# Alfalfa pellets



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Do you guys soak these pellets, or give it dry? The guy at the feed store said either way works, just wanna know what others do

I won't start feeding it until my other 2 does give birth which should be sometime later this month


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I feed mine dry. most my goats eat it, but my doe in milk picks through it.....she won't eat it soaked either. she's a stinker....lol


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## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

I feed mine dry...I don't think any of my girls would appreciate it wet, but maybe they're just weird


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

Does alfalfa pellets help put weight on does? Do you give this along with giving grain?


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## WalshKidsGoats (Nov 27, 2012)

I feed them dry.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I feed dry too. Yes, it can help with weight gain.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I feed dry mixed with the sweet feed for the adults...I don't dare give it to the kids as the pellets are kinda big.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

VincekFarm said:


> Does alfalfa pellets help put weight on does? Do you give this along with giving grain?


Oh yeah! They are around 18% protein. You can feed them along with grain, but I use alfalfa pellets to stretch hay. I do not feed hay free choice, and alfalfa pellets can be used as a replacement for up to 50% of the hay ration - in my case I feed 2 lbs of alfalfa pellets, and 3 pounds of hay.

As for the original question, I feed them dry.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Thank you all. I just found out today that the grain I have been feeding my clan well, it's medicated Noble Goat, and lo and behold it says to not feed to lactating does, because it had the cocci prevention in it. I've been milking and drinking the milk since February never had a problem, and I just bought 2 bags last week. So I am going to slowly switch over to the goat chow by purina, will get a bag of that and some alfalfa pellets (dry) later this week and see what happens in "Patti's" (doe in milk right now) milk production. I guess I will feed it to the kids during weaning time to prevent cocci... I've never had a problem with that so now I'm wondering if that is why.. I'll let you know how "Patti's" production goes


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

I attribute my does weight gain to the alfalfa pellets and the BOSS.
She was painfully skinny for a time. Though none too fat now.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Patti can definitely put more weight on. So maybe she finally could.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

VincekFarm said:


> Does alfalfa pellets help put weight on does? Do you give this along with giving grain?


Yep! I feed a cup of it 2x a day mixed with my milking does grain  it helps put weight on them, but I have one doe I have to go a little further and add beet pulp or a lot more alfalfa.. She milks down to skin and bones!

Now I mix alfalfa pellets, dairy goat pellets, BOSS, and beet pulp shreds for my milkers. They have been doing great on it this year 

I too feed them dry


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

a cup 2x a day?? i was told to give up to 1 lb 2x per day! I've started giving less as she does NOT like to eat the alfalfa, especially in the morning. she'll eat what's left in her bowl at night when i leave it with her in her stall...even then sometimes she won't finish.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I guess it differs for everyone  I give more or less depending on the does weight/condition.. I also have Nigerian Dwarfs. I know I will be feeding my LaManchas more!


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

got it. she's kind of skinny, not too bad, BUT she won't eat the alfalfa. sigh. must be something in the pellets that she won't eat. oh well...nothing i can do about it since i only have the one brand available.


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

People have said that beet pulp is good too.


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## backyardFarming (Jun 13, 2013)

My doe became very skinny about two weeks after giving birth.. it scared me because I have never seen any of my goats skinny. Being new to freshend does and there after, I did some research on this matter. I found alfalfa pellets and beet pulp to be the answer. I soak my alfalfa pellets ( you don't have to) and I soak the beep pulp pellets ( and this you do have to soak!!) I am very happy with the results!! Now, she is just right. I don't mix it with grain. I was told to feed it at ground level.. as if their grazing. I feed about 2lbs of alfalfa soaked pellets mixed with beet pulp and I feed it to her in the afternoon. She loves it!! And she looks forward to it! I will be adjusting the beet pulp amount according to her results... and if her weight changes.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

AmyBoogie said:


> People have said that beet pulp is good too.


Yes beet pulp is awesome to put weight on too!


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

J.O.Y. Farm said:


> Yep! I feed a cup of it 2x a day mixed with my milking does grain  it helps put weight on them, but I have one doe I have to go a little further and add beet pulp or a lot more alfalfa.. She milks down to skin and bones!
> 
> Now I mix alfalfa pellets, dairy goat pellets, BOSS, and beet pulp shreds for my milkers. They have been doing great on it this year
> 
> I too feed them dry


Thanks!
It seems like I've tried everything to put weight on some of my milk does. Appoline throws everything she has into her milk and she doesn't look too plump afterwards.  
I've tried beet pulp and it did absolutely nothing. The thing that I've had the best luck with is donuts! Lol! I'll have to try alfalfa pellets and BOSS though..


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Double post...


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Yah, that's how Snap is.. But now she's fat! She was eating with my bred does cause I wasn't sure if she was bred or not for a while.. So she is on a strict diet! No more potato chips lol! 

Donuts!? Haha! Too funny! My girls would love that! Lol!

I like the BOSS for their coats too


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

nchen7 said:


> got it. she's kind of skinny, not too bad, BUT she won't eat the alfalfa. sigh. must be something in the pellets that she won't eat. oh well...nothing i can do about it since i only have the one brand available.


Have you tried soaking the pellets? The guy at the feed store told me if my doe won't eat it dry to try and soak them. Worth a try I suppose Just a thought. I won't be adding any in until the weekend, I've made so many trips to the feed store as of late I might as well work there LOL!!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Do you get the BOSS at the feed store? Curious because I've Ben trying to find some at my grocery/health food store, with no luck.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

BOSS can be found in the bird section of the feed store. that's where i get mine.

yes, i have soaked them....she won't even touch the soaked ones! stinker!!!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

nchen7 said:


> BOSS can be found in the bird section of the feed store. that's where i get mine.
> 
> yes, i have soaked them....she won't even touch the soaked ones! stinker!!!


Okay, I will look there for BOSS. I've never looked in the bird section before, I guess that makes since though. Hopefully my girl will eat alfalfa pellets dry or wet, but we will see, I hope she like BOSS too, I've never fed it. Hopefully my girl won't be a stinker like yours, but she is a stinker already in the milk stand... LOL.


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