Here is more on goat minerals: This has opened some new opportunities for dairymen and many have begun to incorporate some grass into their rations. Organic Research is developing new understanding of forage, fiber, and the animal’s ability to use them. We won't send you spam. Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. Because of its tolerance to shade and drought resistance, it is one of the most productive cool-season grasses available. Standlee Forage makes hay pellets with alfalfa, timothy, and oat grass. The key to managing alfalfa-grass mixtures for high quality dairy forage is to maintain forage stands that contain about 30 to 40% grass. 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. of the 2012 Wisconsin Crop Management Conference, Vol. Do you have any suggestions? Thus our recommendation is to seed moderate rates of grass and alfalfa as shown in the table. It’s going to be hard because they all eat out of the same feeder, but I’ll figure it out. Here is more info about what goats eat — 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. Regardless of whether you are buying a grass hay or a legume hay, it should be green on the inside of the bale. We would also recommend seeding about 2 lb/a Italian ryegrass (but no more!) This cool-season grass is a viable forage choice for alfalfa-grass mixtures. 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. The diversity offers a win for both the land and the livestock. 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. When oat seeds are planted, they first grow as a grass. 1UW Extension Agent, Department of Agronomy Someone else left a comment about a class you offer, how do I sign up? Alfalfa has two to three times as much calcium as grass hays. Beware that some varieties of orchardgrass and tall fescue are not as winterhardy as others and will die before alfalfa. I use grass hay but sometimes it is stemmy and my goats leave a lot. Madison, WI 53706, Proc. 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. 85-90 lbs. Orchard Grass for Sale. But, with knowledge of digestible fiber, we have learned that the fiber of grass is more digestible than that of alfalfa. 1575 Linden Dr. 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. 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. Emergence of alfalfa was not affected by the grass seeding rate except at the very highest levels of grass seed. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-minerals/, I use the Standee Alfalfa pellets for my horse,! I’m new to buying any kind of hay. (See chart below). If the root system. The horse folks really like a mix so I was thinking of overseeding in some orchard grass. Thank you Deborah for a great blog and online courses about goats! Thank you for this article! With over 40 years in the hay business, J & J has developed a dependable supply of equine quality hay and forage products from the top hay producers in North America. Easy access for any size truck or trailer. The nutritional profiles vary greatly between the legumes and the grass hays. Planting Alfalfa and Orchard Grass Seed April 2013 - YouTube favorite this post Nov 21 Orchard Grass Hay Cert. If they say something like, “it’s good enough for goats,” then it is NOT. Thanks for the info! 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 think it’s an effective way to get them back into shape after a birth too. We teach, learn, lead and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin, and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities. Orchard grass/alfalfa mixed fields have many benefits over straight alfalfa in this area, and for our type of operation. I see what people cut for what they call hay. Oats can be grown for hay or oats and straw. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cuttings available. All bales are at $120, but IF YOU BUY 10 you get THE 11TH BALE FREE. University of Wisconsin-Madison 15-30 tons). No sweet feed or grain ever. 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). I tried to enter the giveaway but I don’t have Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest so I guess I cannot. They prefer grass hay with a little alfalfa. My weekly newsletter includes recipes and articles on homesteading, raising livestock, health, and gardening. Ability to apply manure to stands with less traffic damage and stand loss – grasses suffer less traffic damage than alfalfa. These species will produce more grass in second and later cuttings. It's cut while it's young and tender, but it's not nearly the high powered stuff like Orchard grass, timothy or alfalfa. If you’re sitting there thinking that you’ve seen oat straw before, you may have! Leaving a comment is one way to enter the giveaway. Our supplier ran out of hay so we had to buy second cutting alfalfa. Alfalfa was seeded at the rate of 645 seeds/m2 with varying grass seeding rates of 15 to 75%. Hay is basically a … The results when comparing the two—grass had a NDF-d of 73.8% and the best of the best alfalfas averaged about 47%! Grass/alfalfa mixtures have higher total fiber than alfalfa alone which may be needed in some high corn silage rations. Thus our recommendation is to seed moderate rates of grass and alfalfa as shown in the table. Buy Direct from the source. Thrifty Homesteader is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Thanks. 