Can Goats Eat Horse Hay Pellets?

Horse feed is designed only to meet the needs of horses. Goats require specific amounts of nutrients in their diet and horse feed does not appropriately provide them. For the goat’s best nutritional needs, always purchase goat feeds or pellets.

What is the best hay to feed goats?

Any type of grass hay, including Timothy, Bermuda, and Teff, is ideal for the average adult goat, provided it’s of good quality and free from any mold and debris. Young kids that have weaned do better on a mixture of grass and legume hay, such as alfalfa or clover.

How much pellets should a goat eat?

If you have growing kids and goats, you will want to feed each goat one to two pounds of Organic Goat Feed pellets daily. For a lactating goat, feed one pound of the pellets daily for every three pounds of milk produced. If you have gestating goats, feed one and a half to two pounds of these pellets per goat per day.

Can you feed goats alfalfa?

Alfalfa hay is also popular for feeding goats and has more protein, vitamins, and minerals than grass hays, typically. It can be a good choice for feeding milking goats as it has more protein, energy and calcium. Early to mid-winter is a time when does should be in early pregnancy.

Can wethers have alfalfa pellets?

Wethers: We recommend good quality orchard grass hay. If you feed a mixed hay of orchard grass and alfalfa, alfalfa should not exceed 10% as alfalfa is thought to contribute to the potential for urinary calculi (blocking).

What should you not feed a goat?

But, just like other animals, goats shouldn’t consume things like garlic, onion, chocolate or any source of caffeine, to name a few. Although most goats wouldn’t eat leftover meat scraps, they shouldn’t be offered them either. Citrus fruits should also be avoided, as they can really upset the rumen.

Can goats eat horse feed?

While it is possible to feed horse feed to your goats, it is not recommended. Horses and goats have different dietary needs. Horse feed is designed only to meet the needs of horses. Goats require specific amounts of nutrients in their diet and horse feed does not appropriately provide them.

Can goats eat hay pellets?

Since the pellets look similar to goat feed, a lot of people equate them with grain and think they need to limit the amount their goats eat. As long as your goats are eating some long-stemmed hay, either in the form of pasture, browse or baled hay, they can eat as much as they want of hay pellets.

Can goats eat horse alfalfa pellets?

Yes, goats can eat alfalfa and it is excellent for their overall health. Alfalfa can feature as a regular staple in a goat’s diet and will supply a wide variety of vitamins and minerals with plenty of protein. Alfalfa can be fed to goats as sprouts or as a component in dried feed or pellets.

Do goats need hay at night?

Goats will need hay at night especially during cold nights because they usually munch on their hay to generate their own heat and stay warm. They also need constant access to hay during rainy nights.

Can alfalfa pellets cause bloat in goats?

So, when put on pasture a goat will resort to eating grass; however, if too much is consumed at once it can overwhelm the bacteria in the rumen. Rich foods such as grain or alfalfa can have the same effect: the fermentation gases will build up, and in severe cases can cause bloat.

Can goats eat too much alfalfa pellets?

Problems with Hay
However, a diet of nothing but alfalfa diet is “too much of a good thing.” By itself, alfalfa is too high in calcium and protein for healthy goats and should be limited to sick, pregnant, or debilitated animals.

What do you feed wether goats in the winter?

During the winter, goats need more energy to help maintain body temperature. They will also need roughage which can be supplied in grass, alfalfa, or mixed hay. Alfalfa hay can be a great source of both energy and protein, although care should be taken when feeding bucks and wethers because of urinary calculi.

What is the best bedding for goats in the winter?

Straw
Bedding for Your Goats in Winter
But in winter, you should be bedding down your barns and stalls to help keep your goats warm. Straw is usually the best for this purpose. Your goats will also lose hay and use the wasted, dropped hay on the ground as bedding.

Do goats need a salt lick?

Whether you’re raising goats for meat or milk, they need salt to help maintain healthy appetite and body weight. The right minerals are also essential for muscle, nerve and immune system functions and for sound reproductive health.

Do goats need winter blankets?

When it’s hot and dry, goats will happily lay out in the sun, stretching on the dirt or grass quite contently without the need for any kind of ‘bed’. But in the winter as well as being offered all their various ad-lib hay, plenty of fluffy, thick bedding should be used.

How do you fix hay belly in goats?

Whether you are seeing hay belly in your dairy goats, young goats, or meat goats, the remedy is almost always the same: Reduce the amount of hay the goats are consuming and slowly introduce them to other types of feed. Make sure that the affected goats get to go out to pasture a lot more to increase their workout rate.

Why is my goats belly so bloated?

Bloat is the symptom that occurs when a ruminant animal cannot burp. The rumen produces a lot of gas from the fermentation of food, and goats (as well as all other ruminants) normally get rid of this gas by belching. If something blocks the escape of gas from the rumen, the rumen will begin to expand.

What happens if goats eat too much hay?

Goats can get something called bloat if overfed, and it can kill a goat in less than 24 hours. Another problem goats can get from being overfed is scours, or diarrhea.

Do goats need high quality hay?

The short answer is GOOD hay. Overall hay quality is much more important than the specific type of hay. Goats, being ruminants, thrive on forages. The rumen houses microbes that ultimately feed on these forages.

Do goats eat alfalfa or timothy hay?

In general, you’ll find that leafier hays tend to have much more nutrition than “stemmier” ones. Alfalfa is one of the most nutritious options for goats. Clover is another option, as is timothy, meadow grass, and fescue.