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["SISU!" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

> > Hey all,
> >
> > I've been busy homesteading and just lurking here mostly. I got 6 
> > Boer does and a Buck and then added a couple of Nubian-Alpine cross
> >  doelings in to be bred by the Boer buck. Next spring, I'll try my 
> > hand at goat milking. Hopefully, I'll like goat meat or find 
> > someone who will pay for it!

Congratulations Rob!

The first thing I should say is that I agree with the hick (um,
Homesteader) ;) that responded to your post.  He makes a lot of sense.
The second thing you should know is that I am a goatatericist, as the
hick (I mean, Homesteader daggummit!) calls it, in that I say buck and
doe, not billy and nanny like the hick (shoot, I did it
again-HOMESTEADER)  (Just some friendly jabbing James, don't get pissed)
I especially agree with him about the cross-breeding meat and dairy
goats, as in my experience, while it sounds like a good idea, it's
really not worth it.

> > I am going to have to start feeding hay soon. I'd like to get some
> >  grass hay and some soybean hay. I've heard that the legumes are 
> > good for them and figure that they soybean hay should have some 
> > more protein in it.

I've never seen soybean hay down here, but there is plenty of soy grown.
Most fields are rotated corn/soy.  I would guess that the soy hay is
probably close in protein to the meal, which is around 40%, especially
if the hay still has the beans in it.  Feeds often contain soy because
it is good for hoof and coats, among other things like milk production.


> > Hay is mostly sold in round bales here, so I have to make a 
> > commitment when I buy and would like to bring in 4 bales, 2 grass 
> > and 2 soybean.

My goats, and some others I knew, were actually quite picky about their
hay.  Several times, I bought hay that they would not eat.  It wasn't
that they wanted more expensive hay, because more often than not they
liked the cheap, weedy stuff better, it's just that they sometimes acted
as finicky as a cat.  If there is any way possible to avoid buying round
bales from the start before you know whether or not your goats will eat
it, I would.  Perhaps you can get some loose hay or a square bale from
the same source and test the goats before you lay out the money for the
round bale?
Also, if soy hay is 40% protein, you might want to feed it in smaller
quantities and not allow free-feeding.  You can do what you want, but
goats do quite well on far less protein, and all that protein,
especially soy protein, is gonna go straight into the hooves.  Have you
learned to trim hooves yet?  You may not need to with a natural diet and
a moderately rocky pasture, but I'll bet if you free feed that soy hay,
in no time, those goat's hooves will be curling under!
If it were me, and I know it's not, but if it were me, I would buy 3
bales of regular and one bale of soy.  I'd feed soy only to the pregnant
and lactating does, maybe a little to the kids, but never in large
quantities for anything.  Hoof health is important, especially in dairy
goats, so while I think you need soy, you don't want too much soy.

I made a goat 'granola' for my lactating does.  It was part sunflowers,
part soymeal, part beet pulp, and part animax.  I only topdressed their
feed with it.  Yeah, I can hear you saying, yup...goatatericist alright!
I free fed grass hay, and when I could afford it, I also bought alfalfa,
but was also very careful with that...(no alfalfa to bucks, wethers, or
dry does, and with expecting does, I started feeding it slowly during
the last month of pregnancy and continued through lactation.
What you feed is gonna depend also on how your goats are housed and the
quality of your pasture and browse.  If you have good pasture and
browse, you probably don't *need* much more, but you may want to play
around and see what kind of production you get or want.  Obviously, if
your bucks are running with your does, I wouldn't feed alfalfa hay at
all.  If you are dead set on it, get it in pellet form and feed it on
the milkstand.
There's no truly right or wrong way...there are just different
management strategies and you will have to find what works for you on
your land.  I'm excited for you as I also just love goats.  One of my
friends owes me two from a barter deal, so I might actually have goats
again in the Spring if my health holds up.

All the best,

Bev



--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky