# Cereal rye for hay??



## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

*using Winter Rye to make hay for goats??*

Hi everyone glad to be here. I'm getting a couple of Nigerian Dwarf does for milking and I was wondering if anyone has experience, or if there is any information out there regarding using winter rye to make hay for goats? Also, what about white clover? I have fields of winter rye and white clover that I could make hay out of later this spring but I wasn't sure if that would be an OK source to make goat hay with? Would there be anything that would not make this a good hay to feed my goats as the only hay during the winter?

I plan to do a planting of Sucraseed high sugar grass with alfalfa this August which should give me some good hay for next year, but I was wondering if the cereal rye and white clover could be used for this year?

thanks!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Congratulations on your soon-to-be additions!

I believe there is a chemical reason not to feed straight clover hay but can't recall off the top of my head. And winter rye I know is fine to run goats over for pasture - but I've never seen it baled! You may not have enough protein in there for milkers - are you planning to use alfalfa pellets and/or grain in addition?

Hopefully some folks more familiar with those hays can jump in!


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Welcome, bornagain62511!


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## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

top_goat said:


> Welcome, bornagain62511!


Thank you for the welcome!


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## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

SalteyLove said:


> Congratulations on your soon-to-be additions!
> 
> I believe there is a chemical reason not to feed straight clover hay but can't recall off the top of my head. And winter rye I know is fine to run goats over for pasture - but I've never seen it baled! You may not have enough protein in there for milkers - are you planning to use alfalfa pellets and/or grain in addition?
> 
> Hopefully some folks more familiar with those hays can jump in!


Thanks, I hope someone who knows can chime in too. I wonder if mixing the white clover with rye hay would give a high enough protein, and be OK health wise to the goats? seems to me it would be as good as a orchard grass/alfalfa hay mix, but I've got no experience to know for sure.


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## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

an interesting chart on hay from different sources including alfalfa, red and white clover, and different grasses: http://bunniesinneed.net/hay-nutritional-value-chart/

info on rye
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4461

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/pdfs/pd2007october20.pdf

an interesting article, in here it says ryelage is typically 15% protein. I assume they mean the green forage, I'm not sure if the protein % would drop if it were dried and baled as hay? http://hayandforage.com/silage/other-silage/plant-winter-rye-for-spring-forage-0720


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Yes, the protein drops upon cutting and drying and will continue to drop as it ages. By ryelage they mean a product for cows that baled in round plastic covered bales and allowed to ferment. Not a great option for goats usually due to the risk of mold.


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