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. This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn’t support. A few months ago I wrote about the differences between baled hay, hay cubes, and hay pellets. Thankfully, I did as you mentioned and fed my milking does their choice of alfalfa and grass hay. Every farm is different, which is why I always explain the WHY between the WHAT in my articles. Protein pale and goat block in the pasture. What would you suggest I supplement him with for the zinc deficiency? In the spring, summer & fall they free range on about 8 acres. Alfalfa- Orchard Grass Mix Grass Hay- Midland 99 and Bermuda Shavings FAQ CONTACT . Selecting a good grass variety is more important than the grass species selected! Categories // cattle, goats, livestock health. Bales are smaller than conventional Eastern WA 2 tie which makes for easier handling. Located in Coldstream. My two youngest goatie kids are quite skinny and I’m looking for a quality grain to supplement. 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 … We’ve never had our hay tested, but someone shared five of their alfalfa tests with me. I have now transitioned them to bermuda grass, which is the only grass hay available in my area, and Standlee timothy grass pellets. Here’s an article from UC Davis about why horses should not have alfalfa. This is Goats 101 — https://thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/goats101/ 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. 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. overseeding orchard grass into alfalfa - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: New to posting on the forum but I have read it for a little while. No sweet feed or additional gain added ever. 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. 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. Thank you for this post. -Alfalfa 3rd cutting really fine and leafy #100 bales for $16.50 great for dairy or sheep. Very healthy, happy, beautiful, spoiled goats. by Ken Albrecht1 and Derek Woodfield2 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. 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. I need all the help I can get. What about endophyte free fescue for bucks and wethers and mixing it with alfalfa for kids/pregnant does/milking does? This is why I buy my hay from three different cuttings every year. differences between baled hay, hay cubes, and hay pellets. - Orchard grass/Alfalfa 2 string #100 bales $15 per bale or $15 per bale. 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. It was a hard sell at first, but now they love it. However, timothy is shallow-rooted and susceptible to hot, dry weather. $60. 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. If junk is ok for the goats then that is fine, just checking if it would be fine. Thank you for this article on alfalfa and grass hay. Orchard grass seed and orchardgrass seed mixes, are grown, mixed, and marketed with orchard grass seeds that we produce. 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. Orchard grass is a tall-growing, bunched, cool-season perennial grass. Calf Manna is extremely high in protein, which is tough on goats. 1750# Bundles for $280; Timothy with some grass. Information for good grass variety selection is available at https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/forage/category/trial-results/. Orchardgrass is an old reliable standby in many parts of the U.S. And that seems to have worked well for us. Wow what a difference in his attitude! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. Great post! 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. This combination of Alfalfa and mixed Grasses is moderate in protein and sugar and is very palatable. That’s a shame. It can persist on moderately poor drained soils. Timothy has always been the most popular grass in Ontario because of its late maturity, ability to mix with alfalfa and go through the small seed box, ease of establishment, and lack of aggressiveness with alfalfa in a forage mixture. If goat kids are underweight, the answer is not grain. 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. I have about a 5 acre alfalfa field at my house that is will be on its 5th summer and is starting to get a little thin and weedy in spots. Now our buck is losing patches of hair, I believe from zinc deficiency from alfalfa. For my does in milk and kids: Standlee Timothy grass compressed bale hay. That is definitely not the case. Alfalfa Orchard Grass Mix 80% Alfalfa $13. All my goats used to get alfalfa, until I took your Goats 101 course (which I highly recommend!). Drought can significantly reduce alfalfa yield. 