# Ugh... She Wont Eat Alfalfa Pellets



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

My doe Prim who I have been trying to slowly get some weight on and is improving has decided she doesn't like alfalfa pellets anymore. 😩 For a while there she was milking around a gallon a day, but she's decreased to about 3/4 of a gallon now. I just don't know what to do. We bought her the more expensive Blue Seal ones after she started turning up her nose at the Dumor ones, but now she doesn't like those either. I don't know what to do. I can't get alfalfa hay around here. Ugh... I wish she would just eat them! Is there something I can try to get her to?


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Prim....geez girl! Picky picky picky....
I rotate pellet brands occasionally because sometimes there’s a bad run And they taste “off”.
What feed stores are near you? Do you have Atwoods? They have Country Champion brand that seems pretty consistent unlike the Standlee. I also use a brand out of Utah...have to look at the bag later to get the name for you, they’re always well received. I’d try a different brand to see if that works. Maybe mix a small hand full of cracked corn in with it for a touch of sweetness (I know, no nutritional value but it does help flavor things)


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Do you only give her alfalfa pellets?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> Prim....geez girl! Picky picky picky....
> I rotate pellet brands occasionally because sometimes there’s a bad run And they taste “off”.
> What feed stores are near you? Do you have Atwoods? They have Country Champion brand that seems pretty consistent unlike the Standlee. I also use a brand out of Utah...have to look at the bag later to get the name for you, they’re always well received. I’d try a different brand to see if that works. Maybe mix a small hand full of cracked corn in with it for a touch of sweetness (I know, no nutritional value but it does help flavor things)


I have two local feed stores (one sells blue seal, the other standlee) a farmers CO-OP that is way to far to get things consistently from, and tractor supplys and that's it. The problem with mixing the corn in, is that I'm sure she'd just pick around the alfalfa. She is incredibly good at leaving only alfalfa pellets. It's like she has an apposable tongue.



ksalvagno said:


> Do you only give her alfalfa pellets?


No, I give her a complete dairy goat ration, calf mana and boss as well.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Maybe you can mist them with a water bottle and soften them up a little for a different texture?
I don’t know if it’ll work for you, but I do grains in the morning and pellets at night (even on the milk stand) and that’s worked when I’ve had feeding issues. I think because grains are hotter feed than pellets it helps in the summer heat. Couldn’t hurt to see if that helps....
just a guess though...
Could she have a sore tooth? Pellets are pretty hard.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> Could she have a sore tooth? Pellets are pretty hard.


No tooth issues that I know of, but I guess I should check now.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

My Willow went through the same thing. Suddenly she acted as if she couldn’t eat them. Spat them out! Same with beet pulp. I had the vet check Willow’s teeth and they were fine. Even soaked she didn’t like the pellets.
But just recently she decided she loves them again. 🙄 Same brand, same bag even.
I hope Prim gets back on board with them too!


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Sometimes, mine will choose not to eat their alfalfa pellets, too. I'm not sure why. Usually, within a few days, they'll start eating them again. I think sometimes, when they are getting a lot of other good food, they don't feel that they need extra.


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## Thrzagoatwhere?! (Jun 16, 2021)

My Nigerian dwarf goat does the same thing with pellets. He has Purina goat grower. Some days he will eat them and other days ... nope. I give him a variety of hays and occasionally some Carnival rabbit hay mix or mouse and rat treats ( which he goes crazy over) which probably wouldn't be the best for every day , but the variety seems to renew his inclination to eat the pellets. 😬


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

I agree with above. Sometimes ours goes through phases, like this, hate that, etc. One of our does eats all her grain, shoves the alfalfa to the side, then when she is done with her grain, very slowly eats alfalfa. Maybe add a little brown sugar to sweeten it? Or our kids are crazy about beet pulp, maybe if you add some of that to the mix she’ll have to eat the alfalfa, to get to the beet pulp?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

It takes a lot of phosphorus to make milk. If they aren't getting enough they will refuse their calcium. 
Make sure she's getting high protein grass hay, and not Timothy hay for sure.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Oh man. I am so glad I dont have this to worry about.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

It's not as bad as it seems. The truth is that the pet animals in America are normally overfed and spoiled. They refuse food that they don't need. 

I don't have the funds for extras so you won't see mine refuse much of anything. If they won't eat they don't get something else. They have a whole mixed buffet during the day and with only 6 animals on a hectare they can't even keep up.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

I guess you are right @goathiker. My animals are all free range so when they get their extra's they do gobble it up. And each breed gets their own special extra. 😁. I know my two adorable goats turn their noses up to citrus skins.... unless its lathered in garlic of course... 🤣. My two brats.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Well, today she did eat more of them than she was, so maybe she'll remember she likes them soon.

I'm not sure the protein content of my hay, but it's mostly fescue, some orchard and a little bit of timothy. My feed is high in protein (18% with the alfalfa), not sure if that makes a difference. I calculated the total ration including the alfalfa pellets at cal : pho of 1.78:1.03


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

I've had some refuse them. But we give the alfalfa hay and then additional pellets (to stretch the alfalfa). But I have had a doe lately eat her calf mana (picks it out good like your girl) and will only eat a little oats and boss. Then goes and eats the alfalfa hay. So IDK. Some days she eats more oats and boss. They only get a cup of calf manna on top of their oats/boss mix. She seems fine so I just let it be for now. But I understand a drop in milk. How far into lactation is she?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Jubillee said:


> How far into lactation is she?


Four months. You count from when they kidded right?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Can you get Chaffhaye?


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> Can you get Chaffhaye?


I wish, but sadly, no. 😌


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

MellonFriend said:


> Four months. You count from when they kidded right?


Yep...seems a little early for dropping down so most likely to less alfalfa. Ugh. I have tried spraying feed with ACV before with some success. Maybe coating them in something yummy like molasses.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Her production is going down by almost a tenth of a pound daily.
I'll have to play around and see if anything works. I do have a second unopened bag, maybe I should try that one and see if she likes it more...


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

Have you checked her fecal or anything? Wondering if her tummy is icky. But I agree with other posts, maybe she feels she doesn't need them right now or she doesn't like that batch. If she does take to the second back, maybe you can mix the two bags and sneak the others in on her lol. 

Maybe also try giving her a dark beer? I did it for mine to boost rumen bacteria and it actually helps with milk too. Mine actually un me down for the bucket and drain it in minutes LOL.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I just did a fecal and she's all good there. She was producing way more milk when her numbers were high. Her poop looks normal, but I do have a bottle of dark beer on hand, so I might consider giving that a shot.


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