Hay!

[GoatTalkr9]

Has anyone else noticed a shortage of hay? I have newborns,pregnant does,and hungry bucks and wethers...and am almost completely out of hay. I can't find anyone in my area who has spare hay for sale...other than the ones in the bulletin board who want an arm and a leg for it! Can anything be given as a substitute until I find hay? Anybody in my area HAVE hay for sale? I'm halfway between Clarksburg and Parkersburg Wv.

[cowgirlracer]

Can you get hay cubes from your feed store? They are highly compressed and run at a ratio of 5:1, meaning they increase in volume 5 times when moisture is added - water or stomach fluids. In NE Wyoming the run $6.50 per 50# bag, I would think they would be even cheaper where you are, by virtue of we have very little vegetation here. When my son was in the 2nd grade he said "it looks like Africa here mom". Anyhow, you may want to check with them. If you goats don't like them in the compressed state, take a few and add warm water to them - they'll love 'em.

CGR

[mpillow]

Plenty of hay in Maine....long drive though....

[witchysharon]

I have 3 hay suppliers so no shortage here in MI. Word of caution on hay cubes....if they are the ones for horses, they are quite large pieces and should be broken in smaller pieces before feeding to goats. I had a Boer/Pygmy mix almost choke to death on one she snatched from me before i had the chance to break it up. Fortunately i was able to dig it out of her throat in time!

[TexCountryWoman]

The hay shortage in Texas is SEVERE! many ranchers are having to sell out of cattle and are actually losing their ranches. Our cattle are hungry and we may have to sell out. We only have 4 round bales left and have to save them for the goats. Round bales have gone up in price from $25. to $100. if you can find it and that is YEAR OLD HAY! and the year old hay is gone. The feedstores are running out of square bales and alfalfa pellets. Texas has been declared a disaster area, every county. Yes, there is a hay shortage.

[oberhaslikid]

I feed alfalfa pellets as my hay and when I find someHay then add the hay. Then cut back on pellets.I also got the cubes for cheap .I bought 6 bags and set in the basement and broke buckets of them up every day.I then decided there had to be an easier way to feed them .I soaked them over night and it would fall apart and they ate them.

[GoatTalkr9]

Thanks everyone. We're going to Tractor Supply today to get alfalfa cubes. Our local feed store has pellets,but naturally they're closed today. I've used cubes before as an addition to feed,but not as the sole source of hay/browse. With 13 adult goats,will two 50 pound bags be plenty for a week??

[cowgirlracer]

Hay is pricey here too - always has been, as there is not much for vegatation. It is standard to pay $90 for round bales. Yes, these are a year old. Our co op just started selling hay, they have small squares. Less waste and easier to handle All of this is how I discovered hay cubes. Have only seen alfalfa pellets in the small animal size -rabbit, gonna have to ask. I'm really glad this thread was started, everytime somebody posts, I learn something. Sorry things are so bad in Texas, that is a bad deal.

CGR
Northeastern WYO-high plains, coal mines & wind

[Ramblin Acres]

Have you thought about having a semi load shipped to you from north or south dakota?
I have debated on doing this but I wouldn't need a semi load and from the sound of it many of you could easily find people to go in halves or what ever with ya.I think it runs about 130+ plus a ton and it is good hay.
We have a dealer here and of course he charges more but I think if you could buy it like he does you could be saving yourselk some money plus it is cerftified weed free hay and it is tested for the nutritional value too.

I think you can find something on it at http://www.hayexchange.com

[Nancy_in_GA]

Originally Posted by GoatTalkr9

With 13 adult goats,will two 50 pound bags be plenty for a week??

For one week, that would be just a little over a pound a day. Don't adult dry/unbred goats need about 3% of their body weight per day in total food?

Anyway we also have 13 (large breed) goats, and they would go through a 50 lb bag of alfalfa pellets in about 2 days when this was their only food source.

Nancy

[daytrader]

www.dakotapremiumhay.com

Sells by the pallet. Shipping isn't to bad, but not cheap. Just depends were you are and the type of shipping lane you are in.

Nice site here as well. Has states hay pricing and reports.
www.mrtruck.net/hay.htm