I have a Pygmy cross doe who is strictly a pet. She is 7 years old and in good health. I was wondering due to difficulty getting small quantities of hay where I live (Growers want to sell in minimum 10 ton lots)if she could have alfalfa/timothy hay cubes for her feed. I already keep a supply for the rabbits and can easily get more of these. But I am unsure how they would chew and digest for a goat. Do any of you have experience with these?? I just want to keep her healthy and happy. Thank you Denise K. WA

-- Denise K. (Rabbitmom2@webbworks.com), September 07, 2001

Answers

Denise, We have had alpine and now have nubian goats. I have fed Alfalfa cubes to them as treats in addition to regular grass hay. If you can get timothy hay cubes that would probably be best because the alfalfa may be to rich for every day use. The only thing else I can offer is to break up the cubes so they can be more easily eaten. Try some and wLindaatch the goat berries or not and back up the feeding if not berries.

-- Linda (awesomegodchristianministries@yahoo.com), September 07, 2001.

With just one goat, that should work out fine, as long as you break them up. They are very wastefull if fed to larger groups of animals, and especially if you leave them whole. They are not long enough of fiber to be counted as long stem roughage, so since you have to feed hay with them anyway (remember hay cubes are made for single stomached horses, not 4 stomached goats) you might just as well feed any good quality hay and a simple grain or alfalfa pellet. You don't want to get your gal to fat, and with the minimal work a lone pygmy is asked to do, she would probably be just as healthy with good hay and a loose mineral mix, perhaps some black oil sunflower seeds daily as a treat. Surely a feed store nearby or someone local with horses would sell you 5 bales of hay to get through the winter? Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 07, 2001.