Hay?

[Ru2hunt]

I am new to dairy goats and wondering about what hay is good for milk goats? I been looking at buying some square bales in my area "Alabama" and mostly finding Bermuda...is that a good choice to give them? I have also seen fescue and fescue and orchard mix? Thanks

[southerngurl]

The best hay is alfalfa, because it is high in protein and has a very high calcium to phosphorus ratio. However, other legumes (clovers, vetches, lespedeza...) can fit this bill too. In your area, I'd see if you can find some perennial peanut hay. It's comparable and I understand goat's LOVE it and will milk well on it. Otherwise, you can feed the grass hays and supplement alfalfa pellets- the usual guideline is 3 lbs per doe per day...you don't want them eating more grain than alfalfa pellets, for sure. Similarly, you can feed half grass hay and half alfalfa/legume hay. I prefer to feed this way when I have access to good alfalfa hay.

Grain has an "inverted" calcium to phosphorus ratio, more phosphorus than calcium which we don't want. The legume hays balance that for us in a highly absorbable, forage form.

If you feed a high quality hay like this and feed a high quality loose mineral, you don't have to buy the higher protein dairy rations. Your grain is mainly about carbs, energy, to keep the girls milking and in good flesh. I just feed whole oats or oats with molasses.

Goats will like the fescue and orchard grasses better than bermuda. Especially orchard. Fescue is one that you have to watch out the endophyte fungus, although our pasture has plenty of it and the girls eat it and never had a problem.