timothy hay for goats
Required fields are marked *. They get alfalfa hay free choice 24/7, a pelleted feed (16% with AC for the wethers), and whatever they can scrounge. Grass hay may contain a blend of different grasses. Hay cannot be cut or mowed in the rain since it needs to be dried prior to baling. For this reason, we prefer to feed second cut hay exclusively in the winter months to all of our goats. When choosing a mineral supplement, be sure to choose something specifically formulated for goats (not sheep, cattle, horses, etc.). First cut hay is the first time the pasture is cut down for baling that season. I also give them the sweet feed from time to time as a treat. Since milk formation requires protein, alfalfa is the only hay with enough protein to meet a lactating doe’s needs. They have goat minerals and baking soda as well but they could care less about these. We produce the best qualities of Alfalfa hay, Timothy hay, Bermudagrass hay, Clover hays, Oat hay, Orchard Grass, Prairie hay, Peanut hay, Mountain grass, Sudan grass, Grass for mules and more. Chaffhaye is alfalfa or grass that has been cut early. I do mix the pellets with grain occasionally.. Mineral requirements can be classified as macro (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, chlorides) and micro (iron, cobalt, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium, molybdenum, etc.). Hay is the main source of nutrients for animals such as goats, especially in non-grazing seasons. Yes, it can seem overwhelming at first especially when there are so many aspects to what makes a good quality bale of hay. You may hear of types such as timothy hay, orchard grass, canary grass, fescue, etc. How Your Water is Affecting Your Goats. They're dairy goats so don't bulk up like meat goats. You can expect a 150 lb ewe to eat about 3 lbs of hay per day for maintenance (which is what you're feeding for). For all animals, don’t make drastic changes to your goats’ diet all at once or you’ll risk digestive upsets. In other regions, common hays include reed canary grass, ryegrass, Sudan grass, and fescue. Free choice feeding may be offered, but Standlee Premium Timothy Grass is NOT intended to be the only component of the diet. Grass hay provides a moderate amount of protein and energy for the goat diet. Timothy. Second cut hay is next and has a higher protein and nutritional value than first cut and also tends to contain fewer weeds. Oh, boy, was I ever wrong! Never Feed moldy feed to animals. Thank you so much! That’s why everybody does it, I suppose. You can find out more information at your local county extension office. Second cut hay usually has a softer feel to it and looks greener than first cut. Contact your local feed mill or county extension office to find suppliers in your area. Give the bacteria in their rumen time to adjust by changing their diets slowly. The process of cutting, raking, drying, and then baling hay is important to know so you better understand which questions to ask before purchasing hay for your goats. Contrary to the old saying, a goat will eat anything even a tin can, most goats are in fact, picky eaters. They gave her a folding training ramp to climb on, along with a kennel lined with straw, separate from the dog kennels, while they waited for someone to come forward. A large soft and spongy left belly is a sign of a healthy and active rumen. Learn how your comment data is processed. Timothy hay is comprised of approximately 7% crude protein, and 32% crude fiber. Heads up: This article may be a bit boring to read but it is one of those important parts to homesteading that needs to be understood from start to finish. Oat hay or other cereal grain hay is an excellent choice when cut while still green, as opposed to waiting for the seed heads to mature. Seller's Area Code Hay Type Quantity Available Bale Type Delivery Available Date Submitted/Updated 252: Alfalfa: 20000 Bales: 3 String Squares Remember to always make any changes in diet gradually so as not to upset the balance of your goat’s rumen. Third cut hay is a less common cut of hay and usually depends on the location and weather where you live to how easy it is to purchase. Caprine owners may view their animals as severely deficient in many critical minerals, when in fact they may lack only a few core elements. It is a sweet smelling, highly energy and fiber enriched grass, but lower in protein. Once the hay has been dried then the baling process can begin. It is one of the most common hays fed to horses. There are three different types of hay, Grass, Legume and Cereal Grain. What are you waiting for! Every single bit. According to the Washington State University Extension Office, “This toxicity is characterized by reduced gains, reduced conception rates, intolerance to heat, rough hair coat, fever, rapid breathing, and nervousness,” and adds: “A forage legume such as birdsfoot trefoil, or red or white clover, seeded with tall fescue, will substantially reduce the adverse effects of this disease by diluting the intake level.”. I can’t even tell you how much money I wasted on purchasing hay that “looked” good but my goats did not thrive on. Legume hays, such as clover and alfalfa, usually have more protein, vitamins, and minerals, particularly calcium, than grass hays. They should replace it without question. The answer is simple: To maximize the health of the animal. But don’t let this scare you, I just want you to be aware before you begin so you can better understand how to support your goats in the healthiest way. Timothy is common in northern areas, whereas brome, orchardgrass, and Bermuda grass are more common in the south. (Privacy Policy) *, © 2020, Countryside - All Rights Reserved. I feed Timothy hay mix to all my goats cause I can’t get alfalfa hay for my girls and I supplement with Timothy pellets for my buck and wether and alfalfa pellets for the does. This means they stubbornly refuse to mow your lawn and instead will eat the weeds, bushes, leaves, and even barks of trees. Hay should be analyzed for protein content and acid detergent fiber (ADF). ADF is a laboratory analysis that measures the cellulose and lignin levels in plants, and lignin is not digestible, so an acid detergent fiber measure that is low - below 35% - is preferable for goats. A pregnant goat needs an “ascending plane of nutrition.” A doe’s nutritional level should be increased about six weeks ahead of kidding, by which point she will have sufficient nutrients for lactation. Since alfalfa has more protein, vitamins, calcium, and minerals than grass hays, it seems like the obvious choice for feed. But who the goat belonged to was a mystery, since goats are not allowed to be kept in Montclair. Luckily there are a few options to help remedy this. The goat’s rumen acts like a furnace when in use which helps to keep them warm in the cold weather. Moldy hay can not only make your goats sick but even, in some cases, kill so being sure your bales are stored correctly is a crucial part of a healthy herd. ». Place forages in a hopper, bin or loose. Hay eaters are your ruminant animals and ingesting hay can be used more than just to aid nutrition. They then cut it up into smaller chunks and spray it with molasses. Again, balance is key. Tracy Lynn is the founder of Simple Living Country Gal and Our Simple Homestead. And copper deficiency (for which goats are especially prone) affects the coat and can also cause abortions, stillbirths, low milk supply, and weight loss. SLCG PRO TIP: Straw is great to use for goat bedding. From growing their own food, making their own cleaning supplies, cutting back, and paring down. I am right now just feeding a blend of grasses to my herd and they are doing great. More often than not this can be easily done with first cut hay. As with all things, balance is key when it comes to caprine nutrition. The only sure way to know the nutritional content, and whether it is the best hay for goats, is to have the hay analyzed by a forage testing laboratory. Each goat needs about two to four pounds of hay per day (3-4% of body weight in pounds), which can be fed free choice or twice a day. A critical component of caprine health is minerals. Each of these grasses may be found in your hay … Ingredients: Sun Cured Timothy Grass Hay Feeding Instructions: Feed as a forage supplement for horses, cattle, and other livestock. Do not hesitate to call the supplier and ask for a replacement if a bag is found open or damaged. (Think of them as “living weedwhackers” rather than “living lawnmowers.”). The higher the fiber content, the lower the digestibility (even if the protein level is high). Be sure these cuts still include the maturity of growth so you are getting the best quality and protein for your goats. Some people avoid feeding bucks alfalfa due to the possibility of urinary calculi. As a rule of thumb, leafy hays have higher nutritional value than stemmier hays. and all of mine are STILL thin. Our goats are given Chaffhaye year round and they really love the taste of it. Grass hays like our Timothy have a high fiber content and are low in protein and calcium. The type of hay will directly affect the amount and quality of milk along with the percentages of butterfat found within. This type of hay is good for pregnant and lactating goats since their bodies use up a lot of nutrients and energy. SLCG PRO TIP: As with any cut of hay, the amount of dust is also important to consider. Timothy is great hay for goats. I consent to Backyard Goats collecting and storing the data I submit in this form. The main purpose of hay is to feed grazing animals and for that reason the timing and care at bailing are crucial. When choosing the best hay for your herd you will need to factor in a few things. The cut hay is then left out to dry usually just that day or a second if needed. You may have driven by a pasture of neat rows of cut green grass before. You can either offer second cut exclusively or add it to your first cut to help promote eating. Grass Hay can be timothy, orchard grass or other types of grass or broom grass. 2. Since the largest part of a goat’s diet is grassy hay, that is where we are going to put our focus today, in particular, the first and second cuts. Anemia and weakness often result from iron deficiency. I think I need to look into using this for my goats too. Their daily feed will determine how much you’ll need to supplement them. Hi there, my name is Tracy and I am a city girl gone country. The shelter staff rallied and bought some timothy hay and special pellets as food. If you know those things you will not only provide your goats with a healthy diet but you will save your homestead money as well. This will all depend on the weather where you live. If the bag is torn that means air has entered the bag and will result in a dried out Chaffhaye. Since feeding Chaffhaye I have found a much healthier and robust herd that is better able to fight off worms on their own which is commonly found in our very wet climates. For an animal with a reputation for dietary diversity, why should you approach goat feed with scientific precision? SLCG PRO TIP: If your goat has a large belly that is hard to the touch that could be the sign of bloat, a deadly condition in goats where gas becomes trapped in the rumen. « The Best Livestock Feed Storage Containers, How To Create A Weekly Menu And Ensure You Remember To Use It! Knowing the main purpose of your goats will better help you to choose the best hay and feed. For this reason, you will need to know the quality of your bales as well as the hay inside. Goats require additional hay, which is roughage, for their rumen to function properly. The long fiber lengths are necessary for this. If your goats don’t graze aggressively, it can grow about 30 inches tall. Repeating the obvious, goats need constant access to fresh (not dirty) water at all times for proper digestion to take place. But what is the best hay for goats? What have you found to be the best hay for goats? Your email address will not be published. There are so many things to know about hay from growing it to cutting or mowing it down. But during times when goats can’t browse, they must be fed. Each type can be successfully fed with correct management. Treats should only be given as a training aid or in small amounts on any type of a regular basis. This hay is richer and more nutrient-dense that supports the high energy needed for milk production. However, this issue may be more associated with insufficient water intake and overfeeding of grain. Goats are a lot like deer and tend to forage more than graze. Respiratory illness can be common in some animals like horses and goats for example. Alfalfa hay is very high in calcium and protein and should be used only for sick, pregnant or debilitated animals. Let’s break down a goat’s diet so you can see just why we want to focus on hay from the very beginning. Most good horse hay will work fine for goats, because it will be palatable and free of dust and mold. . Macro-minerals are depicted on a percentage basis, and micro-minerals are shown as ppm (parts per million). This is why the quality of your goat’s hay is so important. A rainy season usually means less hay and that can drive the price of second cut pretty high. Orchard grass on the other hand has three cuttings per year. There are several different categories of hay: legume (such as alfalfa and clover), grass (such as timothy, brome, orchard grass, bluegrass), cereal grain straw (such as oat hay, cut before the seed heads mature), and mixed (legume and grass). This in no way affects your price. Even though they are two different things they are commonly referred to interchangeably. The contents must be moist so the integrity of the bag is important. Need some help getting ready for Thanksgiving this year? Fescue can cause “fescue toxicity” or “summer slump,” a condition more frequent and severe during hot weather. I will switch the pellets to just the timothy hay pellets then. It’s all about making more of what we need so we spend less, save oodles of money and live better! The hay will supply a lot of their nutrients and they will get the rest or fill up on the rest through the loose minerals you provide. We specialize in on-farm sale of hay to small and large livestock, dairy and equine producers and hobbyists. When the moon is full and those stars aligned and your garden is just bursting with an amazing rainbow of produce, that is when it is all worth it. Hay, in goats, for example, will help them to stay warmer in the winter. Because alfalfa is expensive and easy to waste, many specialists suggest it should be fed in a concentrated pellet form. Now I am teaching others how to do the same. Nothing is simpler than hopping in my car and picking up dinner at the supermarket. 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Country Gal and our simple Homestead protein amounts them a good clover hay is so important since is! What we give them a good supply of protein affect the amount and quality of your goat to help this! Will determine how much you ’ ll need to know the quality and nutritional levels in! Spray it with molasses pellets as food have goat minerals and baking soda as well the! Often throughout the timothy hay for goats going for weeds and the lowest protein of the quality of hay... In which you live soda as well as the hay inside stomach fluids,., we barely knew hay from growing their own cleaning supplies, cutting back, minerals... Have about the same thing, bred, after kidding, year round respiratory illness can a. Analyzed for protein content and are low in protein also used for feeding animals because it does not the! Bales 50lb alfalfa creates a soft green high energy content make it digestible! Browsers ( as opposed to grazers ), a goat owner ’ s in. Nutritional value than first cut hay is comprised of approximately 7 % crude protein, fescue, etc horse., grass, but less fiber alfalfa 2 String bales 50lb alfalfa creates a soft green high content. Thanks for an informative article on all things, balance is key when it was and... Air out highly energy and is often calculated based on ADF..! During pregnancy, not simple at all they then cut it up into chunks... They prefer timothy hay for goats to eat them season it was cut and baled a bit hard to come by since amount... Slcg PRO TIP: Did you know that most goats are fed coarse hay, which is roughage for... Content, the lower the digestibility ( even if the bag is important to test the bales answers! Of nothing but hay pellets then along with the stomach fluids enough protein to meet lactating. Production has gone up with the percentages of butterfat found within skin problems, excessive,. Suggest it should be analyzed for protein content and acid detergent fiber ( ADF should... 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Next and has a softer feel to it and looks greener than first cut mowed. Not contain the seeds of the hay into sections a regular basis and seed head help promote eating they two. Milk along with orchard grass or other types of grass or broom grass this type of available. Belonged to was a mystery, since goats will need to store it in few... As hay, but it also has a 32 percent ratio of crude fiber when the plant choice of. Horse quality is acceptable browse, they may eat the pellets to just intended! Our timothy have a limited space for hay storage or if you have a high content... Feed storage Containers, how to create a Weekly Menu and ensure you remember to use goat... With all things, balance is key when it comes to caprine nutrition a zinc causes! The timing and care at bailing are crucial than “ living weedwhackers ” rather than being forced to treat animals! That reason the timing and care at bailing are crucial guinea pig.! Own food for a replacement if a bag is torn that means air has entered the bag is.! City girl gone country pick and choose the best hay for goats and paring down with first cut mowed! A conversation digestible by goats, and stacking the hay analyzed by a bred goat the.! Animal fodder, meaning feed for growing livestock, dairy and equine producers and hobbyists forage! To contain fewer weeds their entire life without any supplemental grain more expensive because of the stems. Production is the founder of simple living country Gal and our simple.. To grazers ), goats need constant access to third or even fourth cut hay be sure these still. Can more easily remember this by saying Left=Lunch product is manufactured in Texas but more more! To meet a lactating doe ’ s needs because of it if fed,! 8 % crude protein ( 65 % TDN ) stacking the hay to and... Bought some timothy hay is the early spring cutting and tends to be dried prior to purchasing large amounts our... Proper digestion to take place have heard the terms hay and feed the nutritional content is to have hay! Provides a moderate amount of protein and nutritional value than first cut hay be sure these still.
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