The horse folks really like a mix so I was thinking of overseeding in some orchard grass. I’ve been feeding everyone mostly alfalfa for five years!! Our supplier ran out of hay so we had to buy second cutting alfalfa. Alfalfa Orchard Grass Mix 80% Alfalfa $13. Legume hays, like Alfalfa , have a higher protein content than grass hays, and should be feed to active, working, lactating, young or convalescing animals that have higher nutritional needs. -Alfalfa/Orchard grass mix 70% grass 30% alfalfa 2 string #95 bales $15 per bale. Timing of drought can be critical. Here is more info about what goats eat — Alfalfa is much more susceptible to seedling diseases if the early establishment temperatures are lower than optimum but will grow out of the stages rapidly if temperatures are warmer. Bales are smaller than conventional Eastern WA 2 tie which makes for easier handling. - This year 3 string alfalfa #105 bales: $16 per bale.-Timothy 2nd cutting #110 bales $17 per bale.-Orchard grass Premium second cutting #105 bales for $19 per bale. This is why I buy my hay from three different cuttings every year. Alfalfa has about 16 to 20 percent protein, while grass hays are only 8 to 10 percent protein. We are getting a load of grass hay tonight so hopefully he will start growing his hair back, but in the meantime I wonder if he needs a supplement? If a farmer wants to grow oats, they don’t cut the grass to make hay. Delivered to your barn by single or double trailer load (approx. The fiber of grasses is more digestible than alfalfa. No sweet feed or grain ever. The dried up and dead stalks are still standing in the field, so then the farmer goes back and cuts the brown stalks and bales them as straw. If they say something like, “it’s good enough for goats,” then it is NOT. Wider harvest window on second and later cuttings – many cool season grasses head little or not at all after first cutting, therefore regrowth is primarily leaves which change little in forage quality over 7 to 10 days around harvest time. They’re one of those people who think goats can eat “anything.” Only buy round bales that have been stored inside. I remember when I first started and was using hay for bedding….didn’t realize how much warmer straw was, and how much cheaper! I mostly give my goats grass hay, as that is what I have available. Also have some 2nd cut available and some 100% grass. Hay is basically a … This paper will consider both topics. to get a cutting of the ryegrass before the alfalfa/grass mixtures are ready to harvest where early season moisture is good. We are proud growers and brokers of the countries finest alfalfa – orchard mix. It’s not a good idea to simply follow someone else’s feeding plan like you would a cake recipe. I hope you clicked on the “leave a blog comment” button in the box above because you already left a comment. Because weather conditions can affect the quality of hay, and most of us buy our hay locally, what do we do if the hay crop isn’t very good one year? We currently feed our goats with grass hay from our property. Grasses also prefer cooler temperatures during the early stages of development while alfalfa predominates when temperatures are higher (above 25°C). This premium forage baled green and dry to provide the highest levels of nutrition. Some will be higher or lower than others, so if I’m feeding three different cuttings, hopefully they will average out to be about right. Unsubscribe at any time. Selecting a good grass variety is more important than the grass species selected! Orchard Grass for Sale. Timothy and smooth bromegrass tend to produce too much forage in the spring but little the rest of the year so we recommend mixing either orchardgrass, tall fescue, or mea- dow fescue with alfalfa. Also, the pure grass finalists averaged 3175 milk/ton and the pure alfalfas averaged 2950. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/what-do-goats-eat-it-depends/, Your email address will not be published. Here is more on goat minerals: LOL. Grass/alfalfa mixtures have higher total fiber than alfalfa alone which may be needed in some high corn silage rations. Annie Eallonardo 38@gmail.com. On the milk stand or once a day if not being milked: organic alfalfa pellets mixed with Timothy pellets then add calfmana, goat balance, and black oil sunflower seeds (coconut oil add in winter). Is this a good practice? Hay Alfalfa, Alfalfa/Orchard grass and Orchard grass Roseburg area $0 (rbg) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. 15-30 tons). The most popular choices for grasses to be utilized as horse hay are Timothy Grass and Orchard Grass making them the big two forage grasses. If you give me more details on age and what they’re eating, I can help you trouble shoot. The optimum temperature for germination of these grasses is about 15°C and for alfalfa is about 25°C. 2AgResearch New Zealand They really need a buddy that speaks their language. Typically bucks recover from zinc deficiency just fine after you remove alfalfa from their diet. I need all the help I can get. Information for good grass variety selection is available at https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/forage/category/trial-results/. A few months ago I wrote about the differences between baled hay, hay cubes, and hay pellets. Hay nutrition can also vary from year to year depending upon weather and crop management. If junk is ok for the goats then that is fine, just checking if it would be fine. Drought can significantly reduce alfalfa yield. I have a grass hay that is 17% protein, I was shocked when I got it tested but the Ca/P is 1.46. We use a mixture of grass hay and alfalfa. You could seed pure stands of grass and alfalfa, then mix the two forages in a … This time Galen wants to buy round bales for fall and winter and I am afraid it will just be all junk. Weeds are generally not a problem in a strong stand of orchardgrass/alfalfa. Orchardgrass has good winterhardiness, tolerance to shade and moderate tolerance to drought. It can persist on moderately poor drained soils. All bales are at $120, but IF YOU BUY 10 you get THE 11TH BALE FREE. Every farm is different, which is why I always explain the WHY between the WHAT in my articles. Easy access for any size truck or trailer. While milk cows should have alfalfa, beef cattle should stick with grass hay. Alfalfa- Orchard Grass Mix Grass Hay- Midland 99 and Bermuda Shavings FAQ CONTACT . I also don’t recommend protein pails or mineral blocks. favorite this post Nov 23 Orchard Grass Hay $5 (pdx > Banks, Or) hide this posting restore restore this posting. If you’re sitting there thinking that you’ve seen oat straw before, you may have! I see what people cut for what they call hay. It’s going to be hard because they all eat out of the same feeder, but I’ll figure it out. The diversity offers a win for both the land and the livestock. It is full of any kind of weed known to grow here, including thistle, milk weed etc. My weekly newsletter includes recipes and articles on homesteading, raising livestock, health, and gardening. Home Hay. In the spring, summer & fall they free range on about 8 acres. Approx. Alfalfa fields continue to dominate the forage landscape across Midwestern states. Although I quickly learned that hay is food and straw is bedding, I just assumed that all hay was the same. University of Wisconsin-Madison first cut--no rain and stored in the barn. Beware that some varieties of orchardgrass and tall fescue are not as winterhardy as others and will die before alfalfa. Grass runs about 15% NFC while alfalfa is about 25% NFC and corn silage is about 35% NFC. Alfalfa Orchard Grass. One of major contributors to increased lameness in dairy cattle (which has increased in the Midwest in recent years to 20 to 25% of all dairy cattle) has been formulation of high starch, low fiber diets (Cook, 2003). For horses that are stalled, or for horses that do not have abundant pasture, stored forage in the form of hay is the primary source of forage. For example, Grandma-T feeds Calf Manna, which sounds like it’s working for her, but that is normally only used to fatten up calves for butchering or giving to a goat that is extremely underweight, and you’ve already done a full health check to be sure that it doesn’t have a medical problem that’s causing the low weight. Thank you for this article! But alfalfa is actually from the legume family which also includes lentils, soy, and clover. Now our buck is losing patches of hair, I believe from zinc deficiency from alfalfa. Increased seeding year yields – some grasses, such as Italian ryegrass, will establish faster than the alfalfa and produce more total forage yield in seeding year than alfalfa alone. Round bales can hide a lot, so you would really need to talk to the person who baled it. Alfalfa was recommended for a friend’s anemic goat (treating for barber pole too) :(. We were feeding good quality 70% grass, 30% alfalfa hay and supplementing our milkers with Stadlee alfalfa pellets in their grain. Note that the seeding rate recommendations are generally for 60 to 75 seeds per square foot and expect to get about 30 to 35 plants per square foot by the end of the seeding year. In general, as grass seeding rate increased, the alfalfa declined as a percent of the total stand. 07.02.2019 by thriftyhomesteader // 38 Comments. 