Alfalfa Pellets

We feed alfalfa pellets...free choice...we have a self type of feeded that we add to if empty...twice a day.

We are using the alfalfa pellets because we have a small area for out goats with no real pasture and we have no means of making our own hay, we also have no place to store more than a few bales at a time...

I agree, there is no waste with the pellets and the pellets are tested and proven to be at the correct % of protein listed on the bag...where hay may or may not be consistant in protein amounts...

Our goat are doing great on the pellets and they love them. the bags we get are 50 lb bags and they are 100% alfalfa pellets and are marketed for goats, sheep, horses and game birds...we pay $8.40 per 50 lb....for the convience, easy, supply, and consistancy of the product, we really like the pellets.

Belinda

Glad you mentioned not to feed Angora goats copper, mpillow. I was just about to do that with my Angora goats now that they are separate from my sheep.

I had to ask my feed store if they carried the pellets. They sure do, Hamel Co-op, Hamel IL if anyone is close to there.
I joked that they needed to put up a sign saying what they carry since that was the second time just lately that I asked if they carried something. Seems like I am always learning about something on this board.

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We are going thru much the same thing here we lost our Entire Hay crop, but, we can get our alfalfa pellets @ 5.59 a bag, because we have an employee discount at a feed store, so that is Mainly what we will be feeding this year. If all you feed is pellets it's 3# a doe, I give mine a little over 2# a doe , and give them less than half their regular hay ration. I always feed the pellets first thing in the morning then in the afternoon add a little more, and Hay at night, some of them only like the hay so they won't touch the pellets if there's fresh hay.

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I know about copper being toxic for sheep, but never heard of it as bad for Angoras. Where can I read about this? What studies have been done? How are they affected?

We purchase alfalfa pellets directly from a mill and will add them to the regular feed when we can only get poor hay. When our hay is a great second or third cutting alfalfa, there's no need to add the pellets. Our mill charges anywhere from $9.85-12.50 per 100#. Price fluctuates each week. Currently our herd's BF average is 4.2 and protein is 3.1. And this is 10 months into lactation.

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Charleen in Western NY www.harperhillfarm.com

A bite of butter greases your track. ~ Gramma Sarah