Goat Hay - question

[boilerjoe_96]

So I have Timothy hay and Alfalfa with a little Orchard grass...

Which is better for goats?

 

[WrenAli]

Alfalfa should not be fed to bucks. It can cause urinary Calculi (as can feeding to much grain).

Timothy is a great hay, it is what I would feed.

Actually with all ruminants, goats included, you don't have to feed a high quality hay. The microbes in their guts will create much of the protein needed for them.

 

[helmstead]

I disagree wholeheartedly.

The best feed for bucks is alfalfa - pellets or hay. As little grain as possible and plenty of alfalfa. It is perfectly balanced to avoid UC.

If you don't want to have to grain your goats much, go with the alfalfa mix. Just be aware they will waste a lot of it as they prefer the leaves and leave the stems. This is why we feed alfalfa pellets. Still, if I had a choice like that (LUCKY!) I'd go with the legume over the grass.

 

[Chatychick]

I agree with Helmstead. Alfafa is the best you can feed bucks and wethers and if you cant get it get the pelleted alfafa. The only time you need to feed bucks grain is when they are working. Wethers dont need grain as long as they have good alfafa hay or pellets. Wethers put on weight really easily. Make sure they have plenty of fresh water and hay and yes hay makes a mess that you have to clean. I cant get alfafa hay here last year so all of mine got pelleted alfafa. They love it and its so much better for them. Mixed is good also.

 

[dixygirl]

How much hay and grain do you feed per day?
Is sweet feed ok for a treat?...or something like TSC All Stock?
My horse wastes so much hay that i rake up and throw away, I am thinking I would save myself work to just get a goat. Any ideas?

 

[kinnip]

Funny thing about goats, they won't eat hay off the ground unless they're really hard up or they just saw a really good hunk of alfalfa hit the ground. Even then, they mostly pick at it and toss it around. I let them poop all over the waste hay/bedding for about a week, then scrape it all up and spread it on my soonish-to-be-garden-but-currently-hardpan ground, spray it with some helpful microbes and wait for actual soil to develop.

 

[helmstead]

Hay and grain amounts vary greatly by the goat. Sweet feed IMO is a big no no, but many people use it with no ill effects. Your horse wastes hay? LOL Mine clean up each and every last blade of it. Anyway - goats are VERY messy with hay, so, no, don't expect a goat to be a clean up crew.

 

[wynedot55]

personally you can feed goats any kind of hay you want.but i think they thrive on the lower quality hay.ive got some horse quality costal hay in the barn that i may feed my goats.unless i just try to find some cheap grass hay with some weeds in it.