# Results of feeding kudzu hay



## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

I recently picked up 40 bales of kudzu hay. My 4 does share 2 flakes a day while my buck is separated during feeding time. (For those who don't know, kudzu in high in protein and calcium, very similar to alfalfa.) I have noticed, starting the day after the first taste of kudzu, that milk production went up and the amount of cream really increased to the point that it takes much longer to strain the milk. The taste of the milk is great! 

I paid $4/bale in comparison to the $15-20/bale that alfalfa sells for around here, with better results. From what the man I buy feed from tells me, the large amount of vines in the hay, which of course provides a lot of roughage, is what is increasing the cream production.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

my husband brought home some kudzu from work, the goat ran over like OMGOSH, got to it sniffed and turned away, friggin pains in the you know whats


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

My goats LOVE it!!!


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

my goats are on my poop list, i thought goats just might not like kudzu


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

I brought some home before and my goats made it disappear in three seconds flat. They LOVED it! I am dying to try and grow some for my goats.

Farmmom, I can't believe you have kudzu hay there, so jealous. Do you know anything about how to bale it? I remember reading it's hard to cut and stuff because it's a vine.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Copied from backyardnature.net

For example, when you're baling Kudzu hay, "Set your header 'low' and cut vines low. Then when you go back to bale, set the header 'high.' If a round baler is available, the kudzu twines itself and does not require baling twine."


The man I bought it from has 15 acres dedicated to growing kudzu. His mom goes out and picks the blossoms for honey, uses young leaves in quishe (sp?) and in place of spinach in any recipe.


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## Missy M (Mar 2, 2007)

Here in KY kudzu is everywhere. It is distructive and the folks would probably pay you to get rid of it. If you plant it make sure you are prepared to manage it, it grows like crazy and will kill any plant or tree it grows over. It's good to know how goats do on it, I'm thinking of goats and this would be an easy food source.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I am dying to try and grow some for my goats.


You'll most likely be sorry if you do.
It will take over everything in it's path

This is a HOUSE:
http://www.theresilientearth.com/files/images/kudzu-covered-house.jpg


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

Cannon_Farms said:


> my husband brought home some kudzu from work, the goat ran over like OMGOSH, got to it sniffed and turned away, friggin pains in the you know whats


Goats tend to be very hesitant about trying new foods. If you let them get used to the kudzu they would probably eat it (particularly if they didn't have a lot of other choices). Most people don't realize how picky goats can be.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

Bearfootfarm said:


> You'll most likely be sorry if you do.
> It will take over everything in it's path
> 
> This is a HOUSE:
> http://www.theresilientearth.com/files/images/kudzu-covered-house.jpg


There's park around here, one time I went on a picnic, and there was roughly an acre of the stuff. A week later, I went on a campout at that same place, and it'd spread another couple yards, easy.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> The seeds, which are small with a thick seed coat, can remain in the soil for several years before germinating. The vines develop from starchy tubers which can grow to depths of 10 feet and weigh 200 to 300 pounds. Kudzu has the ability to root at the leaf joints, forming thousands of plants to the acre. *Kudzu also has extraordinary growth rates of up to a foot a day and 60 feet in a year.*


http://www.lib.niu.edu/2000/oi000208.html


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## Kazahleenah (Nov 3, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> You'll most likely be sorry if you do.
> It will take over everything in it's path
> 
> This is a HOUSE:
> http://www.theresilientearth.com/files/images/kudzu-covered-house.jpg



:huh::shocked:


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## jbowyer01 (Aug 4, 2008)

I need to post pics of my drive home lol. Thats what about 65 miles of my drive looks like.


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## mrs.H (Mar 6, 2003)

Kazahleenah said:


> :huh::shocked:


We have places like that around here too!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

When my son graduated from Army boot camp in Georgia several years ago we were amazed and appalled at all the Kudzu.

Now, in a town not 6 miles from us, and along railroad tracks about half that distance, there is Kudzu everywhere. I am thinking my goats will become self defense when that stuff gets here. I am sure it will get here, just not sure when. It scares me. But, when it is closer I will be proactive, and make lemonade out of those lemons! 
Sounds like the milk will even benefit. But I would never ever try to grow it on purpose.


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## SteelRose (Jul 19, 2010)

I live in Alabama... The stuff is EVERYWHERE here... it reminds me of living up in the pacific nw only there its black berries...good to know that goats will eat kudzu though...

Is there anything else you can do with kudzu?


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

in places that already have Kudzu it is worth utilizeing, its a great feed for Goats, Cattle, Sheep, Rabbits, even chickens will eat the leaves, but if you dont already have it DO NOT INTRODUCE it to someplace that its not already, it has alot of uses yes but it also will take over and your neahbors wont like you much for it


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

its also used in crafts, you can make baskets and all sorts of other things out of the vine if your of a mind too..


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

SteelRose said:


> I live in Alabama... The stuff is EVERYWHERE here... it reminds me of living up in the pacific nw only there its black berries...good to know that goats will eat kudzu though...
> 
> *Is there anything else you can do with kudzu?[/*QUOTE]
> 
> Kudzu blossom jelly, fried leaves, the young leaves can be used in place of spinach in recipes and canned like spinach, the root starch can be used to thicken gravies. The vines are great for craft projects. I'm sure there is more that I don't know.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

My plan was to build cattle panel fence row, like 6-8 ft by however long and plant the kudzu inside it. This would keep the goats from killing it, they could eat it as it tries to escape. 

My granpa planted it a long time ago for his goats and they ate it to the ground and then pawed roots up and ate that too and killed it.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

just dont bring it in to a state/county/location where it was not previously located, its actually illegal to transport it accrost state lines or something i think, its listed as an Invasive,


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

it is illegal to propagate in most of the south. you get caught growing it on purpose and the state will hammer you for it.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Pops2 said:


> it is illegal to propagate in most of the south. you get caught growing it on purpose and the state will hammer you for it.


The man I bought it from is in North Carolina. He grows it, advertises it, has even been on tv talking about it. And, he sells it across state lines. It may depend on what you're doing with it.


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## Nica (Oct 3, 2009)

I wonder if donkeys and mules would eat it. Anyone have any experience.


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## Kye022984 (Apr 23, 2010)

We're in CA I don't think we have Kudzu here. I would like some though for sure. Sounds good for milk production.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

http://www.jjanthony.com/kudzu/

And yes, it can germinate via the seed. 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pumo1.htm

And it is against the law in many places to grow Kudzu. Obviously, this does not affect the people who are making a living off kudzu that was already there- but those who are thinking about it may well think twice- between the law and the determintal (sp) affect on the area and other growth.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Bearfootfarm said:


> You'll most likely be sorry if you do.
> It will take over everything in it's path
> 
> This is a HOUSE:
> http://www.theresilientearth.com/files/images/kudzu-covered-house.jpg


Although kudzu is very aggressive, it can be managed. When we lived in Alabama there was a forrest behind our house and kudzu grew like crazy. It would start to creep into our yard, but as long as we kept the grass cut, it also kept the kudzu at bay. It will grow over everything though if you allow it to run wild. I always thought it would make a great horror story, "The Day the Kudzu Took Over". You can almost watch it grow!


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## cowbelle (Mar 5, 2009)

There's a gal down in Florida that makes her living grazing goats on kudzu. She rents the herd out, furnishes the herding dogs, guardian dogs, and electric fence. She's full time in various areas, even inside towns helping control it, and fattening her goats at the same time.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Nica said:


> I wonder if donkeys and mules would eat it. Anyone have any experience.


The gentleman I bought it from said he sells it to people for their horses, but doesn't recommend feeding large quantities (kind of like alfalfa)


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## glapan (Sep 16, 2010)

Hi. I live near Landrum SC and was wondering where you bought your kudzo bales from. Alphafa is $15 a bale here also! As far as nutrition, is it good for the goats and has anyone had any health problems with there goats. 