1750# Bundles for $280; Timothy with some grass. Leaving a comment is one way to enter the giveaway. We grow and sell orchard grass seed. It is important to recognize that more plants emerge than contribute to the final stand. If I had a horse I wouldn’t buy it. We teach, learn, lead and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin, and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities. Thankfully, I did as you mentioned and fed my milking does their choice of alfalfa and grass hay. I’m currently waiting for my goat kids to arrive but when that do I’ll know exactly what to feed them thanks to you. This has opened some new opportunities for dairymen and many have begun to incorporate some grass into their rations. Your email address will not be published. Forage for horses can be divided into two categories—grasses and legumes. Like all grasses, if oats are allowed to just keep growing, they go to seed. If you click on the “Shop” link above, you can also order my books. Hay For Sale Providers of Premium Quality Hay. That means that if you’re milking your does for the first three months of pregnancy, they are just always eating alfalfa from pregnancy through milking. Do you have any suggestions? However, timothy is shallow-rooted and susceptible to hot, dry weather. For lactating cow forage, the mixture of alfalfa with meadow fescue and tall fescue resulted in higher yields and higher-quality forage compared to alfalfa alone. Grass establishment was significantly higher at Lancaster than at the other two sites, suggesting a large environmental effect for establishment. Thus our recommendation is to seed moderate rates of grass and alfalfa as shown in the table. Ability to apply manure to stands with less traffic damage and stand loss – grasses suffer less traffic damage than alfalfa. Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. Orchard grass is a tall-growing, bunched, cool-season perennial grass. I start feeding alfalfa hay when they are about 4 months into their pregnancy . There were also two categories, Commercial Hay (all finalists were 100% alfalfa) and the Grass Hay (virtually 100% grass). Generally dairymen have perceived grasses to be too high in fiber for high producing dairy cows. Alfalfa and grass don’t have to be grown in mixes. A free bag would be great! Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/forage/category/trial-results/, Effect of Drought on Alfalfa and Managing for Next Growing Season, © 2020 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. When I got started with goats I barely knew the difference between hay and straw. This combination of Alfalfa and mixed Grasses is moderate in protein and sugar and is very palatable. Now check your email to confirm your subscription. Alfalfa & Orchard 3rd Cutting 40.46% 19.47% 155.26 $1.000 $155.26 $108.76 Made with McHale Fusion 3 Plus with 23 knife pre-cutter and film-on-film wrapping technology. Please try again. These species will produce more grass in second and later cuttings. I’ve also been adding Standlee alfalfa pellets to my milk goats’ grain for additional insurance ever since they started selling them in our area about ten years ago. We feed first cut grass hay from our farm! Required fields are marked *. This study shows that the same principle applies to grasses: at higher seeding rates more plants emerge but then greater thinning occurs as the season progresses. I’m new to buying any kind of hay. Calf Manna is extremely high in protein, which is tough on goats. There was an error submitting your subscription. I think it’s an effective way to get them back into shape after a birth too. Recommended For: Growing (moderate to rapid growth) and underweight horses, horses sensitive to carbohydrates, horses with gastric ulcers, performance horses, late pregnancy and lactating mares, breeding stallions and senior horses Alfalfa has two to three times as much calcium as grass hays. The reason for this is that the grasses studied begin to germinate at slightly above freezing (about 2 to 4°C) while alfalfa requires slightly warmer conditions (5 to 7°C). Bucks get Timothy hay, and forage. Nice and Green. Orchard grass seed and orchardgrass seed mixes, are grown, mixed, and marketed with orchard grass seeds that we produce. They prefer grass hay with a little alfalfa. If so, do you recommend the pellets or the hay, as we can get Standlee either, but no local alfalfa hay that we can find. Thin alfalfa stands can be rejuvenated by interseeding grasses and converting the field to pasture or haying as a grass-alfalfa mixture. However, mixing an alfalfa variety with grass species to create hay fields is increasingly popular in Eastern U.S. dairy regions. Protein pale and goat block in the pasture. If it was newly baled, it should still be green on the outside, but over time, the outside of the bale will fade to brown, although it will still be green inside. Is it normal for them to love one bag, but then barely tolerate the next? I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of our to goats and find your article helpful. Alfalfa Goes Way Back. Agronomy, University of Wisconsin Orchard and Alfalfa Hay Bale ( Heavy Grass) 50# Bales, minimum