# Alfalfa vs grass hays for goats



## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

I fed alfalfa hay to my 2 alpine goats for about 5 months when my friend said it was bad for goats she said one of her goats bloated on it. Anyways now i feed timothy chopped from tsc. So what is better for goats grass hay such as costal,timothy,oat or alfalfa


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Operative word here, "one bloated".
We have fed 3rd cut alfalfa for almost nine years & have never had bloat from it.
The pellets are fine but they also need the long fibers of grass or alfalfa. Cant comment on timothy since have never fed that.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

nancy d said:


> Operative word here, "one bloated".
> We have fed 3rd cut alfalfa for almost nine years & have never had bloat from it.
> The pellets are fine but they also need the long fibers of grass or alfalfa. Cant comment on timothy since have never fed that.


Can they get everything they need out of chopped hay, hay cubes usually alfalfa and occasional pellets


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

How old are they? Still growing or lactating?
Growing & lactation requires more than just maintenance hay and browse.
It would be better to feed the pellets on a regular basis rather than once in awhile.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

nancy d said:


> How old are they? Still growing or lactating?
> Growing & lactation requires more than just maintenance hay and browse.
> It would be better to feed the pellets on a regular basis rather than once in awhile.


They are about 1yr old so i believe there done growing not bred not in milk and never will be


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The Timothy is very low in protein and rather unbalanced for goats. I would give them half chopped hay and half alfalfa pellets by weight. They need the alfalfa to balance the Timothy and raise the protein amount. The chopped hays do provide them enough fiber for their rumens.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If they are just pets, that will be fine. But they still need a good loose goat mineral.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

goathiker said:


> The Timothy is very low in protein and rather unbalanced for goats. I would give them half chopped hay and half alfalfa pellets by weight. They need the alfalfa to balance the Timothy and raise the protein amount. The chopped hays do provide them enough fiber for their rumens.


They also get 12% sweet feed. I give 6cups daily per goat so i'm guessing that'll balance it out


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Actually, the sweet feed raises the phosphorus level even more. Their diet is very deficient in Calcium and vitamin A.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

goathiker said:


> Actually, the sweet feed raises the phosphorus level even more. Their diet is very deficient in Calcium and vitamin A.


Here's what i feed. Morning- each goat gets bucket of Timothy hay except in the winter when i use hydration hay or soaked alfalfa cubes, 2 cups of whole oats,1 cup of cracked corn and 1\4 cup of calf-manna. In the evening. They each get a bucket of timothy hay, 6 cups of sweet feed and when it's cold they get beet pulp shreds or 1 cup of oats and soaked alfalfa cubes. They also get about 1 cup of peppermint horse cookies between The BOTH of them. If you can recommend any changes that would be good if you don't think it's good. I'm open to any suggestions


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

goathiker said:


> Actually, the sweet feed raises the phosphorus level even more. Their diet is very deficient in Calcium and vitamin A.


But i actually might take them off the calf-manna and switch to a goat mineral becouse many people on here and my vet said that's really important. If you could recommend a mineral i know in my area all they have is manna pro goat mineral, billy block mineral blocks and sheep minerals


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

Manna Pro is a good goat mineral. It is a bit expensive but not too bad with only 2 goaties. Cargill Right Now Onyx is a popular mineral that can be used for goats, and is more cost effective if you have a bunch of them. You'll have to search for what's available in your area. Mainly look for one that is low in salt and high in copper and selenium.

Blocks of all kinds are not very good for goats, even if they say they are made for them (Billy Block). Goats have very soft tongues and they just can't get enough of what they need from a solid block before their tongue gets sore and they quit trying. Also, anything that says it's for sheep is useless for goats because copper is poisonous to sheep but goats need a high level of it.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

With only having 2 goats,, Manna Pro Goat Mineral won't be bad in cost. For having pets you are better off to slowly wean them off the feed or down to like 1 cup per day. Add alfalfa in the diet if it isn't already there.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Alfalfa is not bad for goats, in fact, it's good for them. I feed all of my breeding stock and kids, alfalfa. Pet goats and wethers may not necessarily need the alfalfa, but adding some in their diet will give them nutritional benefits. Bloat can happen with any overeating or rich feed. Use caution when feeding a hot hay like alfalfa. Take it slow when it's first introduced and keep a bloat block and/or baking soda out for them. I'm able to free choice alfalfa to my herd and keep sweetlix meat maker minerals and/or cargill onyx right now cattle minerals out at all times. You need a mineral, cattle or goat, not a block. And not a sheep mineral as it doesn't have nearly enough copper in it. Goats need a lot of copper and sheep should have very very little as it is toxic for them. 

I wouldn't give them the horse cookies. Maybe as a treat now and then, but not as a daily part of their diet.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

ksalvagno said:


> With only having 2 goats,, Manna Pro Goat Mineral won't be bad in cost. For having pets you are better off to slowly wean them off the feed or down to like 1 cup per day. Add alfalfa in the diet if it isn't already there.


