Due to the drought conditions we're experiencing in my area, I may not be able to get second crop hay this year. No one that I have found grows alfalfa hay around here, so I'm looking for the best way to feed dairy goats with first crop hay. I'll try to find a good clover mix for a higher protein, but may have to go with just a good quality grass hay. I was wondering if anyone has been in this position and has supplemented with alfalfa cubes or pellets? I'll have to buy my hay soon, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), September 08, 2001

Answers

Sheryl goats need long stemmed roughage. Alfalfa pellets and hay cubes have been chopped up into too small of pieces, to keep their rumens healthy. Think of your does diets as a total ration. If you have to feed poorer quality hay this year (which we had to do last year) than increase the energy, protein and fat in your grain, black oil sunflower seeds are 14% protein and an excellent source of fat and fiber, soybeans or soybean meal are excellent protein, alfalfa pellets are 17% protein and good roughage (though none of these are long stemmed roughage) so increase the overall grain ration, with a lower quality hay, if that is all you can find. If you have horse folks in your area this is usually the best source of better quality grass hay, if you can't or don't feed alfalfa this year. Be very careful purchasing clover hay for long term storage over the winter, especially if you live where humidity in your barns winters is bad. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 08, 2001.

Sheryl, I have had to feed prairie hay to my goats many times including this year, since the weather was so dry. I do add alfalfa pellets to the feed mix to help increase the protein. I was told by a very good goat raiser to get brome hay if I could not get any alfalfa, but as Vickie mentioned they need a good quality hay of some type. You can not substitute the pellets or cubes for hay. Good luck, I had a hard time finding some good hay this year due to the drought and the bad winter last year.

-- Karen in Kansas (kansasgoats@iwon.com), September 09, 2001.

Thanks for your help. I will have to check out all the supplement alternatives in my area. I'm just not finding anything except first cut grass hay so I guess I'll be going the supplement route. Sigh. I hope it rains soon!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), September 09, 2001.

Another consideration re. alfalfa pellets is that they are made with very low quality hay. I'm mid summer when the hay is more stalk than leaf is when it's pelleted. You got good advice re. supplementing.. and just remember that you need that long fiber for the goat's rumen as a guarantee against impaction and bloat. Do you have oat hay in your area? That's our long-staple fiber.

-- Ellen (gardenfarm@earthlink.net), October 28, 2001.