I'm getting the milk from one doe currently and have 2 due to kid in marchthis is a mixed grass timothy hay and they all seem to be in good conditionwith pygmies though it's hard to tell sometimes if they are too fatlol. Many a beginning goat farmer wastes money because they think that all bales weigh the same. Forage can be a grass, or a legume such as alfalfa. My bales have about 12-15 flakes per bale. Round bales are generally more economical than square bales. If you keep track of it, you will thank yourself later. Before getting into the basic equation of x bales of hay per x number of animals, let me point out the variable of the bale itself. They can provide you with information about how to have your hay or pastures tested and analyzed. Ruminants cannot live on a diet of only alfalfa pellets. It seems like a lot. Our affiliate partners include but are not limited to Amazon.com. I go through a 600 # bale of hay a week between 6 sheep, 20 goats, and 2 horses. I liked the analysis. Just a thought after looking at your pics. 2021 planned breeding schedule available! You cant pick up a round bale, but you can pick up a square bale. In the 15 weeks they have been home they have eaten maybe half of a bale of hay. And if given free access to hay, will goats eat too much hay? (weight of animals) x (required percentage of body weight) x (number of days of "winter feeding") = total amount of hay to buy or bale. As I've mentioned before, at Goat Milk Stuff, we make hay available free-choice. Allow your goats access to adequate pasture, but also practice good pasture rotation to keep the plant cycle healthy in those areas. An easier option is to provide your goats with good quality hay on a free-choice basis (basically all-you-can-eat access to grass hay where you dont need to measure it out). :sigh: I guess for eight goats and two babies we are going through a 100 lb. It's also great to use for composting for your garden (but make sure it is completely composted so you kill any seeds). It is particularly beneficial for pregnant does as it has plenty of folic acid that helps with mineral absorption. Although we only recommend products that we feel are of the best quality (which we may or may not have personal experience with) and represent value for money, you should be aware that our opinions can differ. We hadn't been feeding it, but started them back on it a few weeks ago. Goats typically need more than just hay to stay healthy and thrive, so make sure that you also supplement their diets with minerals, vitamins, and other feed supplements as needed. When limiting access time, make sure all cows have equal and simultaneous access and that nutrients are supplemented as needed based on a forage analysis. A basic analysis will tell you the amount of dry matter, energy, crude protein (adjusted for heat damage), neutral detergent fiber, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium. About the Authors: Ronald P. Lemenager is a professor of animal sciences at Purdue University and Keith D. Johnson is a professor of agronomy at Purdue University. Allison.I'm thinking the breakdown for that size roll is equal to 30 square bales. There are four critical aspects of large hay purchases: Knowledge of how much to purchase. Privacy Policy, Disclosure, Disclaimer, and Terms of Use, Copyright 2004-2023 Suzanne McMinn Design by Swank Web Design Powered by WordPress. "It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The total cost of hay for one cow for one winter would be $90. I buy square bales for $2.50/bale. This is a very helpful post. Comments will be approved before showing up. It is important to know that pregnant animals need more feed. Bales stored indoors typically contain 88 percent DM, while bales stored outdoors typically contain about 80 percent DM. He still reminds me to this day, make sure you stack it on end! Ive been putting hay in for 40+ years. They self-regulate the amount of hay their rumen can handle and will consume about 3-4% of their body weight in hay per day. Come join the discussion about breeding, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more! Got the bales on Sunday and opened one up right away. Hay comes in different forms, and its nutrition content is determined by factors such as the type of grasses or legumes that comprise the hay, the nutrients that were available in the soil, and whether the hay is the first or third cut of the season, etc. No matter what your financial position, your animals must be fed first before paying for anything else. animal! (See round bale notes below for my extrapolation with my round bales.). Today, through Farmpertise.com, Wesley shares his rich knowledge, aiming to inspire and educate others about the joys and intricacies of rural life. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. It is important to know that pregnant animals need more feed. The hay I buy is of average quality. A series of formulas can help you estimate winter-forage needs for your herd. If theyve used his hay, theyll be able to give you a good estimate of his round bale weight. And the average round bale weights about 500 lbs. However, you either must have them delivered exactly where you want them, or be prepared with the equipment to move them (with a tractor). Amos, I use large square and there are roughly three squares to the ton. The best way to feed round bales of hay to your sheep by unrolling the hay with a hay unroller. Goats generally cannot eat too much hay. Below you will find a FREE Hay Cost Calculator for Goats. Text and photographs may not be published, broadcast, redistributed or aggregated without express permission. Losses can run as high as 50 percent if hay is not fed properly.Feeding hay to cattle is expensive. Good luckand dont bring home anything you cant feed! Its also essential to consider the quality of the hay you are feeding your goats. Which still wasnt big enough, but we compromised on the conclusion that I could always refill it. Ten goats? At around $20 per bale for these large round bales, you can see that my winter feed costs in this scenario aren't through the roof. It is really really hard for me to break it down - as DH HAD to have round bales this year, and I am hating life! Locally sourced square bales of grass hay being stored in my garage. They are about three feet long - large bales. 30-40% alfalfa is good for mantainence for all goats. I have had hay where my goats waste 80% and other hay where they eat almost all of it. Here's the equation that considers the percentage of the animals' body weight and what they need to consume in hay (dry matter) each day. Depending on how your bales were wrapped and stored, some work may need to be done to ready a bale for wrapping. People don't often give a simple answer to this simple question, and much ado is made about this mysterious topic. I always recommend that you try to keep 2 years of hay stored. Each goat needs about two to four pounds of hay per day (3-4% of body weight in pounds), which can be fed free choice or twice a day. Below are these calculations in equation form: Goats weight (lbs) x 0.03 = Hay needed daily (lbs), Daily bales needed = Weight of 1 bale (lbs) / Hay needed daily (lbs). Nope, not as pretty, but LOTS more absorbent as a bedding If youve determined you have ample hay for your goats, there is no need to weigh the hay daily. If you own goats long enough, you will eventually experience a drought year where there is little hay available (and what is available is extremely expensive). We will also assume that the hay season lasts from November to March, and that horses have high-quality pasture for forage during the rest of the year. Plan wisely before bringing animals onto your farm. There is no great rule of thumb for how much hay you need because it depends on so many factors. If it feels lighter than it should, the farmer may be baling light and selling underweight baleswhich is only fair if the price is also underweight. My Dad always made us stack it on end to keep it from molding. All types of hay should be free from mold, dust, and other contaminants that could harm your goats. Each goat needs about two to four pounds of hay per day (3-4% of body weight in pounds), which can be fed free choice or twice a day. During winter months, we use one square bale of alfalfa (40-60lb) a day between our ten goats. The feeders tested allowed either complete access to the hay or restricted access (slow feeders). Quality Registered Nigerian Dwarfs & Natural Goats Milk Soaps, Endless Serenity Nubian, LaMancha, Saanen & Boer goats, http://www.dollysacre.com/breedingplans.htm, Capriola's ~ ADGA and AGS Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Handcrafted Goat's Milk Soap, Lotion, & Body B'Udder. On to the goats and sheep. Hobby Farms publishes the info you need to know to run a small-scale, sustainable farm. The simple answer is to start your figuring at 25 lbs. But they are also more difficult to move and to store. Milk formation requires protein. If you have lighter bales, or the hay is lower quality, you will have to buy more bales. How long will a bale of hay last a cow? (at $60.00 a bale). Goats eat the same amount of hay in the winter as they do in the summer, generally, but do keep in mind that if they are in a colder climate they may need more hay, as it can help them to keep warm. Reply. Take the cost of a bale of hay in your area, multiply it by 100, and virtually stamp it on the forehead of a cow or horse you are considering purchasing. In the fall, many of us are starting to think about stocking up on hay for the winter. It may not display this or other websites correctly. They went through a very stemmy, 60# bale in two weeks, leaving most of it on the ground, but are not eating as much of the new leafy bale. ! Forage is