green, and he also has a really nice mix of grasses in his fields. SO... the dry hay ends up nice and green, and with enough variety that my goats all love it. You don't need to feed alfalfa hay. It will lead to issues with your goats if they get too much. Feed none of that to your males, and only like you would grain to your does. The clover is fine as far as I know. If I were buying hay, (I trade for eggs with the FIL) I would look for a green cutting.