wanting to free feed alfalfa pelelets

[okiemom]

I am wanting to go to alfalfa pelets in a free feeder. Currently they are not on free pellets. How is the best way to get them to free feed w/o bloating and killing them? Thanks Katharine

[dscott7972]

I don't see how you can. Goats just naturally overeat on feed and pellets. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge on that will post a reply. Are alfalfa pellets the equivelent to hay. I mean can they just live on pellets?

[SherrieC]

The best way to get them on free feed is to do it slowly, I have 4 milkers in my main pen right now and when I switched them over, (lost my hay crop this year) I gave them one scoop for a couple a days 1 1/2 pounds then one bucket (3 lbs) and worked up from there, I don't feed them free feed except the doelings as they don't clean up their plate, but try to put in 12 pounds a day or 3 lbs a doe. This is cheaper for me this year than buying hay, as I can get pellets @ less than $6 a bag, even If you can't get them this cheap, you will use waayy less grain, they don't need as much I give my milkers about 1 lb per day on the stand and they are in great flesh!

[homebirtha]

When we introduced the pellets, the girls did pig out on them as soon as we put it out. It would be gone in 2 minutes. But after a few weeks of slowly increasing the amount, they don't scarf it all down immediately. So they do lose interest some. However, now that there is less browse because of the freeze, they are eating the pellets more greedily. So it might work better in warmer weather.

[crazygoatgirl]

Gradually is the key. Increase more and more about every 3 days. You might start off with 1/2 pound and in 3 days give them 3/4 and so on. Mine thought that they had done a really good job when I was working them up to 3# each!! Now that they have grass hay in front of them all the time and pellets they leave some pellets. When I am milking they get grain only on the milkstand(about 2# for my heaviest milker) and then they get their alfalfa pellets.

[goatkid]

My friend has free fed alfalfa pellets. She got them from the same person who sold her hay so the feed was from the same source. She fed it in a big metal feeder. None of her goats bloated. Some got soft stools at first, but all got used to them. She also fed some hay as the goats need the roughage. At my farm, I feed mostly hay and mix alfalfa pellets in with the grain I feed in the pens. I limit the amount I feed. If I could get a good deal on one of those pellet feeders, I would feed more alfalfa pellets because my goats waste so much of their hay. I would still feed some hay, however. I really like to use pellets at goat shows. Its easier to transport than hay and then we usually just have to buy a couple bales of grass hay at the show and get good milk production.

[elgordo]

What size are your pellets? In the past I've tried feeding pellets to goats and sheep and had an occasional one choke on them unless I presoaked them. I'm beginning to think it's only a regional problem since I have'nt heard of anyone else having trouble! Since we have good pasture I used to use pellets as a treat only.

[moonspinner]

Katherine, need some clarification. Are your goats currently on a grain mix and are you adding alfalfa pellets as a supplement or as main diet or what? Also what kind of hay are they on if any? If they are getting alfalfa hay they generally won't eat (or don't want) the pellets. I have my goats on a grass/timothy hay most of the year and supplement with pellets. They don't require a whole lot. Like anything, always introduce something new in small amounts and gradually.

[Tracy in Idaho]

I have free fed my milkers pellets for several years now. They have done incredible on them -- 5 of my 8 milkers have over 3,000 lb lactactions, and one doe is slated for over 5,000 lbs!!! If she isn't #1 top ten, she'll be darn close! She is there on butterfat -- she's already blown by what the #1 doe of 2004 was.

Anyhow, back to the subject -- slowlyyyyyyy. Don't rush, just gradually put out more until they are leaving some.

To answer another question -- Yes, they can live just fine on nothing but pellets, but most folks (myself included) provide some type of hay along with them.

I have never had a choke problem, they are the regular horse-sized pellets. Nothing in them but alfalfa hay.

Tracy

[okiemom]

hi,

Thanks for the replies,

I have mostly meat goats. Currently they are young does that will be breed in Spring. They really don't have tooo high a protein need.

They are able to forage all year and have round bales of bermuda hay out. We "feed" them every day some sweet feed. it is just enough to get them into the pen for easier catching. They might be able to get a "taste" but not much. They are still really full on the acorns and nuts falling now. As winter sets in I was going to have the alfalfa out to keep protein levels up.

If it works well we want to use it for the breeding stock. There seems to be some fighting when feedand pg. does are getting butted and abort. The pg does are feed grains and have grass hay out. If we had the alfalfa out at all times I would think the fighting would ease some. The goats could get what they needed when they needed it.