the main source of nutrients for goats apart from their range. I wanted to finish early, but we had a run of rainy weather, preventing me from getting trucks to the barn. The floors werent even, either. Adequate storage capacity. We will assume that horses eat approximately 2-2.5% of their body weight in hay per day as their full ration. Cows are not going to paw their way through frozen slush and deep, crusted snow, or at least enough to thrive and nourish their fetal calves. Its a truly important question. I feed two-three flakes of timonthy hay a day for 2 standars and 2 minis----. The payback period for these feeders was far less than the small square bale feeders because of the huge reduction in waste compared to using no feeder. We are not veterinarians and any information on the GMS website should not be taken as veterinary advice. The rule for hay is 3 to 5 lbs of hay per goat per day for a full-sized goat. A byproduct of bacterial fermentation in the rumen is heat, so feeding your animals plenty of forage will keep them warm from the inside out. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Until then, like so many of us, I must buy it. This will help you make a plan and to know how much hay to buy per year for your herd. Capital to make the purchase. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The Best Way To Feed Round Bales To Sheep - Family Farm Livestock It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. 3300 lbs x 1.05 (storage waste) x 1.13 (ground waste) = 3915 lbs hay per horse. 2023 Standlee Premium Products, LLC All Rights Reserved. How much hay do goats need for the winter? - Walden Effect This is important as goats have thinner skin and do not develop thick coats. December 01, 2018. A few simple calculations can help livestock producers estimate how much hay they will need to get them through the winter. LIMITED TIME: Buy 1 Standlee Product & Save $5.00 - GET YOUR COUPON. Researchers at Minnesota also looked at round bale feeders, testing 9 feeders and a no-feeder control. His childhood experiences instilled in him a deep respect for sustainable and humane farming practices. It also can cause breathing issues. They also had access to browse on nice days. I have been giving strait pellet up till now. Estimating how much hay you need for the winter is an important factor in most cattle, horse, goat and sheep operations. lol. I want a hay that has a mix of grasses and legumes; you probably do, too. Feeding Goats: What you need to know about forages and winter I also however, give alfalfa pellets. Suzanne McMinn What else are youfeeding? . We would both probably prefer that the bales have not been rained on (unless, of course, there is no mold growth present and little moisture, and the farmer is selling the bales at a reduced rate). We owe it to them as their stewards to be practical and realistic with ourselves in choosing whether we can afford to keep them. If I was buying the same size round bales for this winter for the cows (and not covering them), I would plan on at least 18 round bales to get me through the worst of winter, considering that I will leave them on pasture into December and have them back on it (at least partially) by late March. Alfalfa hay is the most common type of legume hay, but other varieties like clover and vetch are good too. That means as a minimum, I need 600 square bales in my barn. How much hay for winter | The Goat Spot Forum Can alfalfa pellets or cubes totally replace hay? I go through half a 50 lb bale of alfalfa in a days time and I had to pay $9.00 a bale. For this reason, they are excellent at clearing rough, overgrown land. If you are buying your hay from elsewhere, make sure it has not been rained on after cutting, left in a field wet, or bleached. Hay Calculator - Tractor Tools Direct Dont set hay directly on the ground. I have two horses200 square bales for the two horses. Enter Number of animals: * Enter number of days feeding hay: * Enter Average Bale Weight: * lbs. If youre uncertain of how to judge quality, before purchasing hundreds of bales of hay, buy one and take it to an experienced farmer for an assessment. Goats are very addictive though so the real question is, are 2 ND's enough goats to get YOU through the winter. PDF Hay Calculator for Livestock Producers - Mississippi State University Ha Ha. I am feeding 2 does (4 yrs old) and and year old doe, all 3 should be bred(still questioning one of them) anyways, I have found I am going through 2 bails a week now these square bales are anywhere from 25 - 45 pounds and go in price SIT DOWN FOR THIS :doh: $6.50 - $8.25 :hair: the only reason I am going through so much hay is I had been giving the girls 3 flakes in the am, noon and pm. This is one post of many from our Raising Goats resources. People end up trucking in hay from across state lines. However, Im planning on square bales for everyone. If we get 75 pound bales, it takes some of the bigger children. When you have more than 1 dairy goat (which you should), it's hard to determine that each goat is having its needs met unless you free-choice. Using hay racks, panels, and cages is the best way to reduce hay waste. I often receive emails from people who are just starting out on a farm, or planning to start out on a farm soon. that! That's usually between two and four pounds. Alfalfa hay is also popular for feeding goats and has more protein, vitamins, and minerals than grass hays, typically. Pasture is tougher because that depends on quality of land, and yearly, timely rain. How Many Bales of Hay Does a Goat Need? You can ask the person baling it. Without a lot of stockpiled forage the average Alberta cattleman will be feeding from Niv 1st to June 1st or 213 days. It depends on the size of the baler, the grass being baled, and other factors, and every bale is slightly unique even from the same baler. Both of them get some grain in the mornings, and a few fresh scraps from the kitchen (vegetable ends, peels, etc). All rights reserved. Hay is absolutely essential for dairy goats. If your round bales arent covered, or your square bales arent fed in a feeder, you have to include waste in your planning. This Excel-based program will help you evaluate hay feeding delivery systems and their economic impacts. Robert KallenbachDepartment of AgronomyFigure 1. Many regions will have some natural winter forage available, and you can always look into planting something for your livestock to eat during the winter, depending on what zone you are farming in. Traditional goat food is primarily grass hay, but not all hay is equal. I noticed that you have stacked your hay flat. Dexter - How much pasture and how much hay? | Homesteading Forum well this 2008 i used around 150 bales, at around 65-70lbs each. on your climate. If you buy your hay by the ton, this would be 3915/2000 = almost 2 tons of hay per horse. Unfortunately, there are no cheap, easy fixes for beef producers who have short pastures and limited hay supplies. Planning 100 bales per large animal, that means 200 square bales for my two cows. This is especially important when incorporating grain, pellet feed, concentrate, green grass, kitchen scraps, or new types of pasture into the diet of these natural grazers. How much hay do you keep for the winter - CattleToday.com On average, feeding an alpaca in the winter costs about $130 per alpaca. How many bales of hay to get two NDs through six months of winter If you cant feed your animal through the winter, you shouldnt have that animal. When placed directly on the soil, hay will get moldy and dirty faster. 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. x Number of Cows (15) Which should you choose? The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-as was the insulation. Was I totally off on this? I average a bale a week per goat during the winter. They are more like deer regarding nutrition, than they are to sheep or cattle, which eat a lot of grass. Decrease waste and enhance herd health by implementing an appropriate feeding system for forage and supplemental feeds. While the hay-for-winter equation has many variableswaste, size/weight of bales, weather, available pasture, etcyou can always start with the rule of thumb (100 square bales per winter per large animal or 100 square bales per winter per upwards of half-dozen small animals) to at least get a fingerhold on what you would need to provide when planning to bring animals on to a farm. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, Youve brought us to this slanted little house to die." Further reading: Great hay feeders for goats reviewed. Great job, clear and understandableeven to someone who has only driven by farms. To answer this query, you need to know how many days you'll be feeding hay and how much your animals weigh, and then calculate their feed needs based on their body weight! The more pasture you have per animal, the less hay you will need overall as you can leave your animals on pasture longer before starting in on full-time hay. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. More like 100-120 a bale. so for 50 lb. Check with fellow goat raisers in your area to determine what grass hay sources are quality and what sources to avoid. I havent heard that in regard to goats specifically, though that may be true. I am giving them less than 1/2 cup of grain a day each; I won't really start feeding them more grain until they are close to kidding. Copyright 2023 NewLifeOnAHomestead.com - All rights reserved. Aug 7, 2010 Estimate about 5 lbs per goat per day. Want to receive discounts and special offers as well as keeping up to date with all the latest news and updates? He is passionate about helping people prepare for tough times by embracing lifestyles of self-sufficiency. We figure 5 pounds of hay per day per goat.