It does not do well in hot climates, however. The Best Hay for Goats in Their Heyday. If fed on wet or muddy ground, sheep will generally waste a lot of hay; they will eat more of it when it is kept clean and dry in a feeder, or some kind of feed bunk. This is usually cut fresh and bailed; giving it the most nutritional value. A forum community dedicated to goat owners and enthusiasts. The big bale had 21 small sq bales in it. Do goaties like oat hay?? These apple and oats treats contain other nutritious and delicious ingredients such as alfalfa and molasses that is sure to delight your goats. Oats can also help to increase milk production. Home --- Raising Animals --- Goats --- Can Goats Eat Oats? The nutritional value of hay is related to leaf content. Alfalfa contains a higher percentage of calcium and protein than grass hays. Factors that can affect nutritional value include plant species in the hay, fertility of soil, harvesting methods (whether the hay was conditioned or crimped to dry faster and lose less leaves and nutrients during drying) and curing time. The contents must be moist so the integrity of the bag is important. . Straw, on the other hand, is used more in gardening and landscaping because it does not contain the seeds of the plant. As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horsesalfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. . We prefer to feed second cut to our goats for reasons I will get into later. Thats why we want to share a list of the top questions for any farmer with hungry goats to feed. Many homesteaders buy Timothy hay for the main herd and alfalfa for their lactating does, who benefit from its higher protein and calcium content. Don't go with beef cattle hay or goat hay. I cant even tell you how much money I wasted on purchasing hay that looked good but my goats did not thrive on. Complete Guide to Feather Loss In Hens, How to Start a Diesel Tractor That Ran Out of Fuel | All-In-One Guide, 11+ Weeds With Purple Flowers | With Photos for Identification. Thats why everybody does it, I suppose. Hay is also on the goat's feed list for cold or rainy days. Robotika/Flickr. The price may be higher for these cuts but the quality will need to be examined before you commit to bringing any bales home to your goats. This will include cattle, horses, goats, llamas, alpacas, and sheep. The consensus is you need about 30-40% legumes in your pasture to add nitrogen back in your soil. If goats are fed coarse hay, they may eat the leaves but not the stems. Too much phosphorus is often the cause of UC due to the overfeeding of grain, however, calcium stones can happen . When choosing the best hay for your herd you will need to factor in a few things. Goats need good-quality grass hay thats free from debris and mold. Remember, goats are herbivores! If you have a years worth of hay stored, keep in mind that long storage time reduces nutritional levels of protein and vitamin A. White Oak Boer Goats- Breeders of Quality ABGA reg. Eating oats can also help goats to stay warm in cold weather. Bailing is simply the process of cutting, raking, combining, and stacking the hay into sections. You can incorporate either whole or rolled oats with pellet feeds, including sweet feed. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. They might get a little alfalfa once in a while in the winter. Hay should form the basis of at least 40% of your goat's feed. If cut too quickly these bales will not include the full plant, meaning the stem and leaves, which may have your animals missing out on important nutrients. While straw is never used for feeding livestock, hay is. Oats should be fed to goats along with hay and other types of grains. A hay's protein content and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) should be below 35% for goats. Through her blog, she has helped thousands learn to live a more simple life. Alfalfa cut at full bloom drops to 15.5 percent crude protein, compared to 6.9 percent for late bloom timothy and 7.6 percent for late bloom orchard grass. Dirt, sticks, and stones add to the weight of a bale of hay, meaning you get less hay for your money. The leaves of grass hay have more nutrients and are more digestible when the plant is immature and growing, and more fiber when the plant has reached full growth. Straw While oats are generally safe for goats, it is vital to feed them in moderation to avoid overeating and gastrointestinal problems. Cereal grain crops (especially oats) can make good hay when cut while still green and growing, rather than waiting for the seed heads to mature for grain. In central and southern parts of the country you are more apt to find coastal Bermuda grass, brome or orchard grass because these tolerate heat and humidity better. The top and bottom layers of unprotected baled hay are particularly susceptible to mold since the top layer is exposed to the elements, and the bottom may have sat on the ground, drawing moisture. A mixture of oat hay and alfalfa at a 1 to 5 ratio is often recommended for sheep and other ruminants. Because of this, it's a great option for feeding milking goats and those who are pregnant. It is important to know the best hay for your specific animals in order to ensure their overall health, growth, and milk production. Quality Registered Nigerian Dwarfs & Natural Goats Milk Soaps, Bad News Boers Farm: Breeding Better Boer Goats, Capriola's ~ ADGA and AGS Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Handcrafted Goat's Milk Soap, Lotion, & Body B'Udder, http://www.dollysacre.com/breedingplans.htm. These rows are usually cut in the early morning to allow the dew to help hold the leaves of the hay intact with the stems. Wir verwenden Cookies um Inhalte und Anzeigen zu personalisieren, um Social-Media-Funktionen zur Verfgung zu stellen und unseren Traffic zu analysieren. Good-quality grass hay is both nutritional and digestible. A mixed hay field counts on the diversity of plants to make good hay each year. Its also more palatable than other grasses and is great for young kids during winter when the feed may not be as tasty as theyd like it to be. Your goats - and sheep - will love eating them! This incilage is stored in large piles and the need for a tractor, feed truck and other farm equipment become obvious. (They have more hay wisdom than us. Hay should be fed in feeders to help minimize waste and help prevent the spread of disease. Hay should form the bulk of your goat's daily feed, making up to 40%. try not to get any fescue. For this reason, we prefer to feed second cut hay exclusively in the winter months to all of our goats. or moldy. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It is an extremely small mite (1/125 inch long), elongate, and whitish to translucent in color. However, there are significant differences in the variety, quality and availability of hay, which can make feeding your livestock a time-consuming chore. To establish which hay is the best for your goats, look for the following: The higher the leaf content, the more nutritious the hay. The trick is to know the process of how hay is grown, what all goes into it and, and finally the best way to store it that will keep its value. You may need different qualities of hay for different horsesleafy hay for weanlings, for instance, and more mature hay for adult horses that do not need such fine hay. A mix of grass and legume hay often works well. Barley straw is generally considered to be the best as goats will be happy to eat . Outdoor Happens is reader-supported. As with any changes to your goats diet, oats should be introduced gradually so as to not upset their digestive system and to give their rumen, (their first stomach), the time to adjust. (Benefits/Risks), Can Goats Eat Daylilies? Oats are a type of cereal crop grown for the seed/grain. Absolutely! However, the nutritional values in the hay may be low and it is advisable to feed oat hay . Ive been in love with hay since I was a kid (no pun intended). Goats are versatile creatures often used for milk, meat, or fiber production. To maximize utilization, combine oats with alfalfa in your goats feed. If it smells sweet its good to go, if it smells spoiled or sour then you will not want to feed it to your goats. Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Or Any Day! Oats are a type of cereal grain often used as livestock feed. Seeding depth remains at to inch. Chemical weed sprays can be extremely harmful to livestocktheir use is not recommended by some vets. Besides adding fun and variety to their meals, oat-based treats can be a good way to administer a remedy or medication they may not otherwise take. Immature grass hay or leafy alfalfa is usually the best feed for sheep. Goats need some long-stemmed hay, every day, to keep their rumen functioning at its best. Barley Grass Diary: Day 1- March 9 2011: About 7pm start soaking 6 C dry barley in cold water. Average orchardgrass-alfalfa mix hay will contain roughly 14-17% crude protein and 53-56% TDN on a dry matter basis. Oat hay is a popular choice in the western half of the United States. No sprouts yet. so it really depends on what you are wanting to do . . And do they enjoy eating oats? Get specific advice on pasture care for your area from your county or extension agent, or local agricultural expert. Be sure to avoid giving your goat oats that have been treated with chemicals or other additives, as these can be harmful to their health. This is the best time to cut as the high-quality product still has some color with good carbohydrate content and sweetness in the stem. Corn, rye, barley, wheat, oats etc. Do you have experience feeding oats to your goats? Even if the outer edge of a bale has faded from sun exposure and rain, the inside should still be green. . Always buy hay that was harvested under good conditions, then keep it dry and out of the sunlight so it will keep better. Mainly its important to have a good mix of cool and warm grasses, legumes and grasses. 2 tbs Brewer's Yeast. Lactating does - 1/2 to 1 pounds daily per doe while in milk. Grass hays are the best for goats. It's not only cheap but it also contains a large amount of protein and nutrition. When hay costs rise, beef cattle can often get by eating a mix of straw and some type of protein. The actual type of grass doesnt matter too much as long as its not too coarse for their tiny mouths. Or Any Day! First cut hay is the first time the pasture is cut down for baling that season. However, the nutritional values in the hay may be low and it is advisable to feed oat hay together with grass or legume hays for optimal nutrition. Oats are also a common source of proteins for goats. Whether you feed grass or legume hay will depend primarily on what is available in your area and your horses particular nutritional needs. In other words, one pound of corn will replace 1.9 lbs. 10% alfalfa pellets (broken down [probably would not have to break for goats]) 5% molassas. That's all I feed as a matter of fact is oat and or grass hay, just depending whats available. If they can't forage a pasture, hay will need to make up around 75% of their diet. First cutting often has dry, overwintered weeds and grasses, may be coarser-stemmed, and is less likely to be fertilized. Oats makes an excellent forage for sheep, goats, beef cows, feeder calves, dairy heifers, and when made early, even milking cows. im not exactly sure o the lbs per sq footage. Oats are a good source of nutrients for goats that can help to keep them healthy and happy. Peter Roome/Flickr. As the protein content is not high it could be fed to all types of goats irrespective of age . Is this the case? The palatability of orchardgrass is good and goats readily consume it. To know if it is good go by the smell. The animals digestive tracts must adjust to the different type of feed. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. However, if grass hay is coarse and dry (with little vitamin A or protein), youll need to add some legume hay to the cattles diet. Changing from grass hay to alfalfa all at once can change the environment in the rumen of cattle, sheep and goats and in the cecum of a horse (because of the shift in pHthe acid/base balance). 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