# Hay verses Pellets



## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I know that hay is optimum for feed, but I was wondering if alfalfa pellets could be substituted, at least in part, for hay. If so, is it a 50/50 or can more pellets than hay be fed?

I ask this as hay around here is sky rocketing and hard to find. I was thinking of pricing pellets to see if supplimenting my hay with them would be OK. I couls also suppliment beet pulp as I did that with the horses one year.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I hear ya on the hay. I am not having a whole lot of luck myself finding good quality hay that I can afford. I am thinking I will have to go with a good mix of horse hay, and substitute with alfalfa pellets. So I am curious as to whether this will work out.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

I fed all hay extender and alfalfa pellets once, and no hay. It was awesome in terms of waste because there was none! Only issue is you have a high chance of bloat and entero, so you really need to watch your animals.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Well, I did a search on hay vs pellets. Seems there are an equal number of people for and against feeding straight pellets vs a mix of hay and pellets. I guess if the hay situation does not improve, for at least the winter months I could safetly feed straight pellets with a little grain mixed in. Of course what ever browse stuff, like pine branches, would be helpful too. Ii will have to get hay for the horses as feeding them pellets would break my bank! So, if I can get a grass hay I could give some to the goats along with the pellets.

I was just curious if anyone here feeds pellets and what ratio they feed it compared to hay. OR if anyone feeds just pellets. I think some feed stores carry a varity of pellets...alfalfa,, alf/oathay mix, etc.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Looks like we posted at the same time RunAround!

So, with the bloat, would baking soda available at all times be enough? What is entero?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I've fed pellets for years. They have distinct advantages. 
Where I live in the northwest, they run about 10.00 for a 50lb bag. Alfalfa hay is $18.00 at the feed store. It can be found cheaper in ton prices. 
The benefits of alfalfa pellets make them worthwhile. First off, there is no waste. They don't pull it out of their feeder and walk on it. They also don't gorge on them. I feed free choice and they settle at about 3 lbs. per goat per day average. It is also has a guarenteed analysis, you know that every bag is 16% protein. Fed with a small amount of excellent grass hay, you know that you are feeding plenty of protein just in your roughage. That has the side benefit of making it so that you can cut your expensive milkstand feed with cheap oats or, like I do, just feed a mix of oats and barley. My girls have never been healthier than now on a low amount of whole grains and guarenteed protein pellets.
The boys do better on a lower protein amount so, I mix their pellets 2 parts alfalfa to 1 part beet pulp. They maintain their glow even during the weight melting cold rains.
They probably eat about 1.5 to 2 lbs of hay per animal daily.
I've never had any problem with bloat feeding this way.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

My goats prefer hay but will eat pellets too. I use them in with the grain ration on the milk stand because it slows down the does eating so I have more time to do what I need to without gorging them on grain. If good alfalfa hay wasn't so cheap around here I would feed mainly pellets because of the convenience, easy storage, low waste, guaranteed analysis, etc. 

I don't have any health concerns to add. I know several people that feed alfalfa pellets free choice with no issues.


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## 4kids (Jul 21, 2009)

My goats hate hay pellets and pick them out of the feed. They will eat alfalfa pellets though. they are also smaller pellets. grrrr.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Thank you all for your replies!

goathiker: How long does a 50# bag of pellets last you? Of course that depends on how many goats your are feeding! I will have two adults and two kids so I am trying to figure out how long a bag will last.

Say a 50# bag of pellets lasts me several weeks with no waste compaired to a bale of hay lasting a week with waste....this is the line of thinking I am on right now! I have to find out how much a bag costs first tho. Any hay here right now is $150 a ton. Horses will eat anything, goats can have some hay but it may not be alfalfa. I can buy bulk oats which can be fed along with the pellets. See where I am going?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You'd have to decide whether or not the extra nutrition and health is worth it to you. At $150 per ton your hay is $.07 a lb. At $12.00 per 50 lb. alfalfa pellets are $.22 a lb. So, 3 times as much but, with the benefits and ease of hauling and being able to find them all winter.
For your group a bag will probably last a week. I'd figure 8 lbs. a day. 
I also would feed the oats seperately so they don't dig through the pellets looking for oats.

Right now I'm feeding 3 bags alfalfa pellets, 1 bag beet pulp, and 1 bale of hay a week for 15 full-sized goats.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Thank you!

