More Hay Questions!

TXMissy

Loving the herd life
Joined
Aug 6, 2021
Messages
216
Reaction score
232
Points
143
Location
Copperas Cove, TX
My goats will not eat coastal. I don't know what to feed my goats. Anyone else in TX know where I can get something different than coastal? And how do I tell if its good? All the hay I see looks dried out. I really dont know anything about hay other than my goats will not eat coastal.
Thanks!
 

hoovesgalore

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Dec 1, 2021
Messages
76
Reaction score
82
Points
63
and it might just be where you get the hay from some hay is not the best quality.
 

Alaskan

Herd Master
Joined
May 9, 2017
Messages
5,366
Reaction score
12,588
Points
553
Location
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
The problem might not be that it is coastal...but that it is dried out.

You want hay that looks leafy and green.

This is one reason why good hay storage is so great. When you do find good hay... buy a bunch of it.

To find good hay.... ask around.

I would always find who made good hay, then ask to be put on their call list. They would call me the day that they baled. I had to run out as soon as they called and load up what I wanted for the year.

One year hay here was really bad... a horse owner organized a container to be shipped up from Washington state filled with compressed alfalfa square bales.

So... you need to talk to locals, maybe horse owners since they have to be more careful with hay quality.

Up here there is also a local Facebook hay only page... so people can get in contact with each other.

In my experience... buying from a feed store is way higher price, and usually lower quality.
 

TXMissy

Loving the herd life
Joined
Aug 6, 2021
Messages
216
Reaction score
232
Points
143
Location
Copperas Cove, TX
The problem might not be that it is coastal...but that it is dried out.

You want hay that looks leafy and green.

This is one reason why good hay storage is so great. When you do find good hay... buy a bunch of it.

To find good hay.... ask around.

I would always find who made good hay, then ask to be put on their call list. They would call me the day that they baled. I had to run out as soon as they called and load up what I wanted for the year.

One year hay here was really bad... a horse owner organized a container to be shipped up from Washington state filled with compressed alfalfa square bales.

So... you need to talk to locals, maybe horse owners since they have to be more careful with hay quality.

Up here there is also a local Facebook hay only page... so people can get in contact with each other.

In my experience... buying from a feed store is way higher price, and usually lower quality.
Yeah.. none of the hay is green except the Timothy which is 23.00 for a compressed bale, but I just might go back to that if I cannot find anything else. Thank you! You are always so helpful!
 
Last edited:

OneFineAcre

Herd Master
Joined
Dec 28, 2012
Messages
9,139
Reaction score
10,265
Points
633
Location
Zebulon, NC
Honestly, I don't have an answer for you because coastal bermuda hay is the primary hay I feed my goats. I have found that it is one of the best varieties, particularly for nigerian dwarfs. Mine just do great on it. I agree with Alaskan, it may be an issue of the quality of the hay you are getting.
 

Show Sebright

True BYH Addict
Joined
Mar 14, 2021
Messages
1,050
Reaction score
2,567
Points
263
Location
Orlando Florida
My goats will not eat coastal. I don't know what to feed my goats. Anyone else in TX know where I can get something different than coastal? And how do I tell if its good? All the hay I see looks dried out. I really dont know anything about hay other than my goats will not eat coastal.
Thanks!
We have the same issues. I’m in Florida and we do alfalfa.
 

2goatgal

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Sep 15, 2021
Messages
8
Reaction score
9
Points
26
We have the same issues. I’m in Florida and we do alfalfa.
Ditto here. My 2 does are alfalfa addicts BUT, will go into the donkey's manger and eat his coastal, but not if I put it in their stall. Goats are supposed to dislike grasses which is why their preference for the legume, alfalfa. However, the farm I got one of my does from feed their herd rolled coastal and recommended I stick with it. I didn't. I guess if that's all they're exposed to and they're hungry....it sure would be hugely cheaper.
 

simplysouthern22

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 4, 2022
Messages
15
Reaction score
15
Points
33
Location
Silverhill, AL
We offer Rye as free choice to our cows but recently got some good looking Alfalfa from a horse owner out of WI. He gets it shipped down to the FL panhandle and we try to keep a bale of it on hand to offer our dairy girls with their evening concentrates. Agree with trying to link up with a horse owner & figure out what you have available around you & try some out with your goats that might be a good benefit for them at a price you can afford.
 
Top