Of courses peas are of the legume family so that usually provides for an excellent nutrition source. The nutritional needs of goats will increase dramatically over the next several months, and addressing these needs is paramount for a successful kidding season. If not stored properly it can get moldy. In the summertime it’s fine to keep your goats on a dirt ground. The Austrian Pea is cheap at .29 per pound. Being overweight can lead to kidding issues (like pregnancy toxemia). Timothy. We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. Another seed I am trying is called Austrian Pea. ‘Off The Grid News’ is an independent, weekly email newsletter and website that is crammed full of practical information on living and surviving off the grid. The best way to judge is to see before you buy - does it smell sweet and look green? Many of these grasses withstand the snow and even a few days after a heavy snow begins to melt, will reappear. I think my best recommendation for planting oats is to allow a planted area about 1 year to fully grow. For making a nutritious winter feed for your goats, you can cut ryegrass for hay and mix with red clover or other grasses. You are your goats observing and loving caretaker. Most people have told me that the first time the weather dips to near freezing is the best time to plant this. One way to cut down on feed costs during winter is to downsize your herd before you have to start supplementing with hay. Not really. Speaking of winter wheat, quite a few people mentioned that while it is a very good grower in the harsh Missouri winters, it is more finnicky and has to be planted at the right time or the yield will not be as expected. Some areas are more conducive to certain grass seeds than others. Thankfully I was allowed access to an incilage pile and I am thankful that I did not lose one single animal due to feed. You can also feed them by supplying them the grain foods. We can normally expect to feed hay from December through March in Kentucky (120 days). Oats do not need to be sown into the soil very deep if at all - you are basically relying upon either rain or snow to get the seed established. Also, be sure to check if there are poisonous weeds in the bale. Another seed I have recently experimented with is oats. Whether you’re raising goats for meat, milk, or just for fun, our goat specific pasture blends are sure to provide your animals with all their needs. So far it has. Carletta Robinette, Rose Lane Farm in Eastern KY (2, 3, 4). My small goats are eating more of the hay I have now than my big goats do. My first writing encompassed "what I found to be a good plan" for our location in Missouri. While oats cannot withstand a repetitive hard freeze; continued nights of temperatures in the low 20's, they will survive several days in near freezing temperatures, especially if clumped together. In snowy regions, stockpiled pastures tend to last until about December, depending on the type of grass grown. Hay is the main source of nutrients for goats in non-grazing seasons, or all the time if they dont have access to browse. So they need to be in tip-top shape. And also the feed which is a lack of minerals and vitamins should not be given to the goats. If you are butchering some of your own stock, choose a date before you have to start supplementing. Price From: $136.33. Goats can actually freeze to death if fed a diet of all grain and no hay because their rumen has no roughage to break down. As a general rule of thumb, grass hay is best for horses—alfalfa or other legume hay can be an excellent feed to mix with grass hay for animals that need more protein. Feeds for goats are traditionally classified into three categories - Roughage, Concentrates and Supplements: Roughage - high in fibre feeds, low digestibility, less expensive than other feeds. Since that time I have gained experience from living a few years in the high elevation of the Rocky Mountains (9,000 feet plus) and now currently in the High Plains at about 4,500 feet. To prevent wool picking and other problems, ewes should receive a minimum of 1.5 lbs of hay per day and one pound of corn can be substituted for 2 pounds of hay. From the mountains to the plains is quite a difference but I can tell you that as far as temperatures and what will actually grow in the winter, there is not much difference at all. A goat will need about two to four pounds of hay per day, without taking into account what they might forage on the pasture. The extremely cold temperatures pretty much dictate a lot of vegetation and in most cases, you will pretty much be dealing with bare ground. Consider that I moved to my new location and the very first winter was the worst winter the area had in over 40 years! Around here locally baled hay goes for $5 in the summer. Goats do well on most hays that are considered “horse hay.” As long as the goats are acclimated to them appropriately to avoid stomach upset and founder, “legume hays such as alfalfa, clover, vetch, soybean or lespedeza work very well for kids, as well as pregnant and lactating does.” (3) Avoid hay that shows mold, dust, or discoloration. Price From: $80.00. What you feed goats during the winter varies depending on whether they are wethers or breeding animals. Additionally, grazing your goats on the pasture, spreading manure, can save you the time of having to manure in the spring. In summing up the high elevation case: winter forage could be cultivated if a person were able to get a good start of the mountain grasses and let them grow for a few seasons before allowing them to be grazed. Apparently this is a very good growing grass in this region where temperatures get down to as low as 60 below zero (wind chill) for extended periods of time. Share your advice in the section below: If You Like All-Natural Home Remedies, You Need To Read Everything That Hydrogen Peroxide Can Do. It can be a good choice for feeding milking goats as it has more protein, energy and calcium. Thus, roughage in the form of long-stem fibrous material, ie: hay, silage, beat pulp shreds, brush, grass, fodder, etc, is essential to keeping a goat warm in the winter. The best time to buy goats is in November just before farmers or breeders have to purchase extra hay and straw to prepare to winter them over. I’ve written an article here on a number of great options for keeping water unfrozen and available even during the coldest days of the year. Because I have only two goats their winter shelter is a large dog igloo packed with straw. Watch your herd and be prepared to begin supplementing as needed. Because of this you should plan for 150 to 160 days of winter feeding. Your goats will also lose hay and use the wasted, dropped hay on the ground as bedding. If you have to cut corners, save your highest quality hay for your gestating does, as their systems will need the biggest boost. Goat Feed in the winter season for Goat Farming: For goats the Hay is one the best and suitable feed for the goats. During the winter, goats need more energy to help maintain body temperature. Look for extraneous matter like rocks, baling wires or twine, excessive weeds or other items. This provides extra heat for the goats from the composting bedding under the fresh layer. It is a 50/50 mix of the two grasses and is in most parts, known as a variety of "winter wheat". I average a bale a week per goat during the winter. Pregnant does would have a grass-alfalfa mix. Animal Adding in legume hay such as alfalfa, lespedeza, and clover can increase protein. Much of what I have learned in this area is that the best approach is to use silage or locally referred to as "incilage". Quick Overview. Watch the video below about goats in winter or read the rest of this post: But back to winter. I did not use a tractor or plow. Don’t buy hay that smells sour or musty. Browse plants include brambles, shrubs, trees, and vines with woody stems. Legume hays, such as clover and alfalfa, usually have more protein, vitamins, and minerals, particularly calcium, than grass hays. In practical terms, successful goat owners have found that adequate winter rations may consist of dry grasses, hay and a commercial protein source. UPDATE 2007 Since I first wrote this article in 2001, much has changed in the world (ag prices) as well as our own physical location. Goats eat approximately three pounds of hay every day. It’s best to avoid poorer quality hay. If you have a clean dry area away from your goats in which to store your hay, then I recommend stocking up for the winter before the seasons change. Or, adding alfalfa pellets, if good legume hay is not available in your area, can help. Why, oh why, is it always winter. Hay, in goats, for example, will help them to stay warmer in the winter. Getting your herd through winter can be challenging at times, but by stockpiling, choosing the highest quality supplements and using them judicially, and by culling surplus stock, you can take good care of your herd without stretching your budget too far. Learn everything you need to know to choose the best hay for your goats to eat, factoring in nutrition, storage, and more. I have already planted* at least 100 pounds of this seed throughout our pastures and other areas and it has began sprouting (7 days average germination time). I just began planting* these seeds so have yet to see any sprouts. Goats are rated between 0.14 and 0.18 AU depending on class. It should be bright green. What kind of hay is best for goats? One way to cut down on winter feeding costs is to stockpile pasture. During the winter months, producers rely heavily on feeding hay as a roughage source in order to So it is very important for me to have my goats in a very good place as they go into, through and out of winter. It may be that they are filling up on pasture but if you are talking about the 50lb (roughly) square bales they will go through a LOT more than 3 bales for the winter. I simply scatter the seed by hand in the evening or when it is raining. In the winter, if you live in a cold area, you can allow the muck to build up and add new bedding to the top. Perhaps you have some of your own ideas to contribute. But it also will not do well if you do plant it at near freezing temperatures and then the weather suddenly changes to where the temperatures stay in the 60's and 70's. Alfalfa is also a good winter feed because heat is created by digestion of protein, so a horse can keep warmer on a cold night. Winter is always tough not only on our goats (and other livestock), but our pocketbooks as well for the extra feed we have to get to supplement feeding. Another plant that appears to thrive is a form of Currants...however these do not appear to be a favorite of goats. Of course, all of this depends on the quality and maturity of the grass or alfalfa hay. Buying goats after the 4-H weigh-in date can also be a great time to find a good deal on goats that are healthy but did not make weight for various reasons. I am counting on the rain to wash silt over the seed. Livestock producers can often realize feed cost savings by purchasing their entire winter hay supply at one time. Depending on how the hay was stored, it may have turned yellow around the edges, but as long as it’s green in the center, it should be fine. Or if it’s not winter, I’m preparing for winter? And I’ve raised goats through 10 years of Montana winters. That's the hay you want. Contact: Editor (at) OffTheGridNews.com Phone: 815-902-6086 2200 Illinois Route 84 Thomson, Illinois 61285. This would mean keeping the livestock off the planted area for that entire time, allowing for the oats to reach full maturity, develop seeds (oats), and replenish the growth for the next year. It is essential that your herd has access to plenty of water. Straw is usually the best for this purpose. You'd have to understand our terrain to see why plowing is not feasible. And as they come out of winter, it’s kidding season. The seed I listed are just a few of the many available for winter crops. Winter Goat Shelter from Wind & Cold. Florida Tropics Goat Forage Blend. Do goats need heat in the winter? Grass hay is a better option than grain because it keeps the goats warmer. Cull does that struggle with fertility. 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