How to Graze Goats on Clover After a Frost

Successfully grazing goats on clover after a frost requires you to follow a strict feeding regimen and to watch your goats closely during the days after each hard frost. Unlike certain warm-season annual grasses, such as sudangrass, frosted clover does not produce potentially fatal hydrocyannic acid, but consuming it could increase your goats' chances of suffering from bloat. This potentially deadly health condition develops when your goat eats a large amount of legumes, such as clover, in a short time, which produces an abundance of gas bubbles that get trapped in the stomach in a frothy foam.

Things You'll Need

  • Grass hay
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Instructions

    • 1

      Feed free-choice grass hay for two to three hours before releasing your goats into their clover pasture. Opt for grass hay, such as timothy, brome or fescue, which features a blend of dried stems and leaves for maximum benefit.

    • 2

      Limit grazing time based on the amount of clover present in your goat pasture. Allow your goats to graze a clover-grass mixed pasture for two to three hours per day during the first few days following a heavy frost. As a precaution, skip grazing the pasture completely for the first two to three days if the clover pasture consists of pure clover. Allow your goats to resume their normal grazing habits within three to five days of a heavy frost.

    • 3

      Monitor your goats closely for signs of frothy bloat, the type of bloat that typically develops from over-consumption of legume forages. Look for increased anxiety or irritability, as well as decreased appetite and signs of physical distress or pain, such as moaning or pacing. If you notice any of these symptoms, check the left side of your goat's stomach for an unusual distension or swelling, a distinctive symptom of bloat. Contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice bloat symptoms, since prompt treatment is essential to prevent death; depending upon symptoms, your veterinarian may have you give your goat an oral dose of mineral or vegetable oil to aid in breaking down the gas-filled foam.