What would you plant?

[Rockin'B]

If you had an alfalfa field that was going to be converted to goat pasture, what would you plant?
This field is 70% alfalfa with the balance being grass, some clover, and very few weeds.

Trying to figure out what we need to do to make effective meat goat pasture out of it.

Thanks.

[Jim S.]

I'd leave everything in it that's there and overseed or drill in fescue/orchardgrass. Ideally, you'd have some woody plants, brush and trees, for them to browse from, as well. That would be pretty well balanced. Don't worry over weeds, it's what they like best and weeds have more nutrition than grass does.

But then, I'm a low-inputs kinda guy!

[Rockin'B]

Originally Posted by Jim S.

I'd leave everything in it that's there and overseed or drill in fescue/orchardgrass. Ideally, you'd have some woody plants, brush and trees, for them to browse from, as well. That would be pretty well balanced. Don't worry over weeds, it's what they like best and weeds have more nutrition than grass does.

But then, I'm a low-inputs kinda guy!

Actually, I brought up the lack of weeds knowing that they would prefer some in the mix. Wouldn't you know it, the only time we don't have weeds! lol Thanks for the thoughts.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Couldn't even imagine a nicer pasture for the goats. Perhaps you could strip graze it using portable electric fencing, so that percentage of alfalfa always stays that high. You would have to do very little in the way of graining, if at all, if you can get the moms at 100 days bred moved into a new grazed strip, then once again when they kid out and are new milking, then moving weaned kids not already sold to yet another new strip...with the least cost energy form you can purchase for 100 days bred though lactation. Vicki