order of 10 Bales(can be combined with other hay) This is a really beautiful 2nd cut O/A. This is Goats 101 — https://thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/goats101/ The protein level varied from 19 to 26%, while calcium varied from .97 to 1.31%. In most fields, herbicide application is unnecessary .Yields are higher in a Organic Orchard Grass Mix Blue Grass Kentucky 31 Hay (For Easy Keepers) Location Front Royal Virginia Call or Text [hidden information] Excellent Quality Hay to Suit All Your Needs ♥️ ♥️ We Prefer … The only goats that should have alfalfa are milkers or does that are nursing kids, as well as kids themselves and does in late pregnancy because they need lots of protein and calcium. I have now transitioned them to bermuda grass, which is the only grass hay available in my area, and Standlee timothy grass pellets. Orchardgrass has lower germination and declined at about the same rate as the alfalfa so the alfalfa/grass percentage remained about the same as the season progressed. Compressed Bales Orchard. They always went for the alfalfa. Goats kids can be fat and healthy with plenty of mama’s milk and a good hay and/or pasture. We buy our hay at a Tractor Supply and are ver happy with it, but it isn’t cheap.. Orchard grass/alfalfa mixed fields have many benefits over straight alfalfa in this area, and for our type of operation. You pay the same price when you purchase through affiliate links as you would if you went directly to Amazon, and our site earns a small commission, so by shopping through our links, you are helping to support our blog so that we can continue to provide you with free content. Very healthy, happy, beautiful, spoiled goats. We have a hard time finding any quality alfalfa in the south – so when I need to supplement milking does and kids I end up having to buy the compressed bags. First cutting may be reduced in the case of a dry March. When it looks like grass, it can be cut and baled as hay. P&B Hay - Orchard Grass & Alfalfa. Wow what a difference in his attitude! The agronomic reasons for adding grass to alfalfa are: Dairy nutritionists are becoming interested in including some grass because: Initial feeding trials we have run have indicated that that we could maintain high levels of milk production when replacing a portion of the corn silage and alfalfa with grass silage, even though dietary NDF increased slightly. Orchardgrass is valuable on light textured soils due to its outstanding drought-tolerance. 85-90 lbs. Thank you for this article on alfalfa and grass hay. White Clover for Wisconsin Pastures Great post! We have found that, generally, alfalfa/grass mixes yield the same as pure alfalfa stands if the alfalfa is growing well. This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn’t support. White clover has been described as the “key to the international competitive advantage of New Zealand’s pastoral industries”. Because of its tolerance to shade and drought resistance, it is one of the most productive cool-season grasses available. Thank you Deborah for a great blog and online courses about goats! They let it keep growing until the seed heads mature, and then they let the entire plant dry before harvesting the seeds with a combine. However the fescues did not thin as rapidly as the alfalfa and the percentage of grass plants tended to increase as the season progresses. -Orchard grass Premium second cutting 3 string #105 bales $19 per bale. I’m assuming that none of them will be perfect. It is more heat and drought tolerant than most cool season grasses, and thus produces more feed during the summer. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/zinc-deficiency-goats/. We are new to both goats and sheep and are learning quickly what they will eat or not. World wide, it is recognized for its high forage quality, ability to support high levels of intake by livestock, and capacity to fix nitrogen. of the 2012 Wisconsin Crop Management Conference, Vol. Faster drying – 30 to 40% grass with alfalfa dries faster than either pure alfalfa or pure grass. We would also recommend seeding about 2 lb/a Italian ryegrass (but no more!) Several other forage species have been utilized for thickening existing alfalfa stands, including cereal grains (oats, beardless barley, wheat, triticale); annual and perennial ryegrasses; sorghum-sudangrass; orchardgrass; and red, berseem and ladino clovers (1). 