Had to try something as even with hay feeders the goats are really wasting alot. So I have switched them to alfalfa cubes(break them up a bit).What I am wondering is do they stilllneed a long stem hay or can I feed them just the alfalfa cubes? Donna
http://www.nwinfo.net/~milkmaid/ Try this link, it's a wonderful one on tube feeding, ligiments and also on alfalfa pellet feeding. It's what I do. I don't want to sit around breaking up cubes, and know if I put them out whole they play with them But the alfalfa pellets work wonderful, the only grain I feed is on the milkstand. The long stem fiber information......if you ever get the chance to butcher one of your animals, open it's rumen. Notice the length of fiber in the rumen and cud, it is like 1/4 inch grass clippings, a bright green, and it looks exactly like alfalfa pellets! I do feed a nice clean grass hay during the winter, which is mostly eaten when the girls can't get out into the woods to eat. My girls eat between 2 and 4 pounds each of the pellets, kept out 24/7 with their minerals. When I do dry the does up in December they will get 2 pounds each once a day, plus grass hay if they want it (last year I didn't even go through one 50 pound bale a week with 25 goats), since they came out of kidding a little heavier than I wanted. Make any changes slowly. Vicki
I feed cubes as well a pellets...which ever is cheaper at the time. What I love about pellets is I can put them in a hog feeder to dispense. It works great! Cubes on the other hand can't be dispensed. I don't break up the cubes for the goats, they have no trouble eating them. The kids do have a problem but then I feed then alfalfa in a creep feeder and pellets. Right now Cubes are #50 bag is $5.13 a bag pellets are #50 bag has gone up to $6.99 1 ton of cubes is $140 and pellets is $170.
Thanks for the info.So far I like feeding the cubes,I do leave some hay in the feeder and theyare not eating much of it.I do notice some cubes on the ground,don't know if they were too big and they spit out or if they were playing with them. Not much tho compared to all the hay that use to be thrown about.I may try the pellets too just to see what works better. Where are you located that cubes are only $5 and pellets $7? I am in Wi.,and cubes are $9 and pellets are $8.Of course in Wi.,we have access to lots of Alfalfa hay but wasn't worth feeding it as the waste and clean up was too much! Donna
