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05/01/11, 09:49 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The Beautiful Ozarks
Posts: 1,394
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Who feeds Alfalfa pellets?
Been trying to put some weight on one of my heavy-milking Saanens. Been top dressing her 16% goat feed with rice bran and BOSS and just bought a few bags of Alfalfa pellets for her.
She's about 135 lbs. and nursing two kids (just sold one kid yesterday).
How much Alfalfa pellets should I give her? She has 24/7 access to a mixed grass hay.
Just enough for X minutes of chow-time? By measure? Or free-choice all the time?
And, is there anyone who feeds strictly alfalfa pellets instead of hay? How do you like that?
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I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson
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05/01/11, 09:53 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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Lots of folks feed alfalfa pellets instead of alfalfa hay to reduce the waste of goats' eating habits.
Start putting out a pound per goat per day and work up to three pounds per day per goat.
Easy squeezy.
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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05/01/11, 10:00 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The Beautiful Ozarks
Posts: 1,394
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Just the thought of a goat "not wasting" hay (or hay pellets) is a goat owner's dream come true.
But I'd have to feed them separately as there is a big dominance fight going on right now in addition to the fact I have two wethers that really don't need to be eating so "well". Not that I'm trying to be a bad goat owner, just trying to keep things from getting too expensive.
Right now I go and give the milkers / preggers a mid-day feeding of the alfalfa on the milk stand so there's no fighting.
__________________
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson
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05/01/11, 10:07 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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Gradually increase so that they don't clean it all up at once. They will learn that it will be out there 24/7 and get less frantic.
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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05/01/11, 10:26 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Redding California
Posts: 1,967
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I only feed my wethers and bucks grass hay... my milkers or pregnant or growing kids get alfalfa...
I used to feed only pellets when my goats were on browse most of the day, but currently I had to switch to hay because they are in a pen mostly now.
Also, add BOSS and/or beet pulp (either pellet or crushed). Sometimes you have to soak it for the goat to eat it.
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05/01/11, 11:05 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: northern Kentucky
Posts: 696
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They still need the roughage along with the Alfalfa pellets from my understanding.
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05/02/11, 05:06 AM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: oregon
Posts: 1,109
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I feed free choice alfalfa pellets to the milkers. They probably eat more than 5 lbs. a day each, but dont' seem to want much grain since they seem stuffed at milking time.
Last edited by Laverne; 05/02/11 at 10:52 PM.
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05/02/11, 09:56 AM
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II Corinthians 5:7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,102
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I do feed the pelleted alfalfa; however, it is not very well liked by my herd. I'm considering switching to another brand.
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05/02/11, 09:58 AM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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Yes, you have to experiment to find a brand they like. Picky critters. 
__________________
Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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05/02/11, 11:34 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,355
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So when you are group feeding, how do you feed the pellets? I'm considering switching to more pellets because my picky doe has decided she likes them better than the grain I'm giving her. I have three milkers and their kids in a pen, so a total of 7 goats. Should I try putting out one pound per milker, or one pound per goat? How much of the pellets do you think the growing kids eat? I see them eating them, so I want to account for that, but I am like the OP in that I don't really want to waste a bunch of money shoving alfalfa down a meat buckie.
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05/02/11, 01:59 PM
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Katie
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
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I feed my does' alfafa pellets twice a day. I use the 2 sided mineral type feeders from TSC & put them in there, I have 3 of them up in different places in the barn & 5 adult does' so I know everyone gets some.
My kids are nibbling on them too but I don't think they are really consuming all that much of them yet, they are some but not alot yet I don't think.
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05/02/11, 11:27 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,486
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I have pushy Alpines with big egos in a small area.
I feed Standlee Brand Alfalfa Pellets free choice. I have two feeders set up in the pen so everyone gets enough and fighting is rare. I usually fill the feeders up 1/2 way in the morning & fill again mid afternoon. Alfalfa is the biggest portion of their diet (though they do get free choice coastal hay & loose mineral). My standard alpine is currently milking a minium of 1 gallon per day, plus nursing her March kid 24/7 (I never separate them) and is only eating close to 2 1/2lbs of milk stand grain per day.. She maintains a decent body condition....even though I brought her home heavy bred & thin.
I have one long black goat trough from TSC for alfalfa pellets & one of those sturdy feeders with the clips that attaches to the fence and I have them mounted 12'-15' apart so even the less dominant does get their fair share
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05/03/11, 01:39 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Standlee makes an awesome alfalfa pellet. I wouldn't buy anything else.
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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05/03/11, 07:55 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,486
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Minelson
Standlee makes an awesome alfalfa pellet. I wouldn't buy anything else. |
Agree 100%!
I've tried 2 other brands....both were very dusty.... I got almost a scoop of dust from the bottom of the bags...the goats hated them and prefered to eat coastal hay over the pellets! They love the Standlee brand though.
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05/03/11, 08:27 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,355
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In the past we fed the Merry Mixer pellets, and I thought the girls ate them o.k. This year, I bought a bag of Standlee and they went berserk over them! Then I was getting feed somewhere else and they only had the Merry Mixer stuff, so I bought some. They hated them, so we are back to Standlee. Honestly, compared to the other stuff, you can just tell the Standlee are better...bright green and sweet smelling, where the other stuff is kind of brownish.
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05/03/11, 10:11 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Booneville, Arkansas
Posts: 198
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I feed alfalfa pellets free choice for the very reason stated of no waste. Works great. Goats love them and are very healthy and look it. Brad
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05/03/11, 10:12 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: 1 hour south of STL, MO
Posts: 109
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Where can I find Standlee?? I have never seen it. I keep hearing that people say they are really good. I feed my girls alfalfa pellets all the time but it is not standlee.
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05/03/11, 10:14 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Govero Farms
Where can I find Standlee?? I have never seen it. I keep hearing that people say they are really good. I feed my girls alfalfa pellets all the time but it is not standlee.
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I get mine at either Bomgaars or Tractor Supply
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are
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05/03/11, 10:17 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: 1 hour south of STL, MO
Posts: 109
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Oh okay I can try to check at the Tractor Supply.. So I can see why they are better. LOL.
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05/03/11, 11:28 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: middle GA
Posts: 16,654
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I give free choice alfalfa pellets. My milkers get beet pulp and molasses on the milking stand. Mine also get hay and very little grain.
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