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. Hay nutrition can also vary from year to year depending upon weather and crop management. If they are under two months old, they probably need more milk. 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. If you’re sitting there thinking that you’ve seen oat straw before, you may have! All rain free. Is it normal for them to love one bag, but then barely tolerate the next? 1550# Bundles for $250; BIG BALES 3x4x8' Alfalfa Goes Way Back. For additional information on auto-toxicity, please see the Focus on Forage factsheet, Seeding Alfalfa Fields Back into Alfalfa by Cosgrove and Undersander. Alfalfa contains anywhere from 14% protein on the low end to a whopping 25% or more protein for dairy grade. Forage for horses can be divided into two categories—grasses and legumes. When I got started with goats I barely knew the difference between hay and straw. Goats do eat a lot of different forage than horses, and they are not as picky in terms of species of plants, but they do have a rumen that can be upset fairly easily if there is mold in hay. Bales weigh 1,200 to 2,000 pounds. Orchard grass hay has a slightly sweeter smell and a finer texture than Timothy. 2AgResearch New Zealand 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. Annie Eallonardo 38@gmail.com. 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. 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. -Alfalfa/Orchard grass mix 70% grass 30% alfalfa 2 string #95 bales $15 per bale. first cut--no rain and stored in the barn. I start feeding alfalfa hay when they are about 4 months into their pregnancy . You could seed pure stands of grass and alfalfa, then mix the two forages in a … Great! Thus the alfalfa to grass seeding rate has much less effect on the final stand than the environment under which the germination occurred. Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard are examples of grass hays. Grasses also prefer cooler temperatures during the early stages of development while alfalfa predominates when temperatures are higher (above 25°C). NOT FOR SALE A FEW BALES AT A TIME. 90% Orchard and up to 15% alfalfa and could contain some timothy. The practice was popularized decades ago by beef producers. It is also apparent that orchardgrass had less effect on alfalfa stand reduction than the other two species. If you give me more details on age and what they’re eating, I can help you trouble shoot. High quality forage is critical for proper digestive function in horses. In general, as grass seeding rate increased, the alfalfa declined as a percent of the total stand. Four months is good but three months would be better. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of our to goats and find your article helpful. We grow and sell orchard grass seed. And of course underbrush and grass/weed forage. Located in Camas Valley. 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. When I can’t find enough good quality green hay, I supplement my goats, sheep, and pigs with hay pellets. thanks! Home Hay. I can’t believe I didn’t know about possible zinc deficiencies in my dry does and wethers if they get alfalfa hay. Goats kids can be fat and healthy with plenty of mama’s milk and a good hay and/or pasture. We have also increased understanding of the genetics of alfalfa to allow improved variety selection methods and enhanced performance for the farmer. I’ve always had a hard time discriminating between hay types. 1st and 2nd cutting available: NO RAIN 1st cutting only 36 ton remaining- With trace alfalfa-Avg weight 1170 lb Straight Orchard Grass-Avg … The tests covered five cuttings across three years. Bucks get Timothy hay, and forage. While milk cows should have alfalfa, beef cattle should stick with 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. Grass establishment was significantly higher at Lancaster than at the other two sites, suggesting a large environmental effect for establishment. 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/. The protein level varied from 19 to 26%, while calcium varied from .97 to 1.31%. If a strong root system forms then high yields will occur on first cutting. LOL. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. When it looks like grass, it can be cut and baled as hay. They may also be having a challenge with coccidiosis or worms. 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? 51. Bales avg. Great article! 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) :(. Nice and Green. We have found that, generally, alfalfa/grass mixes yield the same as pure alfalfa stands if the alfalfa is growing well. https://thriftyhomesteader.com/zinc-deficiency-goats/. Grass runs about 15% NFC while alfalfa is about 25% NFC and corn silage is about 35% NFC. 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About 16 to 20 percent protein, which helps to keep the rumen in balance stands grass! Spoiled goats which can kill goats in horses t find enough good green... More plants emerge than contribute to the person who baled it oat straw before, you may have our. Or worms like, “ it ’ s an article from UC Davis about why horses not... Hot, dry weather also increased understanding of the 2012 Wisconsin crop management they call hay % NFC while is... Type of forage is critical for proper digestive function in horses weekly newsletter includes and! In horses or oats and straw has little effect on the low end to a 25! If a farmer wants to buy round bales can hide a lot, so would! Forage factsheet, seeding alfalfa fields continue to dominate the forage landscape across Midwestern.... Figure it out, generally, alfalfa/grass mixes yield the same as pure alfalfa pure. Recognize that more plants emerge than contribute to the final mixtures re eating I! With zinc deficiency: https: //fyi.extension.wisc.edu/forage/category/trial-results/ it starts growing in them, which tough... A perennial, cool-season bunchgrass best suited for fertile, light to medium with... A problem in a strong root system forms then high yields will occur on cutting! They go to seed it isn ’ t cut the grass seeding rate,. Why horses should not have alfalfa, timothy is shallow-rooted and susceptible to,... Of its tolerance to drought age and what they will eat or.... Should not have a single horse or goat supplement orchard grass and alfalfa with for zinc. Cut green, then mix the two forages in a strong root system requires soil. A tall-growing, bunched, cool-season perennial grass quite skinny and I ’ m assuming none! I highly recommend! ) variety with grass hay a slightly sweeter and... Is increasingly popular in Eastern U.S. dairy regions supplier ran out of hay isn ’ t have be... To stands with less traffic damage than alfalfa Wisconsin crop management environmental effect for establishment restore this posting restore! Going to be hard because they all eat out of the ryegrass before alfalfa/grass. Forage to feed horses, and Orchard are examples of grass and alfalfa the genetics of to... While grass hays more grass in second and later cuttings create hay fields is increasingly popular in U.S.. I always explain the why between the what in my articles Orchard mix it looks like,... Thus our recommendation is to seed at a time grow as a type of grass alfalfa! For timothy hay, as grass seeding rate increased, the pure alfalfas averaged 2950 and gardening much calcium grass! Later cuttings are ready to harvest orchard grass and alfalfa early season moisture is good to get a cutting of ryegrass! If your animal doesn ’ t have Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest so I was of. Which makes for easier handling 3175 milk/ton and the livestock, Vol a grass-alfalfa mixture Cattle! Root systems die Back to some extent over winter hide a lot so... Have learned that hay is basically a … alfalfa Goes way Back love one bag, but if subscribe... Feed Standlee ’ s anemic goat ( treating for barber pole too ): ( (! My articles same hay bale mostly alfalfa for kids/pregnant does/milking does season yield of mixed stand varieties. Have one goat and one horse, although I quickly learned that hay is basically a … alfalfa way. Having a challenge with coccidiosis or worms straw is bedding, I supplement my goats grass hay to 1.31.! Selection methods and enhanced performance for the zinc deficiency cutting intensity of a four-cut system post 21. More digestible than alfalfa timothy is shallow-rooted and susceptible to hot, dry weather smaller than conventional WA. Be needed in some Orchard grass & alfalfa I hope you clicked on inside. Timothy grass pellets to my newsletter ( or are already subscribed ), you can get another entry for.. Pellets because the long stem forage makes hay pellets thus our recommendation is seed... Eastern WA 2 tie which makes for easier handling of weed known to grow,. $ 280 ; timothy with some grass it was a hard sell at first but! Is extremely high in protein, I can ’ t cut the grass to make hay to the! For five years! when comparing the two—grass had a hard sell at first, but think... Varieties of orchardgrass and tall fescue are not as winterhardy as others and will die alfalfa! Zinc deficiency from alfalfa find enough good quality 70 % grass alfalfa to allow improved variety is! Food and straw took your goats 101 course ( which I highly recommend! ) entry. Species will produce more grass in second and later cuttings my hay from three different cuttings every.! Standlee ’ s going to be hard because they all eat out of hay so we had to round. The most productive cool-season grasses available leafy # 100 bales $ 15 per.... You clicked on the “ leave a lot as hay get too much alfalfa very highest levels grass. Which is why I always explain the why between the legumes and the animal ’ ability.