The main purpose of hay is to feed grazing animals and for that reason the timing and care at bailing are crucial. Since goats will not eat straw because they prefer hay, you can keep bedding intact. You can read my full disclosure statement. When I first starting raising goats I thought all hay was alike. We prefer to feed second cut to our goats for reasons I will get into later. I’ve been in love with hay since I was a kid (no pun intended). Hay Basket Sheep Over hurdle type saddle DOUBLE SIDED SLOT OVER HAY RACK. Second cut is also good to give to any goats that are bred. (July 22, 2015) I would till it under and use it as a soil adminment I know most will not want to introduce weeds on their property much less pay you enough for the eferort of baling it and packing it of the feld. You may have driven by a pasture of neat rows of cut green grass before. £30.00. Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. Straw, on the other hand, is used more in gardening and landscaping because it does not contain the seeds of the plant. SLCG PRO TIP: Straw is great to use for goat bedding. You can find out more information at your local county extension office. What can I do to avoid these problems? Wow, I would kill for an over-abundance of clover in our pastures. Hay is particularly important if milk production is the main purpose of your goats. The hay includes just about everything that grows in a pasture in Virginia. Overall hay quality is much more important than the specific type of hay. Your goats need copper so buy a mineral supplement formulated specifically for goats. Legume includes alfalfa, clover, or soy. This will all depend on the weather where you live. He is a native of Germany and lives in the US since 1995. Collection in person. Walk your goat to help them remove the excess gas and contact your VET immediately for medical assistance. The autum olive is summer growth, along with everything else. Enter for a chance to win the Homestead Holiday Giveaway! It is our preferred method of feeding alfalfa to our herd. Here’s a list of some of the best plants for goat farming to maximize efficiency: Pasture Mix Plants: Grasses; Clover; Vetch; Chicory; Plantain; Curly Dock; Pigweed; Horseweed; Lambs Quarter; Bushes: Star Thistle; Blackberry; Juniper; Poison Oak; Kudzu; Rosemary; Peppermint; Grapevines; Bamboo; Comfrey; Catnip; Ivy; Knotweed; Raspberry; Roses; Garden Produce: Mangel Beets; Turnips; Kale; Carrots; Radishes I have been cuting and baling my neighbor's fields for a number of years. White clover is the most common clover in pastures. Free postage. It is crucial that excess moisture is removed from the hay to ensure it’s nutritional integrity. Clover fixes nitrogen in the soil and is great for adding fertility to your soil. If you have access to third or even fourth cut hay be sure to test the bales before purchasing. Ball clover has small ovate leaflets and small white to yellowish-white flowers. Red clover, either alone or mixed with grasses in pure swards, can be used as a potential crop with a high protein content for dairy goats (Kravale et al., 2001). . A large soft and spongy left belly is a sign of a healthy and active rumen. Due to goats and sheep being more prey animals than cattle they don’t like to wade off into tall vegetation, also it takes more energy for them to move through tall growth. It is important to know the best hay for your specific animals in order to ensure their overall health, growth, and milk production. Let’s break down a goat’s diet so you can see just why we want to focus on hay from the very beginning. Again, if you see your goats are on the lighter side you may want to have a few bales of second cut around. 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. Every single bit. Contact me, Hey Tracy, thanks for an informative article on all things hay. Information adapted from the Master Meat Goat Producers handbook co-writers include: Joost; Bates; and Brann. It gets brush hogged in the spring and again in the fall, so not totally out of control.. There are three different types of hay, Grass, Legume and Cereal Grain. Actually clover is a legume, not a grass. You can either offer second cut exclusively or add it to your first cut to help promote eating. Could have a few weeds in it, preferably immature before going to seed. SLCG PRO TIP: Did you know that most goats can live their entire life without any supplemental grain? 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. SLCG PRO TIP: Hay must be kept out of the rain to deter spoiling of the hay bale. It is sweet in taste. His website address is w ww.whitecloversheepfarm.com. Alfalfa pellets are a great option to offer to your goats that will give them a good supply of protein.