# Chaffhaye good or bad for goats?



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Just curious is Chaffhaye good for ALL goats? I just found a dealer in Auburn and thought I might actually start feeding that in the fall/winter along with their grass hay and orchard hay. I do feed alfalfa pellets but some eat it and some don't care for them, so I thought I could supplement with Chaffhaye. Good/Bad idea? Opinions?


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## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

I can't see what that would hurt if your willing to invest in some. I've heard of meat breeders that feed it. It's just fermented alfalfa. 

I feed it to my does, bucks, and horses. The does we try to get to eat 2 pounds each a day, the bucks just get 1. 

At first though our goats didn't like it. I've heard that's common for them to dislike it. They got over it in two days and now love it.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I have heard good and bad things. One thing I've heard quite a bit is issues with mold, so check it out thoroughly before you buy.  I think it's supposed to be very good for them otherwise.


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## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

Oh yea that is a good point. Nice catch . I forgot that part

I haven't had an issue with mold, but you do have to use the bag within a week of opening it. And if you tear a bag or poke a hole in one on accident your suppose to use it right away. 


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

That is not mold you find with it, it is the culture they innoculate it with. You will find pockets of it if you are lucky. It's like feeding probiotics. 

I used to feed it to my herd, from kids up to mature bucks. They did great on it and loved it from the first bite. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to feed it anymore, the price was ridiculous up here.


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## funnyfainters (Aug 1, 2014)

Isn't alfalfa suppose to be bad for the bucks?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I fed it to my buck all winter, no problems... Regular alfalfa hay that is... They got some orchard too, but it helped them through the winter nicely...


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

You don't find mold on Chaffhaye. It was innoculated with beneficial bacteria before being bagged. You want to see all that white goop on the chaffhaye, it's just a form of probiotic.

When I could afford to buy it, I was feeding it. My goats did awesome on it. They loved it from the git go, gobbled it down and left not even a crumb in the feeder! It smelled really good too. However, I couldn't afford the $19.00 a bag.

Bucks need alfalfa just as much as the does do. The calcium in the alfalfa needs to be at least 2 parts to 1 of phosphorus. Mine get alfalfa pellets and beet pulp, both are good sources of calcium. In 35+ years of goats, I have never had a case of UC.


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## funnyfainters (Aug 1, 2014)

This is an ignorant question but I am new to lets not say goats necessarily but learning all the major facts about them.

What do you mean by 2 to 1 phosphorus ratio?


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## LibertyHomesteadFarm (Feb 1, 2014)

funnyfainters said:


> This is an ignorant question but I am new to lets not say goats necessarily but learning all the major facts about them.
> 
> What do you mean by 2 to 1 phosphorus ratio?


That means that the ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be 2 to 1. (double the amount of calcium as compared to phosphorus.)


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

We feed Chaf...our goats love it and the white stuff is yeast and the goats will fight for it lol....my first bag I tossed because I thought it was moldy lol..my only warning is use it when you open it As soon as you can, sooner if its hot out...and wrap it up tight when not in use...once open..mold can develop


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

I use chaffehaye and love it. It is kind of expensive but mine only get it as an extra. Every evening I use a small pail full with my 10 does and couple of bucks. It would be like a big fist full each. I use those "goat tough feeders" and just spread some in there. If you follow the directions from chaffehaye -roll the bag down right after opening and put a brick on it to close it -it lasts well. My bucks love it too and everyone does well. I've never figured it out by weight but when I feed alfalfa (and I do every morning) all the stems are wasted. But go to my sheep. Chaffehaye has no waste so a 50# bag for 15.00 doesn't seem to bad to me. I never buy pellet -but they must run about that price also don't they. 
I had mold one time when I didn't follow their directions about closing the bag right and so part was wasted -never had it since. And they also explain about the "yeast" hunks you see in it. Look on their web site -explains all that. The bag it comes in is so tough -shouldn't have any punctures in it. 
I often mix a little grain and chaffehaye together on the milk stand when I want them to be patient longer than normal. Good when doing feet and such.


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

I also give alfalfa to bucks, just a little every morning, a little chaffehaye in the evening. -mostly they get orchard grass. Mine get a little grain too in the am. We have very high acid water and I am guessing that is a help - also I add apple cider vinegar to water (when I remember). Years ago my bucks got alfalfa most of the time -and pasture. Had never heard of UC back then- and never had a problem. I was talking to a lady who had abt 50 years experience -she feed alfalfa to boys -sprinkled salt on it to make them drink more water. Keeping water pails clean and fresh is probably a big deterent to UC. In talking to a few breeders I wonder if genetics have something to do with it also?


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## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

so can a goat do well on chaffhaye only and no regular hay during the winter months in northern states? chaffhaye is basically silage right? the green vegetation is chopped up in finer pieces and then put in bags (or something to create a vaccum) and innoculation is added, and the green vegeatation ferments.

i researched this before as i was considering making my own alfalfa silage in small bags instead of making hay. seems like i read so much about that goats can't do well on a strictly silage diet without the hay, especially in northern cold winters. is that true?

thanks


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I thought that chaf is silage as well..but was informed its not the same....chaf is haylage not silage...There is a risk of Listeriosis using Silage where Chaf is safer and less likely to cause illness..



> Silage is again grass but it is cut and either baled or put in a silage clamp (like a big bunker) immediately, or it is left to wilt a little (around 12 hours). Wilting is done so that there is less silage effluent (liquid stuff that is very polluting and corrosive) to come out of the stored silage. Once it is baled or clamped it has to be sealed from oxygen by wrapping in plastic - if continuous oxygen is present it degrades - gets hot - and goes very nasty and smelly due to the effect of nasty bacteria. If it is sealed then nice anaerobic bacteria use sugar from the grass and pickle it by producing lots of acid. Silage can be fed to horses but you have to know what you are doing and you have to be able to recognise the smell and appearance of silage that has gone off / or contains botulism.
> 
> Haylage is halfway between - i.e. it is cut and dried a bit before baling with plastic wrapping to pickle. As the dry matter content is higher before wrapping there is less likely to be any 'bad' bugs in it and it is safer.


you can feed year round and some do replace hay with it but I dont recommend it unless they have plenty to browse,,,,goats need long stem...either from browse or hay...


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