# Alfalfa Vs. Grass Hay For Dairy Freshening Dairy Goats



## Pronking Publius (Mar 29, 2012)

I know alfalfa generally has a higher calcium and protein content than most regular grass hays, and that therefore feeding freshening goats alfalfa helps ensure healthier goats that produce more milk. However, I was curious if anyone out there feeds their freshening goats GRASS hay and just SUPPLEMENTS with alfalfa pellets or other pelleted feeds to help get them their protein and calcium requirements, and if so, how well it has worked for their health and production. I will likely feed them alfalfa in a few months when they freshen, but I was curious to hear the other side, as I have an abundance of high quality grass hay available right now, and would have to find a new supplier for alfalfa. Thanks.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The grass hay with the alfalfa pellets would certainly work. You would just have to play around with the amount of alfalfa pellets to get the desired amount of milk.


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## MarthaBella (Mar 15, 2012)

That's what I feed because Alfalfa can be expensive and hard to find in good quality here. I feed decent grass hay pretty much free choice and alfalfa pellets to my girls twice a day when milking. Now that I'm down to milking Isabella just once a day I give her almost two cups of alfalfa pellets when I milk in the morning, along with a cup of 16% dairy ration, then another cup or more of alfalfa pellets in the evening, along with the free choice grass hay. She seems to be doing fine on it...I wanted to dry her off but she's still giving a quart and a half every morning so I might keep her in milk until she is farther along in her pregnancy...she's due in June.


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## Pronking Publius (Mar 29, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. Since I've only ever owned goats so far that WEREN'T lactating, I've always given them grass hay with grain/pellets rather than alfalfa. Alfalfa seems to be preferential for lactating goats. I guess I was just trying to get a handle on HOW preferential, and if it is all but necessary. I'm still going to try and get my hand on some alfalfa, but I suppose I could always feed them grass with alfalfa pellets as a backup as well. Any other input on this would be great. Thanks. Oh, I think I accidentally put one too many "Dairy"'s in the title. Oops.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I can't help in on this one, since the hay I get from my landlord is alfalfa primarily so my girls get that all the time. My boys get half alfalfa and half grass. Wow she's still giving quite a bit of milk that always nice.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I like my alfalfa/grass mix and that is what my girls get all the time. But sometimes you do what you have to do.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

The hay people I really like buying from have a grass, clover, and *some* alfalfa (I have heard alfalfa doesn't cure well around here..) so I feed alfalfa pellets in their grain


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