# Free Choice Alfalfa



## Survey0r (Nov 25, 2014)

I am debating on whether or not to start feeding my herd "free choice" alfalfa.
Last year I managed alright feeding peanut hay by the wheelbarrow full but have 3xs the animals this year and have access to alfalfa in round and square bales. Best price of course is the round bales and I am devising a feeder system for round bales whatever I decide to go with.
Everyone I have talked to about this says its not a good thing to feed goats free choice alfalfa. They say its too high in protein and the goats will think they are super-goats. Of course most of this info is from people that know even less than I (almost nothing) about goats.
The alfalfa is about twice as costly as any other hay I can get and they did really like the peanut hay last year but won't touch bahia or bermuda hay. I really don't' want to feed anything detrimental to their health. Definitely don't want the goats to be leaping off tall buildings or flying around the pasture faster than a speeding bullet.

Thanks


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

Free choice is completely fine!  

We feed free choice alfalfa, and they seem to almost go through less of it, they don't seem to waste as much. It won't make them crazy I promise haha. It will really help keep nice weight on the goaties! Just make sure they don't get overweight is all!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

IMO, I don't think it is wise, some goats are prone to bloat, which can be deadly. 
Feeding too much too fast too can cause scouring and other issues. 
Alfalfa is a hot feed(rich).
They also can get too fat, which is not good either.
Other things that could happen is goats peeing. pooping on it, wasting it, depending on how it is setup.

Use your best judgment.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

Oh I didn't even think to tell her. You can't just give them a bunch of alfalfa all at once one day and free feed. You have to slowly increase it until it's at a free feed point. 

I have never had a goat bloat from alfalfa, I have had them bloat from grain, and chicken feed. 

Make sure your goats can't get inside the feeder to be able to waste the feed.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I free choice alfalfa...hot alfalfa, but my goats are used to it...we've been doing this for years. Actually, right now my does are out on alfalfa pasture for the fall. That's not going to work for every herd. Be cautious when switching over. Do it gradually.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

The key here is to introduce gradually; you could start out with 3/4 of the stuff they are used to mixed with alfalfa & gradually increase the alfalfa over the course of a couple of weeks or so. Give a few days before upping the amount.
We have always fed it free choice & never any problems.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice.

If anyone wants to free feed hay that is fine, just be careful. 

For me, I only feed mine Alfalfa 2 x a day and they are very healthy and some are plump (my easy keepers). 
My mature Doe's only get grain every once in a while. 
I would have very fat and lazy Doe's, if I did that.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I have met two goat breeders that feed free choice alfalfa hay . they have a room full of alfalfa stems that there goats will not eat. I have never herd of such a thing. then I saw there feeders and the goats have the ability to pick the leaf off the stems. most of the protein is in the leaf by letting there goats eat just the leaf the protein got to be much higher.
My feeders are based on slowgrazer.com feeders for horses the goats can only nibble what sticks out.
.


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