# Alfalfa



## ryansj (Dec 31, 2009)

I am having a hard time finding 100% grass hay so I am feeding my goats a mix of 60% grass 40% alfalfa right now. I have a goat that is turning six this spring. Is feeding him this much alfalfa a mistake? I am getting worried that he is going to gain some serious weight before I know it. 

I have three goats that are under one that I imagine that this is pretty good for.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

It's fine for the little guys if you balance it with a llittle grain. The older guys, it depends on the quality of alfalfa. If it is dry and stemmy it doesn't have much food value compared to the really rich green leafy stuff we get here on the west coast. If it is dry and stemmy you are probably all right as long as you don't let them get overweight and keep them in good condition exyercise wise.
If it's really lush, be careful.


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## ryansj (Dec 31, 2009)

It is mostly stem. Any leaf is brittle enough you can actually shack it and winnow it out. The little guys are getting calf starter (Growena) daily and the big guy doesn't get any grain. I did the back of the hand test that I learned about on this forum on the 6 year old today. He seems about right. We live in a very cold climate here in this part of SE Idaho. We got snow in November and it only keeps getting deeper. I wonder if that makes it so that a little extra protein from the alfalfa is a good thing.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Probably more like the roughage from the stems. Rumens need carbs to heat during really cold weather, no protein. At their age it won't hurt them to have grain and alfalfa.


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