That is what I figured...8lbs a day. My pellets here will cost me $13.99 + tax. Sooo not really cost affective. Only good is that there will be no waste.

Back to thinking! :roll:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

What does quality 16% alfalfa hay cost you though? That's where your real comparison is. I don't feed any grain at all except to milkers. Pregnant does get beet pulp mixed in. Also I can pick up 2 weeks worth of pellets in my 40 mile to the gallon car instead of dragging out the 12 mile to the gallon truck.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

There is little natural food for our goats to browse on in the summer. We feed them goat chow pellets and alfalfa/hay mix. They get apple pieces, carrots pieces, peels, orange peels in small amounts and free choice minerals-they love Barrel Brand. The buck has been eating about 1-1/2 cups of goat chow with grass/alfalfa hay. We roll his apples in the minerals so he will get some because he wont eat minerals alone. In the winter, with pregnant does, we add Dry Cob into the goat chow and give a grassy/alfalfa hay twice a day in smaller amounts. In winter, he buck also gets a very small bit of dry cob into his goat pellets for his winter warmth. Toward the end of the does pregnancy, we give them at bit more of the cob mixture for extra carbs and less alfalfa. 

I don't see anyway out of buying hay for these goats to get us through the summer and to help them have something dry when they are eating loads of lush greenery in the springtime..


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Dang it all...I wrote stuff and it was gone as we posted at the same time!

Packhillboers: I do have browse in the summer and a yard full of grass...BIG help! Winters there is nothing but snow for 6 months so I do have to feed hay/pellets then.

goathiker: I don't even know what the protien % of the alfalfa is here! Usually I get a 60/40 mix of grass and alfalfa for the horses. That is $8 a bale right now.  I am going to ask the guy at our Mercantile how much a bag of pellets will cost me. His prices aren't too far off from the price in town...about a dollar more. Plus he is close and I don't have to drive 1/2 hour to town when I am out! I don't have to feed grain during the winter I guess. MAybe a bit to the kids and towards the end when hopefully the two does will be freshening. All I have to do is figure the cost out and talk hubby into it!


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

I can't imagine feeding goats just hay unless you have great property to help meet their browsing needs. The goat chow pellets has a decided blend formulated for goats nutritional needs. 
A few days ago, we went down to check on our wethers, that are finishing out in a blackberry field. They are not fed anything for a supplement, nor have they ever been wormed. They don't get hay or goat chow. We also sold the people one of our does and gave them a doeling for caretaking our wethers. They can leave these animals to themselves to find their food. There is plenty of nutrition for them. They have put on good weight, good shiny hair, good looking eyes, and good colorful lids. Even the older doe looks better there than she did in my care of pampering her at our place. They all have their needs met and still like to have their necks rubbed, & backs scratched but are not getting any extra nutrition besides the blackberries and other weeds- shrubs that are on the property. When we leave out of town, someone has to care for our animals because it is just the way our property is.... there is NOT enough to sustain a goat naturally on our property. They need to be fed every day and we like the alfalfa goat chow pellets too for cost reasons.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

It looks like most of us are using both hay and pellets together. I guess it all depends on our different property situations. To tell you how far we've come in the goat education... I had no idea that we were even supposed to feed them anything extra. We started off with just the alfalfa pellets 'chow' but when spring came, they needed the dryer hay.


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## debthegoatlady (Aug 5, 2011)

I do the same thing, here in NC, the hay is "wow" expensive, so I, all last yr supplemented mine with the tractor supply alfalpha pellets,they put out more milk, also I had more complements on them that they just had such shinny coats, so my nubians did really well, hope this helps plan on doing it again this yr.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

During winter here I have no choice but to feed them. I am learning that I over feed them! Like here in the spring through fall. Their main diet could consist of the browse, with a little extra from me. My browse consists of wild roses, grass, thistle,some sort of dogwood bush, and assorted weeds. Plus there are trees that they could get bark off of. So, I ask myself...why am I so concerned about them getting hay every day during these months? Obviously the lactating does wil need some grain, but other than that?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Most browse is high phosphorus though and so is grain. They do need some alfalfa for calcium.
I won't get into the mollasses covered, by-product, textured feed conversation.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I hate molassass in feed! I do put a tad in the grain so the minerals stick to it, tho it is good ole back strap and only a tad.

Thanks for letting me know about the browse and phos. Always nice to learn new things!


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