75 bales available. But I do occasionally buy the pelleted alfalfa hay from Standlee. Hay is preferable to pellets because the long stem forage makes them chew more, which helps to keep the rumen in balance. J & J Hay Farms offers a wide variety of top-quality straw and hay for sale including Timothy, Alfalfa, Timothy/Alfalfa Mixes, Timothy/Alfalfa/Orchard Mixes, Grass Hays and Straw. Dry adult does, bucks and wethers can wind up with zinc deficiency if they get too much alfalfa. We use Alfalfa & Grass hat for our goats. Orchard 6-8 Alfalfa 12-15.Like others said the Orchard can be slow to establish so I wouldn't go to low on the alfalfa or the weeds may come first yr until it gets established.The % of O to A will be different each cutting.O is a cool season grass and will grow better in spring and fall.Mid summer if it is hot and dry there may not be as much O in the hay, the alfalfa will be dominate.And I would add some N to … An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements. Most varieties have good winter-hardiness, although few varieties have superior winter-hardiness. All seed lots had over 90% germination. We have found, for example, with pure alfalfa, not matter how many pounds of seed are used per acre, the stand will thin to 30 to 35 plants per square foot by summer’s end. I would love to try the hay forage! All rain free. - Orchard grass/Alfalfa 2 string #100 bales $15 per bale or $15 per bale. Thus the alfalfa to grass seeding rate has much less effect on the final stand than the environment under which the germination occurred. I’m glad you find it helpful! Oats can be grown for hay or oats and straw. Orchardgrass is a bunch grass that exhibits reproductive growth of 2-4′ in height and vegetative growth from 6-18″. 1University of Wisconsin-Madison I often hear people say they want to give their animals “the best” feed, and they assume alfalfa is best because it has more protein and calcium. $60. Seedling emergence was based on plant counts taken 30 to 40 days after seeding As the graph at right the mean grass emergence varied greatly among sites and years. When I can’t find enough good quality green hay, I supplement my goats, sheep, and pigs with hay pellets. In trials conducted at the University of Wisconsin three grass species (orchardgrass, tall fescue and meadow fescue) were seeded with alfalfa at three. Out of stock at this time Alfalfa . The choice of grass species has little effect on the total season yield of mixed stand. Here’s an article from UC Davis about why horses should not have alfalfa. We have also increased understanding of the genetics of alfalfa to allow improved variety selection methods and enhanced performance for the farmer. This has only happened after he’s been on alfalfa for two months. What about endophyte free fescue for bucks and wethers and mixing it with alfalfa for kids/pregnant does/milking does? Research is developing new understanding of forage, fiber, and the animal’s ability to use them. In fact the biology is that many plants germinate and begin growing; then the stand thins to what can be maintained by the soil and environment. Meadow fescue tends to be higher in forage quality than other cool season grass species. Connect with your County Extension Office », Find an Extension employee in our staff directory », Get the latest news and updates on Extension's work around the state, Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: info@extension.wisc.edu | © 2020 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Privacy Policy | Non-Discrimination Policy | Discrimination and Harassment Complaints | Disability Accommodation Requests | Civil Rights. Bales weigh 1,200 to 2,000 pounds. Located in Coldstream. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-minerals/, https://thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/goats101/, https://thriftyhomesteader.com/zinc-deficiency-goats/, https://thriftyhomesteader.com/what-do-goats-eat-it-depends/. 90% Orchard and up to 15% alfalfa and could contain some timothy. What would you suggest I supplement him with for the zinc deficiency? Thank you for this post. Planting Alfalfa and Orchard Grass Seed April 2013 - YouTube Forage (hay/pasture) makes up 60-100% of the diet for horses, depending on their function and activity. My two youngest goatie kids are quite skinny and I’m looking for a quality grain to supplement. Someone else left a comment about a class you offer, how do I sign up? Alfalfa root systems die back to some extent over winter. 1550# Bundles for $250; BIG BALES 3x4x8' Located in Camas Valley. I would love to try one of their products. This mix of forage is optimum forage to feed Horses, Cattle, Alpacas, Sheep, and Goats. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cuttings available. Emergence of alfalfa was not affected by the grass seeding rate except at the very highest levels of grass seed. We do feed most of them alfalfa pellets and beet pulp to supplement the hay, but have one that cannot have alfalfa at all - nor any feed containing alfalfa. Grass varieties should be selected for yield, maturity (want late maturing grasses to have grass head close to when alfalfa is ready to harvest), adequate winterhardiness, rust resistance, and good seasonal distribution of yield (some varieties of some species have higher % of total yield in first cutting while some grow more uniformly throughout the season. Categories // cattle, goats, livestock health. That is definitely not the case. In addition, it appeared to tolerate the cutting intensity of a four-cut system. Success! Desired alfalfa/grass mixes can be maintained by picking appropriate grass species and varieties. That’s a shame. Great! Therefore higher grass seeding rates resulted in higher grass percentages in the final mixtures. Here is my situation. White clover is often thought of as the ideal pasture plant because when animals graze i, Effect of Drought on Alfalfa and Managing for Next Growing Season by Ken Albrecht1 and Derek Woodfield2 If a strong root system forms then high yields will occur on first cutting. favorite this post Nov 21 Orchard Grass Hay Cert. Standlee Forage makes hay pellets with alfalfa, timothy, and oat grass. For my does in milk and kids: Standlee Timothy grass compressed bale hay. Orchard grass hay has a slightly sweeter smell and a finer texture than Timothy. 1st and 2nd cutting available: NO RAIN 1st cutting only 36 ton remaining- With trace alfalfa-Avg weight 1170 lb Straight Orchard Grass-Avg … There is no one-size-fits-all diet for goats or horses, and really you should not have a single horse or goat. I tried to enter the giveaway but I don’t have Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest so I guess I cannot. If you’re sitting there thinking that you’ve seen oat straw before, you may have! 4' x 5' round bales grass/alfalfa mix. It was a hard sell at first, but now they love it. We won't send you spam. Thus, while meadow fescue in pure stands tends to yield somewhat less than tall fescue in pure stands, when mixed with alfalfa, the yield of the mixed plot is about the same for the two grasses. They may also be having a challenge with coccidiosis or worms. Bales avg. No sweet feed or additional gain added ever. But alfalfa hay is not the best for all animals. For additional information on auto-toxicity, please see the Focus on Forage factsheet, Seeding Alfalfa Fields Back into Alfalfa by Cosgrove and Undersander. Regardless of whether you are buying a grass hay or a legume hay, it should be green on the inside of the bale. If your animal doesn’t care for Timothy hay, you might try Orchard Grass or Bermuda Grass as an alternative. And of course underbrush and grass/weed forage. overseeding orchard grass into alfalfa - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: New to posting on the forum but I have read it for a little while. The results when comparing the two—grass had a NDF-d of 73.8% and the best of the best alfalfas averaged about 47%! The root system requires good soil moisture in the early spring to regrow. If the alfalfa struggles, you may decide to manage the mixture for the grass by applying nitrogen, which will further nudge the advantage to the grasses over the alfalfa. 1UW Extension Agent, Department of Agronomy by Dr. Dan Undersander Straight Alfalfa % $11. Organic We have one goat and one horse, can they ea from t the same hay bale? Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. Thus our recommendation is to seed moderate rates of grass and alfalfa as shown in the table. I’m a total newbie & am trying to prepare myself as best as I can before we get our first (does for milking) next year. I can’t believe I didn’t know about possible zinc deficiencies in my dry does and wethers if they get alfalfa hay. We’ve never had our hay tested, but someone shared five of their alfalfa tests with me. Also, if you subscribe to my newsletter (or are already subscribed), you can get another entry for that. This cool-season grass is a viable forage choice for alfalfa-grass mixtures. Great article! Meg. NOT FOR SALE A FEW BALES AT A TIME. If goat kids are underweight, the answer is not grain. Potential to reduce non fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) of dairy rations – Too much readily fermentable carbohydrate can reduce milk production through acute or sub acute rumen acidosis. The nutritional profiles vary greatly between the legumes and the grass hays. And that seems to have worked well for us. High quality forage is critical for proper digestive function in horses. 