Blessings;

gina


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

glapan said:


> Hi. I live near Landrum SC and was wondering where you bought your kudzo bales from. Alphafa is $15 a bale here also! As far as nutrition, is it good for the goats and has anyone had any health problems with there goats.
> 
> Blessings;
> 
> gina


Sent you a PM with his contact info.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

We already have kudzu growing in our county. It only rarely spreads from seed, and seeing as it makes large pods with seeds like beans, it wouldn't go far. If planted inside a fence like I'd like to, which would be well inside the goat's enclosure, I can't see how it could spread.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Pops2 said:


> it is illegal to propagate in most of the south. you get caught growing it on purpose and the state will hammer you for it.


So will your neighbors.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> It only rarely spreads from seed


*ONE *errant seed could cause massive problems
It's NOT a good thing to introduce to an area


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Aw, heck- just let 'em do it. Apparently posting pictures of houses and vehicles covered in it isn't enough proof.  
It is heavy enough to smother out other vegetation and topple poles and fences- a cattle panel isn't even a challenge.

Just be prepared to see a post in the future about kudzu eating their farms.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

southerngurl said:


> We already have kudzu growing in our county. It only rarely spreads from seed, and seeing as it makes large pods with seeds like beans, it wouldn't go far. If planted inside a fence like I'd like to, which would be well inside the goat's enclosure, I can't see how it could spread.


You might want to discuss this idea with your county extension agent to see if there are any holes in your plan.


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

TN has some "test" goats that are working on a supervised test patch of Kudzu. It was in the paper yesterday. They are trying to see if the goats do a better job of controlling the stuff than the new spray they have out.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

RamblinRoseRanc said:


> Aw, heck- just let 'em do it. Apparently posting pictures of houses and vehicles covered in it isn't enough proof.
> It is heavy enough to smother out other vegetation and topple poles and fences- a cattle panel isn't even a challenge.
> 
> Just be prepared to see a post in the future about kudzu eating their farms.


 The cattle panel isn't to stop the kudzu! LOL It's to stop the goats!! The goats can reach their head through the cattle panel, they'll be eating it before it gets to it. I know what Kudzu is capable of, just like I know what horses are capable of, or cattle, or a hand drill, or a sharp knife.

I'm home all day, I seriously doubt the kudzu can jump up, run off into the woods, and scale a tree before I can get out there and destroy a test plot sitting in the middle of a field, that isn't working out. I have 17 goats, kudzu will not live here without protection.

It's all hypothetical anyway, but I would love for someone to give it a whirl.

There are a couple places near that it grows. I've been driving by it year after year and it never goes anywhere, and that's stuff that's in the trees without goats around. At the end of the day, it's still just a fast growing plant.

We had some himalayan blackberries growing here.. had.


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

Multiflora rose is a good example up here. It was supposed to be used as a fence, and had been done successfully up north where they plowed the fields almost every year. People brought them in, actually the extension service was backing it. What they didn't know was birds ate the seed then when they flew over a nice pasture and relived themselves. Wa! La! more multiflora rose these things are all over the Ozarks now. Goats love them but I would never plant them on purpose. There a pain in the buttocks !!!!!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> What they didn't know was birds ate the seed then when they flew over a nice pasture and relived themselves.


That's the sort of thing I'd worry about with Kudzu.
I just don't see it being worth the risk to save a few dollars on feed


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Sorry, Southerngurl- I thought you'd said you were going to train it on a cattle panel so they could eat from both sides.... now where on earth did I get THAT information?


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

In the early 1900's, the government was *paying* people to spread kudzu all over their fields for "erosion prevention and livestock feed". This continue on through the first full third of the century, and kudzu was propagated from the East Coast to the Great Plains.

Yet, Atlanta is still a city; it has not fallen to the great Kudzu Beast. It has not managed to destroy the sugar maple forests in Tennessee and Kentucky. 

Yes, it is invasive. Mint is also invasive, and spread much more easily than kudzu. Lots of things are very invasive.

