Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Hay and straw questions.  (Read 2203 times)

MILLSII3

  • Joined Mar 2015
Hay and straw questions.
« on: April 07, 2015, 11:17:58 am »
Hello again :wave:

I have a few questions I'd like you lovely people to hopefully answer. I googled a few of these but nothing will compare to the sound advice you all give  :thumbsup:

The pygmys will be arriving next week and having spent the last few weeks getting everything sorted I'm now buying hay and straw. I'll be buying the small conventional bales locally (hopefully) but I see a few different options such as this years hay, last years hay, haylage, barley straw, wheat straw. Just wondering if you could advise me on the best selection for pygmys. Thanks.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 12:25:26 pm by MILLSII3 »

honeyend

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: Hay and straw questions.
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2015, 01:25:45 pm »
I my experience goats are very picky about hay. You want nice green hay with a good sweet smell and if possible something from conservation grazing that has a variety of grasses and herbs. A lot of commercial hay is only made from rye grass varieties and is very uniform, it may be good hay but just not as palatable to goats. I would try a variety of suppliers and let the goat decide.

cuckoo

  • Joined Jan 2011
Re: Hay and straw questions.
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2015, 03:40:55 pm »
I would go for barley straw - mine eat it and I use it for bedding. In terms of hay - small bales - this years or lasts would be fine (but not within a month or so of being cut) - as long as it is not dusty or mouldy and smells ok they should eat it.  Mine also do eat barley straw but waste a lot more than hay and it is not as nutritious as hay. I would keep away from haylage as you wont be able to use it quickly enough I don't think. Wheat straw is not as soft as barley straw.

Buffy the eggs layer

  • Joined Jun 2010
Re: Hay and straw questions.
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2015, 05:17:18 pm »
The nutritional value of hay reduces over time. How much it reduces depends on the quality of the grasses and herbage in it in the first place and how well it id stored. So some good hay from last year could be as good if not better than poorer quality from this year. Equally good quality barly straw could be as good as poor quality hay.


Hay taken from enviromenlal sites will not have been sprayed or treated however in the interests of preserving wildlife this hay cannot always be harvested at the optimum time and can contain high proportions of reeds in the case of ings or wetland hay.
The type of bales that you describe ( what I would call horse bales cos I used to keep horses) cost about £3 to £4 a bale dependant on quality and although they work out dearer than larger bales you can at least buy a couple from a few suppliers and cut them open to check.


Large wrapped bales retain their nutrition longer but may take you that long to get through that soe of the benefits are lost and Haylege keeps best of all as long as its well wrapped.


Avoid hay which is damp, mouldy or dusty, hard and stalky, has dried ragwort in it or is so old and dry that it dosent smell of anything.


We only got one hay crop last year and there was lots of it. The mild winter will mean that lots of people will need to move on what they have in order to store this years hay ( again probably only one harvest). If you buy from someone reputable and / or who analysis their hay you could confidently take last years bales for a cheaper price.

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Hay and straw questions.
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2015, 09:02:29 am »
I agree with all that's been said, and  you will learn from experience what the goats will eat and what is a waste of time.
But as with anything, do your research to find out the basics (as you have done here.) and then go with your instinct and common sense. So don't commit yourself to a load of hay just because it's cheap. Just buy a couple of bales, or better still just one, to try it, and the goats will tell you if it's ok or not. As mentioned, they will go for fine hay with a lovely smell - and if it doesn't smell attractive to you then it won't to them.
As for straw - for bedding it doesn't really matter so long as again it smells ok.
I wouldn't bother with haylage. As mentioned - a large bale will go off before you use it and a small bale will be extremely expensive. And as pigmies are basically non productive animals - producing neither milk nor meat on a commercial basis - you would be buying extra nutients they don't need.
 
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS