# FEED BUCKS ALFALFA



## michael (Jul 23, 2012)

should i ever feed my buck alfalfa?


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

Every buck i've ever owned has had free-choice alfalfa, both in pellet form and hay. Just make sure to keep a 2:1 balance of calcium to phosphorous and there shouldn't be problems. I have 10lb of ammonium chloride that i keep on hand at all times, just in case. I still have 10lb.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My bucks and wether have always gotten alfalfa... I do try and give a timothy/grass hay thru the late spring/summer months and in winter they do get grain, I keep free choice minerals with added ammonium chloride out as well.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I've heard not to as it lowers the chance of UC. If you have the option, just plain hay may be better for them. Then again, many breeders have fed it without issue. The key is balance.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

It's alfalfa here and we've never had an issue. My goats do much better on alfalfa then anything else.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Here both bucks and wethers get free choice alfalfa. The only problem I've ever had was back years ago when we fed only grass hay.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Hmmm. :scratch: Wonder why I heard it causes problems then. Well! Good to know! :thumb:


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## michael (Jul 23, 2012)

How to i balance calcium to phosphorous ?
thanks
michael


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Alfalfa causing UC is still out there a lot but it is not true. It is actually better to feed them alfalfa and even have a little higher ratio of calcium to phosphorus meaning a little higher than 2:1 like 2.5:1 or 3:1.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

michael said:


> How to i balance calcium to phosphorous ?
> thanks
> michael


I have read that if you are feeding an alfalfa hay that you should be giving a grain ration as well to help keep the ratio

In the 13 years that I have had goats, 10 of those I've had bucks and I have always fed alfalfa or clover/timothy hay....I don't have the space to keep 2 different types of hay so my boys have gotten what my girls get, I do keep minerals out with added ammonium chloride for my boys.

Also... not all bucks/wethers are prone to Urinary Calculi, most often it's genetic or because they are on a not so good diet....all grain and no browse/hay.


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## ASTONs Dairy (Aug 14, 2012)

Thank you Michael for asking that question. I have a wether/buck not sure just yet which, but i was worried about giving him alfalfa, because of the uc, but now I know that it should not hurt him. :clap:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep...I feed Alfalfa and grain to my boys and make sure... they get ammonium chloride... :thumb:


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