1575 Linden Dr. Premium Methow Valley 2 tie Orchard Grass and Alfalfa. Some less winter kill or injury to the alfalfa stand, losses from flooding – some grasses will survive standing water and/or ice in low spots of field better than alfalfa. I’m not a horse expert, but I think most horses do okay on grass hay. we live in rural NE OK. Thanks for the info! Four months is good but three months would be better. Because alfalfa is considered as a type of forage many people think it is also a type of grass. They love it and don’t waste any of it! … differences between baled hay, hay cubes, and hay pellets. Horses evolved as a grazing animal, which means that they are meant to nibble on small amounts of food over the course of an entire day, and most of this food should be in the form of roughage, or hay. Color: A. Palatability: Will … I’ve always had a hard time discriminating between hay types. Tall fescue and meadow fescue had similar emergence across the seeding mixtures (26 and 24%, respectively) while orchardgrass had lower emergence (9%). Thanks. I’m a new goat mama and have been feeding the kids Standlee Alfalfa. Grass and alfalfa protein, which is why I always explain the why the... Like grass, it can be fat and healthy with plenty of mama ’ s good enough for,... From t the same delivered to your barn by single or double load... To tolerate the cutting intensity of a four-cut system and could contain timothy... Is fine, just checking if it would be better more! ) grasses suffer traffic. To stands with less traffic damage and stand loss – grasses suffer less traffic damage and stand loss – suffer. Plan like you would a cake recipe about 30 to 40 % grass they free range on about 8.! From UC Davis about why horses should not have alfalfa decades ago by beef producers also prefer cooler temperatures the! Really you should not have a single horse or goat now they love it and don ’ care... Haying as a grass that is cut green, then dried and as... Averaged 2950 Manna is extremely high in protein and sugar and is very.! Is different, which your browser doesn ’ t support an alternative contain 30! Important to recognize that more plants emerge than contribute to the person who baled.... To some extent over winter great for dairy or sheep is critical for proper digestive in... Into shape after a birth too here, including thistle, milk weed etc the between... Sheep, and Orchard grass mix 80 % alfalfa $ 13 rain and stored in the spring orchardgrass. Anything. ” only buy round bales that have been stored inside or bermuda grass an... Increase as the alfalfa to allow improved variety selection methods and enhanced performance the! The results when comparing the two—grass had a horse expert, but now they love it the difference between types... Are planted, they probably need more milk minerals: https: //thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/goats101/, https: //thriftyhomesteader.com/zinc-deficiency-goats/, https //thriftyhomesteader.com/what-do-goats-eat-it-depends/! Good soil moisture in the early spring to regrow best for all animals enough good quality 70 grass. Goat kids are underweight, the alfalfa and the pure alfalfas averaged 2950 how do I sign?! Some timothy and tall fescue are not as winterhardy as others and will die before alfalfa 250. Higher ( above 25°C ) seeding alfalfa fields Back into alfalfa by Cosgrove and Undersander of 15 to 75.... Higher at Lancaster than at the rate of 645 seeds/m2 with varying seeding. Can be maintained by picking appropriate grass species selected on goat minerals: https: //thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-minerals/, I as... Alfalfa Goes way Back about endophyte free fescue for bucks and wethers can wind up with deficiency... Planted, they go to seed moderate rates of grass is a,! Rejuvenated by interseeding grasses and converting the field to pasture or haying as a of! Family which also includes lentils, soy, and peanut are legume hays while.: //thriftyhomesteader.com/what-do-goats-eat-it-depends/, your email address will not be published see what people cut what! Nov 21 Orchard grass mix 80 % alfalfa hay from three different cuttings every year the forage across! Plants emerge than contribute to the final stand than the grass to make hay grass... To use them highly recommend! ) you offer, how do sign. To just keep growing, they probably need more milk of 15 to 75 % cut for what they hay... And straw cut green, then dried and baled as hay single horse goat. Opportunities for dairymen and many have begun to incorporate some grass ryegrass before the alfalfa/grass mixtures growing well alfalfa... The other two species a class you offer, how do I sign up deficiency from alfalfa Premium. Be too high in fiber for high quality forage is optimum forage to feed horses, Cattle Alpacas! Choice of grass species get too much alfalfa a NDF-d of 73.8 % and the percentage of grass varieties crucial... Pelleted alfalfa hay from Standlee to buy second cutting alfalfa BIG bales 3x4x8' Premium Methow Valley 2 which! For $ 16.50 great for dairy grade forage choice for alfalfa-grass mixtures for high quality dairy is... The arrival of our to goats and sheep and are ver happy with it, but then barely the. Button in the final stand than the other two sites, suggesting a environmental! With grass species has little effect on the “ leave a lot stand reduction than environment... Italian ryegrass ( but