I picked up a bag of the manna pro goat minerals today at tractor supply it was $11 for a 8lb bag i thought that was high until i saw they only need 1/4 to 1/2 a ounce daily.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

KW Farms said:


> Alfalfa is not bad for goats, in fact, it's good for them. I feed all of my breeding stock and kids, alfalfa. Pet goats and wethers may not necessarily need the alfalfa, but adding some in their diet will give them nutritional benefits. Bloat can happen with any overeating or rich feed. Use caution when feeding a hot hay like alfalfa. Take it slow when it's first introduced and keep a bloat block and/or baking soda out for them. I'm able to free choice alfalfa to my herd and keep sweetlix meat maker minerals and/or cargill onyx right now cattle minerals out at all times. You need a mineral, cattle or goat, not a block. And not a sheep mineral as it doesn't have nearly enough copper in it. Goats need a lot of copper and sheep should have very very little as it is toxic for them.
> 
> I wouldn't give them the horse cookies. Maybe as a treat now and then, but not as a daily part of their diet.[/QUOTE. do they sell bloat blocks at tractor supply that's the only place i get my animal feed and supplies. I've seen one there but it said it was for cattle


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You would still want to put it out free choice.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The bloat blocks for cattle are the right ones, just make sure they do not have fly control in them. 

Instead of making this all so hard why not simplify the diet to make it easier? I would feed 2 pet does this.
Chopped orchard grass or baled orchard grass hay
Alfalfa pellets (2 pounds each)
Whole oats (1 pound each)
Free choice minerals
Kelp (1 tablespoon daily)

and that's it...


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

goathiker said:


> The bloat blocks for cattle are the right ones, just make sure they do not have fly control in them.
> 
> Instead of making this all so hard why not simplify the diet to make it easier? I would feed 2 pet does this.
> Chopped orchard grass or baled orchard grass hay
> ...


I don't know they would let me do that i tried feeding them just alfalfa pellets and oats they terrorized the horse and stole her feed


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Then they should be tied or locked up while the horse is eating. That's asking for trouble anyway. Horses can hurt goats very quickly.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

goathiker said:


> Then they should be tied or locked up while the horse is eating. That's asking for trouble anyway. Horses can hurt goats very quickly.


They usually are.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

You don't need to be feeding so many things to 2 pet does that are not for breeding purposes. 
Timothy hay isn't very good, my animals would look terrible on it, the only thing it's good for is dieting an animal.
I'd feed free choice alfalfa, oat, or orchard hay instead. If you feed alfalfa you don't have to give the alfalfa pellets. 
They dont need sweet feed, too much molasses is not good for the rumen or copper absorption because the iron in the molasses will bind the copper they need.
Dry does, especially ones that aren't for breeding do not need calf manna, they don't need boss, etc.
If they are in good condition with just hay, do not feed grain of any sort, an obese goat is not a healthy goat.
You don't need a bloat block, the hay most likely didn't cause the bloat, that one probably ate too many cookies. And you don't need to leave baking soda out, that's a sure fire way to make their rumen stop producing it, and if they run out, they actually will bloat because if it.
Good hay and minerals is all a mature doe needs if they are not pregnant or in milk. If they need extra in the winter months, give some oats, it will provide them with extra energy.

And please, always make sure your goats are locked up away from the horse, even the most gentle ones can kick. It only takes one good connection for you to end up with a dead goat.


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## alpinegoats63 (Oct 10, 2014)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> You don't need to be feeding so many things to 2 pet does that are not for breeding purposes.
> Timothy hay isn't very good, my animals would look terrible on it, the only thing it's good for is dieting an animal.
> I'd feed free choice alfalfa, oat, or orchard hay instead. If you feed alfalfa you don't have to give the alfalfa pellets.
> They dont need sweet feed, too much molasses is not good for the rumen or copper absorption because the iron in the molasses will bind the copper they need.
> ...


Ok I'll guess I'll stop grain should i just take away 1 cup a day until i completely stop


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I totally agree with Jill and Lacie. Start out with free choice alfalfa, and go from there. Don't forget to leave out free choice minerals. 

I second Lacie with the baking soda - when we would leave it out free choice our goats would bloat a lot. Since we have stopped leaving it out, we have had no cases of bloat in almost 3 years...


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

> Timothy hay isn't very good, my animals would look terrible on it, the only thing it's good for is dieting an animal.


Totally disagree here. Good quality, especially premium-supreme timothy grass is good stuff. There are many goat owners who feed it and whose goats stay fat, happy, and healthy on it.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

She is feeding the molasses coated chopped and bagged Timothy. That is usually the lower end of the crop and only about 11% protein. Real nice baled hay would be a different matter


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## Skybison (Apr 25, 2014)

I don't know if I'd start out with free choice alfalfa. Just introduce it slowly like with any other new foods.


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## bree1219 (Sep 14, 2014)

I was told that wethers shouldn't have alfalfa, my guys are about 4 months and still bucklings, I have the intention to have them fixed in the spring, is it okay to feed alfalfa (slowly introduced) trough the winter? They're currently on grass hay, mineral and have plenty to browse.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Yes. They should have some alfalfa. If you do a search, there is lots of info on feeding wethers on here. They need a total diet of at least 2:1 calcium to phosphorus.


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