# Too much alfalfa pellets vs enough calcium



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Hi, guys! We don't feed our girls alfalfa hay or alfalfa mixed, so they get grass hay with alfalfa pellets. Last year, being very new goat owners, we didn't give the girls enough calcium. This year I want them to have plenty so I'll be feeding them the alfalfa pellets throughout their pregnancy, along with TUMS later on in their pregnancy.

They are Nigerian Dwarves -- at the moment they are getting 1 and 1/2 cups of alfalfa pellets each, they are dry. They aren't overweight. My concern is would this amount of pellets make the babies grow too big later on in pregnancy?

Thanks for any imput


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## adriHart (Nov 1, 2012)

I'm going to tag on to this post too as I was wondering the same thing. I am feeding my four dry, pregnant does about a cup of alfalfa pellets plus some BOSS and a handful of goat ration grain twice a day plus free choice grass hay and I just added some beet pulp to my two thinner does rations. Does anyone know how I can tell what is a good balance and if I am overdoing it too soon. One doe due in mid march and one in first week of April, not sure on other two but probably more like march. oh and two FF.


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## adriHart (Nov 1, 2012)

Oh and they are two mini la Manchas and two mini nubians.


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I'm not so sure you're going to like my response. It just depends. I don't think there is a set rule/amount. I would continue giving the pellets and increase. As to how much to increase? I would think it depends on the condition of your girls and how much resource the kids are taking (bringing down the moms).

I think it's equally important to have minerals which I know you are giving. Do you feed Kelp? Some breeders in our area have reported wonderful kiddings once they started giving kelp.

For me - I was over doing the grain/pellets on my first couple of kiddings and was getting huge kids. It was very hard on my girls. I was using some great meat pellet feed from RanchWay. Love the stuff but overkill and expensive for me.

Last kidding and now - I've cut out all except for some CRP grass which is pretty crappy, CalfManna, BOSS, and alfalfa pelletes. I give 2 cups per goat per day or every other day. My girls are looking good. Once they kid I'm going to give some chaffhay because I've heard that helps bring up butterfat.

BTW - typically my girls are on alfalfa from our field 100% of the time but for the past 2 years we've had a severe drought.

HTH some,


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thank you, Elizabeth! So you do not feel what we're feeding now is too much grain? Yes, we are planning go get kelp for them, and they get plenty of minerals


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

I too normally feed alfalfa hay but the drought and a backed out deal for hay stomped all over that. So what i feed is this..to the two 7 month old doelings they get mixed grass all all they want of that, 1/2cup twice a day of purina noble goat grower and 1/2 cup alfalfa pellets twice a day plus their minerals. All my does are bred and are due in march and april so they are getting a cup of feed twice a day as well as a cup of alfalfa pellets twice a day all all the hay they want..my bucks are getting the same right now because it's cold oout and they need the extra to stay warm.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

You really can't overfeed alfalfa (unless they get fat). Alfalfa pellets should not be thought of as grain, they are just an alternative form of alfalfa. Most people feed pellets/hay free choice through the winter months while the does are pregnant so that they get enough calcium to form the growing kids and to make milk, also so they get enough protein to make milk/kids.

I would start them on your milking grain about 2 weeks before they kid, in small amounts so they are used to it when they do kid and the amount can be increased according to the amount of milk they produce.


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

Here's an herbal calcium supplement recipe you might want to take a look at. It's written for humans but Kristie Miller from Land of Havilah Nubians/TotallyNaturalGoats uses it for her girls

Recipe for *Dr. Christopher's Herbal Calcium Supplement*:

6 parts Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) or Shavegrass (Equisetum arvense)
3 parts Oat Straw (Avena sativa)
4 parts Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) (or replace with nettle)
1 part Lobelia (Lobelia inflata)

Take 2 "00" capsules 3 times a day.  I believe that is 1 1/2 tsp per day. 

This is a wonderful natural calcium formula. As explained in the book "Biological Transmutations," the silica in horsetail grass converts to calcium, and the other herbs work in close conjunction with master calcium herb. We need calcium for nerve sheath, vein and artery walls, bone, teeth, etc. This combination is helpful for cramps, "Charlie horses," successful pregnancies, healthy bones, teeth, hair, skin and nails, healthy eyes and for all calcium needs in the body.

Parts are measured by weight, not volume.

Dosage for goats is 1 1/2 tsp AM & PM feeding. She says that the key to this formula is the silica content in Horsetail, it allows the body to assimilate calcium.


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## BiGully Farm (Aug 23, 2012)

I have 5 nigerians who are due in March. Right now they are each getting 1 cup of alfalfa pellets twice a day along with all the grass hay they want and Onyx minerals free choice. Pretty soon before kidding I will start adding some whole oats to their alfalfa pellets until I have worked up to 1/2 cup whole oats twice a day along with the alfalfa pellets that I will increase to 1 1/2 cups twice a day.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks, guys! The alfalfa pellets is actually the only "grain" they get. They get grass hay, alfalfa pellets, BOSS, and lots of minerals. That is their diet at the moment as one of my girls is allergic to wheat and we found they all did well just on the alfalfa pellets.


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## TiffofMo (Jan 10, 2011)

Woodhavenfarm do you mind telling me what happened? Did they not produce milk? Im having problems with my does not building a nice udder for the kids. So im trying to see were i went wrong.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Gypsy had an allergic reaction to wheat-based straw bedding, so to be safe we removed wheat from her diet. She did very well on it, so that's just what we ended up doing. Everyone produced just as well.


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