# First or second cutting hay for goats??



## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Hi Everyone
I have heard some people feed their goats second cutting hay. Does anyone do that and why? We have always fed first cutting and they leave a lot on the ground/floor. A friend feeds her goats second cutting and they don't leave any on the ground. 
I have 2 wethers that had UC and needed the surgery to correct it. Was told not to feed second cutting because it would promote UC. Any thoughts? Thank you!


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

2nd cutting hay (or 3rd/4th) is higher in protein and overall nutrition than 1st. The animals seem to like it better, I think it must taste better. I know it smells better.

It is fine to feed to your wethers. Wethers and buck should be fed a diet with at least a 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus to prevent UC. I prefer 2.5 to 1. 

Many, many years ago it was thought that high calcium was the cause of UC. It was found that it is the opposite-they need a higher calcium to help prevent the UC, high phosphorus actually causes the crystals to form. 

2nd cut hay is almost impossible to find in my area, too short of a growing/drying season. My goats would do soooooo well on 2nd crop!

Some goats are just slobs. Yours may not waste 2nd cut, or they may do the same with that as they do with their 1st cut.

What kind of feeder do you use? Is it the same as your friends feeder?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Second cutting hay does not promote UC. An imbalance of phosphorus and calcium promotes UC. 

Depending on the area of the country you live in, second cut hay is typically greener and softer (more palatable) for goats and keeps better. It is less stalky because the grasses have not yet gone to seed. 

I feed second and third cut grass hay to my entire herd.

Those who feed alfalfa hay may have a different opinion on which is the better cutting.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

I feed a first cutting hay. My goats seem to enjoy the variety of stuff in the first cutting bales, but they do also leave a bunch on the ground. I doubt they would be any different with a second or third cutting, but I've never tried it. We're just getting locally grown grass hay, and we take what we can get.  My goats also have a lot of field space, so they're foraging for fresh stuff during the summer. 

I really don't think the grass or hay would affect urinary stones - I suspect the culprit for most people is the grain they feed (I know it was that way for me.) I now give my boys apple cider vinegar in their water, balance out the phosphorus in their grain with alfalfa pellets, and sprinkle their feed periodically with ammonium chloride.


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

The first cutting is usually more corse with more thick stems.

That's why they usually waste more of it.

Second cutting is finer


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you feed grass hay, you want to balance that out with some alfalfa. Grass is higher in phosphorus. I feed 2nd cut grass hay and alfalfa pellets.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Mine get fed whatever I can get at a decent price lol waste doesn't bother me because they simply don't get any more till they clean it up. 
The last few years though I have gotten a guys first cutting hay that is full of weeds. And for the last few years I have had more triplets and quads then ever before so I'm pointing that to the weeds which I have found many weeds if cut early enough is high in protein so I told the guy I'll take his crappy first cutting every year and feed it right after I wean and as they are being bred. This year my dad grew alfalfa and I just got his first cutting and it's not big stemmed and is actually the nicest hay I have seen in awhile. He did test it so I would have to look at that (for getting it basically at cost I really didn't care what it tested at) and I'll see if he's going to test the second cutting as well.
But I do agree with the others on your wethers. I always thought it was alfalfa that caused stones too but it's usually not just a bad balance of CAH


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

We have a lot of coastal Bermuda grass hay here. It is 2.4 to 1 CA to Ph


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I try to stay away from first cutting. It can be pretty hot stuff, but also stemmier and sometimes weedy. 2nd-4th cutting is what I try to save (we grow our own). Usually a lot of leaf and less stem on the later cuttings. The goats don't like the stemmy stuff much.

UC doesn't have anything to do with which cutting is being fed. Not to mention each grower and each 2nd cut field is going to vary greatly on quality. I'll add that I've fed my bucks, does, and kids alfalfa for years. Never had a case of UC. I think when you start adding in grains and things is when you start to have problems. I don't grain any of my bucks and rarely does.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

My bucks and wethers get 1st cutting, does and kids 2nd cutting grass hay and milkers get 3rd cutting alfalfa and 2nd cutting grass hay. ( orchard grass, Timothy and trefoil). Basically whatever we grow or the neighbors have for sale. They all waste it. Short of starving them and making them clean up the leftovers, they get expensive bedding!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

KW Farms said:


> UC doesn't have anything to do with which cutting is being fed. Not to mention each grower and each 2nd cut field is going to vary greatly on quality. I'll add that I've fed my bucks, does, and kids alfalfa for years. Never had a case of UC. I think when you start adding in grains and things is when you start to have problems. I don't grain any of my bucks and rarely does.


Same here. The only time I give my bucks grain is if they are having a hard to of breeding......usually ones I use very young, and it's very little grain, just basically a few handfuls. But it's enough to entice them to leave the girls and get penned at night where they do get that little bit of grain and hay so they have no excuse not to forget to eat


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