Using Alfalfa Pellets Instead Of Hay

[GSFarm]

To make a long story short -

I have had the WORST luck with hay the past two winters. Last winter it caused three of my does to abort. This year it's all moldy, low quality hay. With the drought we really can't afford to buy anymore hay because it's sooo expensive.

I have heard of people supplementing alfalfa pellets for hay. Everyone I've heard of that does it has good luck. I've done some research. I found out it would be about half as much as hay - money wise. It also leaves a smaller chance of mold and no waste. Does anyone have any hints or feeding suggestions? Does anyone know how many lbs of alfalfa pellets = hay lbs?
Has anyone had any problems with it?

Thanks

[DocM]

There's about 200 threads on the subject, so if you search, you'll get lots of opinions. My feeding "rule of thumb" works out to 4lbs of alfalfa pellets per 200 lbs of goat. A 100 lb goat gets 2 lbs, a 150 lb goat gets 3 lbs. I don't "free choice", I feed in individual pans since my girls are all fighting pigs and would kill each other for any scrap of food. I haven't fed hay since last March. No wasted hay on the ground. My most recent figures for feed costs, even with the rise in feed prices since last year, are 60% of last years costs. The pellets I'm feeding are consistent at 15% so they are getting no other supplemental feed aside from 6 - 8 hours of browse per day. The goats have never looked better. Some of the big fatties had to be cut back because they were pushing towards obese on browse and pellets alone.

[Farmer Gab]

We feed alphalpha pellets and supplement with a little alphapha hay for fun! The ladies get goat chow while milking. I know they are eating more than they need, but they are healthy and they are soooooo cute so I can't say no when they are bellowing at me. We give 3-6 scoops (feed scooper) per day for two does and a little wether. Again, I know we are getting scammed, but it's okay!

Cheers,

Gabrielle

[Alice In TX/MO]

When my goats move here to Texas from Missouri, we will have to use pellets. Black clay soil around here and cotton crops means no alfalfa, which is subject to cotton root rot.

We'll use good grass hay and alfalfa pellets.

[DQ]

adjust them to the pellets over a few days. mine will get loose stool if they pig out on alfalfa pellets when they aren't used to it. beet pulp shreds is also a good hay extender or replacement. you can also buy shredded alfalfa. I did that for a while, it does give them a little more to chew on but I decided pellets is just easier and they seem no worse for the wear. due to lack of hay last year my horses made it through the winter on soaked beet pulp and timothy hay pellets. I don't soak for the goats though. I agree on around 4lbs/day for total replacement of forage give or take depending on how porky they are.

[TerriA]

Since we have a nice pasture, we suppliment with hay (our own brome grass) along WITH alfalfa pellets. The pellets test at 17%... we also give grain to the one doe we are actually milking while she is milking and then a bit of grain to all the does/doelings at this time while we are flushing pre-breeding (we get a buck next week for the breeding). We free choice the pellets and hay.

We are extremely fortunate that our hay costs are simply our time/trouble a bit of gas and baling twine <G>... I have been praying for you folks down south who are going through that drought.

Terri