I have mint in my garden and I have managed to not allow it to take over the entire property, nor the neighbor's pasture.

I realize some people feel very strongly about this plant. Yes, left unattended and unchecked, it WILL cover things like the *abandoned* house in that picture. However, if a person's particular state and county laws allow it (many states have made it illegal to propagate kudzu, but just as many have not), I don't see any reason why anyone should start acting like someone who wishes to try out a test patch of the stuff is on the same level as a person who is attempting to open the Gates of Hell and invite the Anti-Christ into the world.

If it was SO uncontrollable, why aren't ALL of our houses buried in the stuff?


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

CaliannG said:


> In the early 1900's, the government was *paying* people to spread kudzu all over their fields for "erosion prevention and livestock feed". This continue on through the first full third of the century, and kudzu was propagated from the East Coast to the Great Plains.
> 
> Yet, Atlanta is still a city; it has not fallen to the great Kudzu Beast. It has not managed to destroy the sugar maple forests in Tennessee and Kentucky.
> 
> ...


Exactly. I live in middle Georgia. In the areas that are not developed kudzu grows over everything, yet in the residential areas and even the rural areas that have farms, no problem with kudzu taking over. I have actually been considering growing some for goats. Goats will keep it controlled, and if for some strange reason they don't, I know how to use a lawn mower. :happy:


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

My usual haphazard research has uncovered a couple of articles from University of Illinois and Dart University that says overgrazing kills kudzu. Nearly the only thing that WILL, but it seems kudzu doesn't like a bunch of goats and horses munching all of its leaves. (Sheep may or may not like kudzu, and cattle pretty much dislike it.)

I went wandering out in my woods looking for what sorts of vines I have. I found, in order from least to most:

Kudzu
Wild Grape
Catbrier (A.K.A saw greenbrier)

Seems the Catbrier is choking nearly everything else out, including growing over a couple of the mature Sugarberry trees. Fire doesn't even kill the stuff.

All in all, I think I would have preferred the kudzu getting out of hand. At least THAT stuff doesn't have thorns. My DH refers to the Catbrier as "bio-barbed wire".

Although Catbrier is VERY invasive, it's not listed as a noxious weed because it is a native species.

Oh, more haphazard research finds that Kudzu is not on the Federal Noxious Weed list, although Mesquite is. ( Can I get in trouble for NOT killing all the Mesquite on my place? It's not that I like the stuff, there is simply too much of it to control easily and I have to take time to do other things...such as, oh, eat, sleep, that sort of stuff.)

Kudzu is also not on the State lists for Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia. (According to the USDA State list.) In some states where it IS classified as a noxious weed, the laws are rather odd. In my state, Texas, it is classified as a noxious weed (although Mesquite isn't, probably because no one wants to take the time to try to eradicate the stuff.), however, according to the laws here on noxious weeds, I can GROW and PROPAGATE as much of the stuff as I want, as long as I get it from INSIDE the state. What I can't do is import it, or sell it.

However, if I happen to have a field full of the stuff and it's starting to die back, I *can* legally re-seed it, as long as I don't import the seeds from out of state.

~sighs~ If I get enough seeds, I wonder if I can spread them out in my woods and maybe the stuff will choke out the Catbrier?


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

We have a couple of those multiflora rose plants I think. Well we used to, I bet the goats have killed them by now.


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

Once I got looking, I found quite a bit of sad-looking, single stem, short little kudzu plants (about a foot high) that had grown off of runner roots. I dug one up, cleaned the hard pan clay out of its poor, dehydrated little root system, and stuck it in a glass of RO water in which I added a small handful of worm castings.

It has a total of three living leaves on it. It is currently on an East-facing window sill. 

We shall see about that foot-a-day growth thing. 

(Now, I know why it was not growing well in the soil. The only soil it DISLIKES is hard-pan clay, which we have the most of in this county. The ENTIRE county was completely burned out in the late forties and early fifties due to poor agricultural practices. This used to all be nothing but corn fields and cotton fields...now it barely supports Bermuda grass.)


