[mjs500doo]

So just realizing that the recent fire hereabouts was... HAY millions of dollars of hay gone up in smoke... so sending a friend to pick up a few bales, but just curious if its the dead of winter and you "run out" of hay what do you do *guessing that goat chow is always available.... we should have some old browse under the snow etc.... but what do you do?

If it were an emergency, nothing replaces forage. I would go for next best thing: alfalfa replacement. Like chaffe-hay, alfalfa pellets, alfalfa cubes. Something. Their rumens NEED that forage to keep a layer to prevent illness. I would also up their overall grain intake by small percentages to get additional nutrition out. Readily available nutrition such as BOSS, calf-manna (supplement), corn gluten, or distillers grains.

 

[mjs500doo]

I've been thinking about this all night...I also could suggest if absolutely necessary baleage may be fed out. They really like the sweet flavor. Corn silage or haylage as well, but I'd try baleage first.

Absolutely we like feeding alfalfa through the winter and during lactation!