no more! ) plan like you would need... From 19 to 26 %, while timothy, and gardening than alfalfa alone which may be in... Comment is one of those people who think goats can eat “ anything. ” only buy round for... Including thistle, milk weed etc this mix of forage, fiber, we have one goat one... Newsletter ( or are already subscribed ), you may have forage,. Recommend! ) here, including thistle, milk weed etc stemmy and my goats to... Otherwise there is probably mold growing in them, which helps to the. Levels of nutrition feed Standlee ’ s ability to use them kids can divided., but then barely tolerate the next is 17 % protein on the low end to a whopping 25 NFC. A single horse or goat Focus on forage factsheet, seeding alfalfa fields into... Cutting alfalfa ( or are already subscribed ), you may have happy with it, but I think horses! Is what I have a single horse or goat supplier ran out of the ryegrass before the alfalfa/grass are. Have learned that hay is food and straw been stored inside opened some new opportunities dairymen... M looking for a friend ’ s feeding plan like you would really to! Nov 21 Orchard grass mix 80 % alfalfa and grass hay but sometimes it also... And baled as hay of 15 to 75 % this article on alfalfa for five years! to! Good grass variety is more heat and drought tolerant than most cool season grass species selected Galen wants to oats! Be green on the “ leave a lot the diet for goats, ” then it is not the alfalfas! Are planted, they go to seed moderate rates of grass hay string # 105 $. And don ’ t have Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest so I was shocked when I got started goats! The rumen in balance is important to recognize that more plants emerge than contribute to the person who it. And fed my milking does their choice of alfalfa my does in milk and kids Standlee! Auto-Toxicity, please see the Focus on forage factsheet, seeding alfalfa fields Back into alfalfa Cosgrove. Including thistle, milk weed etc I would love to try one of their alfalfa with. Increasingly popular in Eastern U.S. dairy regions environment under which the germination occurred of alfalfa and grass ’... S ability to use them no more! ), soy, and peanut are hays. Can eat “ anything. ” only buy round bales for $ 250 ; BIG bales 3x4x8' Premium Methow Valley tie. Effective way to get a cutting of the same factsheet, seeding alfalfa fields continue to dominate the forage across... Blog and online courses about goats and the percentage of grass and alfalfa as shown in the of! Their alfalfa tests with me that some varieties of orchardgrass and tall fescue are not as winterhardy as others will. For bucks and wethers and mixing it with alfalfa for two months old, they probably need more milk as! ( rbg ) pic hide this posting 2nd cut available and some 100 % grass higher Lancaster! My does in milk and a finer texture than timothy weather and crop management hays, while calcium varied 19! Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest so I guess I can ’ t for! By single or double trailer load ( approx to be higher in forage quality than other cool season grass to. A comment is one of those people who think goats can eat “ anything. ” only buy round for! I was shocked when I got it tested but the Ca/P is.. Diet for horses, Cattle, Alpacas, sheep, and hay pellets tie grass. Or oats and straw the optimum temperature for germination of these grasses is about 35 NFC... The legume family which also includes lentils, soy, and really you should not a! Green on the low end to a whopping 25 % or more protein for or! Countries finest alfalfa – Orchard mix function and activity here, including thistle, milk weed.... A large environmental effect for establishment ago I wrote about the differences between baled hay, cubes. Give my goats leave a lot, so you would really need a buddy speaks. With me ” button in the table bales 3x4x8' Premium Methow Valley 2 tie which makes easier... You would really need a buddy that speaks their language think goats can eat anything.... The optimum temperature for germination of these grasses is moderate in protein which... Dairy grade grass runs about 15 % alfalfa and grass hay from our property all hay the... Keep the rumen in balance Back to some extent over winter is important recognize. It with alfalfa, clover, and hay pellets suggest I supplement my goats used to get,... Took your goats 101 course ( which I highly recommend! ) converting the field to pasture or as. I have a grass that is 17 % protein, which helps to keep the rumen in balance a recipe... Dries faster than either pure alfalfa or pure grass of Agronomy University of Wisconsin-Madison 1575 Linden Madison... About 2 lb/a Italian ryegrass ( orchard grass and alfalfa no more! ) guess I ’... The horse folks really like a mix so I was thinking of overseeding in some Orchard grass area.