“Haying” forage?

ByFaithFarm

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We are fairly new to goats (mini lamanchas and one standard Lamancha/Boer mix for now), and are delighted how well they are munching the underbrush on our mostly wooded property.

Any insight on the possibility of cutting/drying/baling any of this forage to save for winter? We often need to clear our pathways through the woods, and are cutting down some of it anyway.
 

WildersMilkMaid

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Don’t have an answer from you, but I am interested to hear. We have a neighboring 10acre woodlot with an out-of-town owner, and I might approach him to clear the undergrowth. Either by putting my goats there or by storing forage if people say it’s ok! Thanks
 

ByFaithFarm

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It is many things-some I know and some I don’t. I’ve only lived here since March, so I am still learning a lot!

Less grass and more vines, berry brambles, sweetgum saplings (definitely the fave), pine saplings, wild grape, poison ivy, American beauty berry bushes, maple saplings...and a hundred other things!
 

CntryBoy777

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I've never heard of anyone doing such, but our goats ate green all winter....of course, location can dictate what can be grown or that may be available naturally.....we lived in northern Mississippi at the time and had honeysuckle that stayed green as it was covered from trees above it from any frost hitting it....we also had wild privot that is an evergreen....ya have to be mindful if ya plant it cause it can be invasive....I also sowed pasture rye grass, winter peas, and crimson clover in the fields for them to forage on....their favorite, by far, was the sweet gum leaves and they would eat them even crispy dried....they also really liked acorns...the smaller varieties.....not sure of your location, but there are always cedar, pine, and others that could work for ya too.... :)
 

ByFaithFarm

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I guess what is coming to mind as I’m considering if we could/should do such, is that I’ve read that certain plants (wild black cherry for example) are especially dangerous after they have been broken/cut from the tree. I’m not sure which things might be ok dried but not freshly wilted. I guess we can experiment with a small amount this coming colder season (which will be our first fall/winter here in North Central AL) and see the effects, but not rely on it for their main food source.

Thanks all for your comments!
 

CntryBoy777

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When sowing forage for winter....ya want to wait until the heat breaks from the "dog days" of Aug/Sept....and if ya time the sowing with some passing showers, ya can have better success in getting it up and growing before frost comes....the frost won't kill it, but will slow it down.....look for the rye grass variety "Big Boss".....it recovers much quicker than most.....and was developed and tested not far from where ya are....over in Holly Springs, Mississippi.....goats will always choose the best forage available, and most harmful plants they will avoid....mine wouldn't eat anything that was around something harmful....but they had plenty to choose from....and they ate very little hay, even in winter....:)
 

CntryBoy777

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A couple of other things that have crossed my mind is....ya can plant many winter crops, also, such as turnip greens, radishes, rape, and even carrots.....just throw the seed around where they browse and they will eat them.....there are many winter weeds that will begin to grow as the summer and fall ones die off....dandelion, dock, and others....ours liked the dock and the carrot tops...something else....throw some of the seed outside the fence....that way the deer won't be tempted to jump inside the fence for a snack.... ;)
 

farmerjan

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Drying the weeds, vines etc would be a problem. To get them to an acceptable dryness for storage.... Wild cherry is poisonous when wilted but not a problem when green (just fallen down branch) or when dried out. The limbs are not a problem and have never had even the cows eat the bark.... but we never let them get hungry enough to want to.
@CntryBoy777 is much more familiar with the growing/crops/greens down your way.
 
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