Instructions
Ask your hay provider for hay that has weeds in it. Goats are "browsers" and like to nibble on shrubs, weeds, plants and grasses. Weedy hay is also cheaper than hay that horses and cattle eat.
Pull the hay bale apart to ensure that is doesn't contain mold or sticks that could sicken or injure the animals.
Load loose hay into the feeder.
Use an overhead-style of feeder or a hanging hay rack to prevent the animals from putting their hooves into the feeder and soiling the hay. Since goats are selective eaters, they won't eat hay that's been trampled on, even if it's in their feeder. An overhead feeding device also can cut down on hay contamination and waste.
Another feeding alternative is the keyhole feeder, which is designed for a single goat. A keyhole feeder allows a goat to insert its head fully into the feeder without being able to get the rest of its body inside. This feeder design reduces waste, but if a goat has its head inside this type of feeder, and another goat comes along and strikes it, the feeding goat could get injured. You would have to watch over any goats using this feeding device.
How to Feed Goats High Protein Digestible Hay
Goat are picky eaters, and tend to feed on only forage or hay that contains the nutrients they require, such as fiber, protein and vitamins. In order to stay healthy, the animals need a mix of fibrous and digestible foods in their diet. Hay is an excellent source of nutrients, and the hay with the most digestible protein is soybean hay, followed closely by alfalfa hay. Feeding hay to goats comes with some challenges, though, such as reducing waste. Additionally, you don't want goats to eat hay off the ground; that's a recipe for the spread of disease and intestinal parasites among the herd. Nonetheless, if you follow a few simple steps, you can feed goats protein-packed hay while keeping waste to a minimum and keeping the animals healthy.