is alfalfa bad for pregnant goats?

[newton the goat]

My grandfather has been searching online and has read multiple posts saying that giving alfalfa to a pregnant goat or a goat who recently kidded will only cause negative affects. Is this true? The only hay we have has a high alfalfa percentage which both our goat and sheep love. Will it only cause her and her kids harm? Am I feeding her wrong?

 

[NH homesteader]

I have never heard that. Pretty sure @babsbag feeds all alfalfa hay, and @Southern by choice and @Goat Whisperer feed alfalfa hay as well... Among others. I can't get alfalfa hay here but I fed my milking doe alfalfa pellets last year with no ill effects.

 

[luvmypets]

I fed alfalfa to Rosie during her last month and she was fine. It really helped with her energy and milk production.

 

[babsbag]

Feed her the alfalfa, she will love you for it. They need the protein and the calcium that alfalfa offers. You can feed it to ALL of the goats...does, bucks, kids. There is some that say that feeding alfalfa to pregnant does can cause issues with calcium usage after kidding. It is a very complicated topic when many facets to it. Everyone I know that lives where alfalfa is available feeds it year round.

I will like to see what your grandfather is reading.

 

[Ferguson K]

We feed alfalfa year round to everyone

 

[Hens and Roos]

we use alfalfa hay

 

[newton the goat]

I'll try and locate a few of the "expert websites" he claimed he found

 

[Alibo]

Alfalfa here too for all my pregnant and milking girls!

 

[newton the goat]

I'm glad.... my grandfather tends to find random websites and then makes us all go into a panic because he will start loosing his mind everytime he finds a website that contradicts stuff we do..... I may need to restrict his Internet searching.... jk (maybe, maybe not)

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Like the others said- it's fine to feed.

We had a doe that had issues after eating some very rich alfalfa.
She had been eating a lot of minerals lately (at that time) and was on a pretty good diet of feed (I think alfalfa pellets and calf manna too- if I remember right) and orchard grass hay. When we switched over it was to much on her and shocked her system. Yes, the hay was transitioned slowly.
I think because she was on a very rich diet the alfalfa pushed it to far.
Bloodwork confirmed and all the 'goodies" caused a build up in the liver. Once it was toned down we didn't have anymore issues.

She's had alfalfa since then with no issues. Just be careful if you are already feeding a rich diet!