# Arrgh! Goats won't eat new hay!



## BethW (May 3, 2007)

So I went to my usual hay guy and bought a year's worth of hay. And the goats won't touch it. :flame:

This hay is first cutting orchard/timothy, from the very same fields as the hay they've been eating for the past three years. The only difference is it was cut 3-4 weeks later than usual so it's definitely stalkier/stemmier. 

What could be going on here? I ran out of hay recently and they've been eating very soft, leafy 3rd cutting hay for the last month or so. Could they just have gotten spoiled eating the softer hay? 

And will they eat it when they get hungry? Or is there a danger in letting them go several days without eating much?


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

They will likely eat it, but being stemmier they won't get as much use from it, so you'll get a LOT of waste. Goats prefer later cuttings because generally, they do require higher quality hay. If you free feed, be prepared to clean out the feeders every other day or so, to offer them new hay that they can pick through. The stems make great mulch or if you have a dry place to store them, it makes great bedding for their barn come wither.


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

Is it OK to be hard-hearted and wait them out until they DO eat it?

They looooved the 3rd cutting hay, but it was so leafy and lacking in fiber that they ended up with really mushy, sticky berries. Now it seems I've gone too far in the other direction...


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Well Beth, I think it's time for you to get a horse  
Whatever the goats won't eat the horses will so I never have any waste. The horses love the stems. Also, mine are not eating much hay at all right now because of the pastures and browse. What doesn't look good to them now might look pretty tasty in the winter. Are they getting any pasture/browse?


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

Now Minelson. Do NOT get me started on that. I need a horse like I need a hole in the head. :bash: LOL!

They do have pasture and a bit of browse, but they keep going to their hay feeder, pulling hay out, mouthing it and then letting it fall out of their mouths. Then they go wandering around the stall looking for any other kind of hay they might have overlooked. They're obviously hungry. Grr.

I can let them get hungry, but I want to make sure it won't hurt them (like when cats don't eat and get fatty liver disease).


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## jordan (Nov 29, 2006)

Since I ran out of my good 3rd-4th cutting hay, I picked up about 20 bales of bedding ~ I mean first cutting hay  It's useless and they won't eat it and never will. They'll survive on pasture until 2nd cutting...
If you bought a years worth of garbage, I just don't know what to tell you... Their condition will suffer if fed poor quality hay.
Lois


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

How much hay did you buy? Is it already stacked and stored? I'm wondering if you could talk to the hay guy and trade it for some different hay. You'll take a loss but it might be worth it. My hay guy would do it. Mine will eat first cutting hay...they actually prefer broader blades over the fine thin, soft hay that the horses love. Actually, my horses will eat anything.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (May 25, 2010)

They won't eat it...it is a lost cause. They will pick through and eat the leaves and drop the coarse stems onto the ground and walk/poo/pee on them. Look at the bright side though--you won't need to buy any straw!


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

Beth, did you take delivery on the whole year's worth, or will your hay guy let you substitute with something your dears like better? Our hay suppliers, AKA various neighbors here in dairy cow and goat country, let us try one bale before getting more. Of course this is winter feed for a lot more sheep than you have goats. We normally get big square bales.

Peg


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

I took delivery of a year's worth. This is the same hay out of the same fields that my goats have eaten for the past three years. It's good orchardgrass/timothy. The only difference is that it was cut 3-4 weeks later than usual due to rain.

I need to clarify one thing: my goats are three lazy wethers that are already overconditioned. They don't need the higher nutrition of later cuttings and they do need the fiber of first cutting. I just think this batch has a little too much fiber

They did start eating it today. We'll see how it goes.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Oh good! Problem solved...I'm glad they are eating it :icecream:


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

My goats are very spoiled & picky too. I try to get enough 3rd cutting for a year from our guy & they Love it. BUT I have many times bought from different folks trying to find what they like best. We have Alfafa growing right here on our own feilds but the guy that cuts it gets us square bales from another feild completely since this is too stemmy for them. Go figure! Otherwise like alot of others said above, we save the waste in the barn for winter bedding when ever we can.


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## canadiangirl (Jul 25, 2004)

I needed more hay early this year and ended up with very similar stuff to yours....they are picking through it but wasting a lot of it. They didn't eat much of it the first week but then ate more. I wouldn't try to feed this through the winter to my milking girls, for starters there would be so much waste I would blow through it fast and need more anyway.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

In this area one cannot even find quality hay. We had too much rain and, if you didn't get it the first part of May, you got stuck with harvesting it after it has headed out, which of course makes poor quality hay to stack in the loft for winter feeding to pregnant does.

Since we have not had a chance to rennovate our pastures, I did manage to find 11 square bales of quality orchard grass in mid May. (This is presently being given one slab a day to each of my 2 bucks!) I am going to mow the pastures so more grass will grow and the herd can graze until farmers have a chance to harvest some fall hay. I have been doing this now for 2 months and all are looking a little thinner than I like; but still have healthy amount of weight on them. .... keeping a close eye on them ....

I could go ahead and buy the headed-out hay; but I know most of it would wind up as bedding; so what is the use? They still would not gain weight as I prefer.


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