# Alfalfa Pellets?



## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Does anyone here feed alfalfa pellets instead of hay? Not as a supplement but strictly as a source of hay?
We have a Saanen and Nubians.. all lactating. I know generally how much they eat in terms of flakes of hay but does anyone have an idea of a conversion? How much should get eat?

Also.. Are all alfalfa pellets created equally?


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

i've known people who only feed pellets, works fine for them!


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## OhCee (Feb 26, 2010)

I tried it down in AZ- I clearly offered WAY too much, my goats were all fatties  They thrive on more roughage from browse and hay up here now. I don't know the proper conversion- sorry! One breeder I got a doeling from does feed pellets- she had 8 does and kids and she was feeding three of the 3 lbs coffee cans BID... seemed like a lot to me, but I dunno- half the does were in milk. They also got grain on the milk stand.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

You just have to be careful to switch over from feeding hay to alfalfa pellets slowly. (like one half feeding of pellets in the morning and a flake of hay in the evening) otherwise they will bloat.  Mine love the pellets....but we do still feed hay as well.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

For full sized does you'll probably use a minimum of 3lbs/goat/day. Some may end up needing slighly less but most fall into the 3-5 lb/day catagory. 

I only fed pelleted hay for a few months when I was having trouble finding good alfalfa one year--that doesn't happen often. Mine definitely prefer regular hay as long as the quality is good...but they did well on the pellets and I would feed them again if good hay wasn't so cheap here. I can get a 75lb bale of dairy quality alfalfa for about $4 and a 40lb bag of 17% alfalfa pellets is $12! 

Some brands of pellets are definitely inferior...when you open a bag it should smell like fresh alfalfa and dust should be minimal. Make sure that the only ingredient is alfalfa. Also make sure they are 16-17% protein...there are lower protein pellets available but milking does really do best on the higher protein ones.


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## Mon Reve Farm (Jun 25, 2010)

FunnyRiverFarm said:


> Some brands of pellets are definitely inferior...when you open a bag it should smell like fresh alfalfa and dust should be minimal. Make sure that the only ingredient is alfalfa. Also make sure they are 16-17% protein...there are lower protein pellets available but milking does really do best on the higher protein ones.


That's what I was going to add to the thread... You can definitely tell the inferior brands as soon as you open the bag. If it has a "musty smell" it is poor quality and more likely to have other ingredients.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have used Producers Pride Alfalfa pellets...TSC carries them @ $13 per 50#, I liked them because they were small...like rabbit feed and my goats had no problems with eating them, they had a good smell to them as well...another brand I used is Stanlee, these are bigger pellets bright in color and good smell, a bit more expensive though...$14 for 40#. I make these wet because of the size, I've had my pygmy doe choke on them, wetting them makes it easier for her to eat.


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Thanks a bunch everyone!!


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