The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: langdon on May 21, 2010, 12:56:02 pm

Title: hay or haylage
Post by: langdon on May 21, 2010, 12:56:02 pm
what do ye guys prefer to feed your goats?
was reading up that haylage has a lot of more benefits than hay. :goat:
Title: Re: hay or haylage
Post by: Roxy on May 21, 2010, 04:09:04 pm
Well, to me, it depends on the weather and what I get off my fields.  Good summer, hay, dodgy summer, haylage!!!

But, at this time of year, with this heat, the haylage once opened goes "off" quickly, at least hay you can use at your leisure.  Have to say, I do think the goats like haylage, but good meadow hay, with lots of herbs and grasses in, cannot be beaten for any animal.  I
Title: Re: hay or haylage
Post by: langdon on May 21, 2010, 04:32:02 pm
interesting,
they have been eating haylage for a while now and they love it,
do i have to keep an eye on how much of it they eat?
Title: Re: hay or haylage
Post by: Roxy on May 21, 2010, 06:15:04 pm
Well, the quality of the haylage is a deciding factor, as to how much they should eat. Haywise,  I would be happy for my goats to eat ad lib, as much as they want (within reason financially!)  But the haylage seems to fill them up, and they do not eat as much.  Like anything else, if its good quality hay or haylage it can pile on the weight, and we know what the good living does to Mollys udder, don't we?

How much haylage are you feeding - although I think you do not have your goats on any grass, do you?  If thats the case, they can stand a bit of haylage, as they need something to keep them happy during the day.