We did it! We made Silage!

LFRJ · #1 10/19/11, 03:00 AM

Our vet came by to check on our experiment and deemed our barrel full to be acceptable for consumption! Since we can't always dry hay, this gives us another option for growing our own feed....But Ugggh! The SMELL! Like sour kraut made from shredded gym socks! I imagine it could give you two or three stomach aches!

As for appetizing to our goats, our rough and ready Kikos would have nothing to do with it, but surprisingly, the Kinder crew - our pampered princess league went back for seconds! Go figure.

suzyhomemaker09 · #2 10/19/11, 08:37 AM

All I can think is that you should be very careful with it.....

**mygoat** · #3 10/19/11, 10:04 AM

Sounds interesting! I'd like to know how they do on it. Lately in my nutrition class I notice how 'crazy' us goat people are about feeding the goats. Certain authorities in the community feed one way, and then it's assumed that's the ONLY way and all other ways are WRONG.

When I fed sweet hay (not quite as moist as baleage, but still fermented), they balked at first probably because of the beery smell. After a short time they began hogging it down.

You do have to be careful, as at least with baleage there is an issue with clostridium that can develop. This is less so with sweet hay, which is fairly low in moisture. It is also almost non-problematic in cold weather, at least if you feed at a reasonable rate. Not sure if it's the same with silage. But as a general rule, silage is very stable and can be used sometimes up to 2 years after initially made.

oz in SC V2.0 · #4 10/19/11, 10:10 AM

What was it made from?

When we are much more established,I would like to grow mangels or some such veggie for feed,makes more sense than hay to me.

HappyFarmer · #5 10/19/11, 06:35 PM

Here's a link:

http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/issu...ohn_Hibma.html

As long as it's handled properly it can be a good feed source, however I've read many warnings against feeding it to goats. I guess the toxins & bacteria can get out of control & become deadly. How would you know without testing?

Hay works for us. I'd be interested in knowing how well your goats do on the silage though, it is interesting stuff.

HF

LFRJ · #6 10/19/11, 08:13 PM

Thanks Happy farmer! I'll be reading that article thoroughly! We're feeding it very conservatively, more as a treat or supplement. Certainly not as a bulk food item. They sure are slurping it up though! Crazy how they've taken a liking to it. The vet will be coming by to take core samples for testing sometime this week.

Hay works for us too, but it's getting harder and harder to dry it. We've simply not had enough hot days to dry it thoroughly. In this misty weather, even a hay rack doesn't work well. I would spend days hacking down our mini pasture with a scythe (just to keep it from getting out of control) and then just watch it rot in a compost pile waiting for some sunshine. I hate the waste. We just bought our winter's supply of hay from east of the mountains. Over $350 for a ton (delivered), or $16 - $19 per bale. We try to grow some of own, but it's getting harder and harder.

Jyllie63 · #7 10/19/11, 08:38 PM

Silage makes me very nervous

I know of someone who fed it to his herd of 20 boer goats and found all 20 dead the next morning. It could have been a case of too much of a good thing I guess.

boundarybunnyco · #8 10/19/11, 09:39 PM

holy #%&$..........where do you live? I'm having a ton of alfalfa/grass hay DELIVERED on friday. 100 dollars.

Donna1982 · #9 10/19/11, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boundarybunnyco

holy #%&$..........where do you live? I'm having a ton of alfalfa/grass hay DELIVERED on friday. 100 dollars.

Oh that makes me very sad. One square bale cost 100 bucks here.

lonelyfarmgirl · #10 10/19/11, 10:35 PM

350 a ton is insane. I think I would cry. We gave our goats some ryelage that we were feeding the cows last winter. They loved it, but I only gave the group of a dozen maybe a 5 gallon bucket a day.

Creamers · #11 10/19/11, 10:36 PM

I hope you have good luck with it.

HappyFarmer · #12 10/20/11, 05:35 AM

How much you are feeding is irrelevant. It's the toxins in what you are feeding that can be the problem and some are dangerous if present others if present over a certain amount. Noone can look at your silage and determine if it is safe.

Salmonella is more of a problem in dry items/environment, Lysteria in wet items/environment though either can be present in either.
I'm not trying to discourage you or speak ill of silage, just trying to share the little I do know on the subject.

I'll send you some analysis comparison numbers later today.

HF

LFRJ · #13 10/20/11, 01:13 PM

Thanks again, HF. I'll look for this. Feel free to PM if you wish.

So far the dairy goats like it, the meat goat's don't. There was an Austrian homesteader down the road who made silage (haylage the proper term) every year. He fed it to his goats and sheep with no problems. Unhappy with America, he moved back to Austria before he could teach us. The entire project has been labeled an experiment. We have plenty hay now, (I should have mentioned the expensive hay delivery was for 4th cutting alfalfa, but still pricey). All we really wanted to know was whether or not it could be done and if the goats would eat it. It's an option now, and at least if we ever need to, we know how to make it, what it's supposed to look like and smell like. We're lucky our vet is interested in helping to educate us. I wasn't fortunate enough to grow up on a farm in the 40's when it was a staple.

I still regret mowing a field and watching the grass rot despite our efforts to dry it. Moldy hay is no better feed.

HappyFarmer · #14 10/20/11, 06:28 PM

PM sent.

**mygoat** · #15 10/20/11, 06:43 PM

haylage/silage are two different things. Silage = corn stalks, haylage is fermented hay. Usually alfalfa.

RectorFlyer · #16 10/21/11, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFRJ

Our vet came by to check on our experiment and deemed our barrel full to be acceptable for consumption! Since we can't always dry hay, this gives us another option for growing our own feed....But Ugggh! The SMELL! Like sour kraut made from shredded gym socks! I imagine it could give you two or three stomach aches!

As for appetizing to our goats, our rough and ready Kikos would have nothing to do with it, but surprisingly, the Kinder crew - our pampered princess league went back for seconds! Go figure.

Can you post your process and receipe?

Also, keep us posted on how the progress using this feed.

Thanks