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

CaliannG said:


> My usual haphazard research has uncovered a couple of articles from University of Illinois and Dart University that says overgrazing kills kudzu. Nearly the only thing that WILL, but it seems kudzu doesn't like a bunch of goats and horses munching all of its leaves. (Sheep may or may not like kudzu, and *cattle pretty much dislike it*.)


The father of the man I bought the kudzu hay from is a retired dairy man. His cows apparently loved this stuff!! He said they got out into the kudzu field one day and they didn't want to leave!!


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

farmmom said:


> The father of the man I bought the kudzu hay from is a retired dairy man. His cows apparently loved this stuff!! He said they got out into the kudzu field one day and they didn't want to leave!!


My grandpa used to give his milk cow some kudzu every now and then. He said on the days he did, she would POUR milk like a faucet!


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## tnroadkill (Jul 29, 2009)

one little sprig of kudzu would grow over and fill up grand canyon in a couple of years


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

yep cows love it, there is no Kudzu in any of the cow pastures anywhere around here, it will mound up just out of reach on the other side of the fence but wont go into the cows long toung reach,


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

Kudzu is fairly difficult to propagate, but once it is established it spreads quickly and is difficult to kill due to the extensive root systems. It is still a valuable plant for controlling erosion on roadsides. We have done some kudzu research at my university with both sheep and goats.


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## Beulah Gardens (Feb 26, 2008)

farmmom said:


> I paid $4/bale in comparison to the $15-20/bale that alfalfa sells for around here, with better results.


How big of a bale and why so much??? does alfalfa not grow well in your area?
Around here alfalfa is the main type of hay sold, this yr I paid $70 a ton. It is grass hay that I have a hard time finding.... funny how regions are so vastly different.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Alfalfa does well in arid and semi-arid areas due to the extensive root system. Not so well in our soil and environment in the south. In NM, we were buying alfalfa for seven fifty-eight bucks a bale. Grass hay was 9-11. Here, alfalfa is 10-13 a bale with grass 1.50-3 a bale. 
Amazing, isn't it?


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Beulah Gardens said:


> How big of a bale and why so much??? does alfalfa not grow well in your area?
> Around here alfalfa is the main type of hay sold, this yr I paid $70 a ton. It is grass hay that I have a hard time finding.... funny how regions are so vastly different.


This is for 55-60lb square bales. I believe most of the alfalfa is imported from Michigan. I know my step-dad buys the ton bales for $250, and considers it a good deal. I'd love to see it at $70/ton!!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm in Virginia and hay is terribly expensive now. I would like to have some growing here (between fences like southerngurl) as I did our lespedeza shrubs that way and they make a wonderful contribution to goat nutrition.

I am wondering, since Kudzo is a vine, if one might bury something a few inches into the earth and a few inches above the earth to serve as a barrier/containment.


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

farmmom, maybe the guy at U of I just knew some really dumb cows, while your friend's father had *smart* cows.

Alfalfa hay is going for $10-$14 a square bale here. It was $8.50 a square bale where I lived in Colorado. Grass hay is going for $4-$8 a bale here.

I would love to have some kudzu hay.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

If I had to buy bales for even $4 - I'd have to sell every animal I have - lol.


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

And this, Creamers, is why I am grateful that I have 8 acres of pasture and 2 acres of assorted woods and weeds. 

The bags of alfalfa pellets are $7.65. Those are generally what we get due to the lack of waste.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

CaliannG said:


> And this, Creamers, is why I am grateful that I have 8 acres of pasture and 2 acres of assorted woods and weeds.
> 
> *The bags of alfalfa pellets are $7.65*. Those are generally what we get due to the lack of waste.


Here they're about $14/50lb


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Same here farmmom, and grass hay is about $4-$5 a bale this year.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

We can get 50 lbs of alfalfa pellets for 4.00 Good,horse quality brome hay is running us 5.00 a bale.


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