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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  09:41:15 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
MaryJane, how much does each of your cows get per day of Chaffhaye?

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens

maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  11:02:53 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I follow the weight chart on the back of the package as best I can. Fanci gets the mostest!

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  12:10:01 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Oh, crumb ... I just threw away the packaging! But I think I'll be ordering more from you shortly. Thanks, MaryJane.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  1:45:26 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'll get it for you ... soon:)

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  7:57:06 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Feed 1.5 pounds of Chaffhaye per hundredweight of horse, and between 2 - 2.5 pounds per hundredweight for smaller ruminants and grazers. Changes in the rate of feeding should be introduced gradually over a period of 7 days. After observing the animal for a period of time, adjust feed amount to obtain the desired condition and appearance. All suggested feeding amounts are daily. If feeding less than a full bag, open from the top and leave unused portion in the original bag. Roll down the top of the bag and clip or otherwise secure. Store opened bag in a cool area.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  9:04:25 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thank you. It looks like I would need a bag per day for Betsy and Clover (25 lbs chaffhaye per cow); and my goats would go through about a half a bag per day (3 lbs chaffhaye per goat). That's a lot! But I did like the "no-dust" and that the animals ate everything. There was a lot less waste.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 23 2015 :  9:20:21 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think that's too much. I would say half a bag per day based on what my cows are eating.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 24 2015 :  09:10:55 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Do you mean a half-bag for both Clover and Betsy total per day?

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 24 2015 :  10:23:05 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
1/4 bag for both your girls morning and night should do it. It does mine. If I give them any more than that, they get full and walk away.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 24 2015 :  2:15:27 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Here's my milk cow Sally O'Mally during her morning milking routine preferring Chaffhaye over dry hay.


MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Jun 24 2015 :  7:11:03 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
thats the purdiest cow in the world!

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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NellieBelle

11217 Posts


Posted - Jun 25 2015 :  04:46:46 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Very nice! She certainly likes the Chaffhaye over hay.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 25 2015 :  08:25:52 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
When I sampled the Chaffhaye, both my goats and cows preferred it over dry hay. But this is great proof, MaryJane. Sally O'Malley has good taste and knows what's good for her! I agree, Cindy, that she is a gorgeous cow and you already sound like a very proud cow mama!! The way it should be.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 26 2015 :  09:38:51 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Betsy and Clover are inhaling their chaffhaye. Not a bit left over! Do they need more? Or is it enough with them being out on pasture? The grass is definitely drying up with this heat wave, but there is still plenty out there.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Jun 27 2015 :  5:48:07 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
MJ, have you thought of having the ultimate delivery team for miss sally o'mally do a chaffhaye pickup for you on the return trip home? I don't know if it would payoff, as they would have to head west to the western end of texas to do it... but perhaps it isn't that far out of the way. just a thought.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Jun 28 2015 :  3:39:25 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
MJ, how much does Miss Sally O'Mally weigh? And is she getting 1/4 bag per day? I found a few chaffhaye distributors within an hour of me.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Jun 28 2015 :  4:34:15 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hmmmm maybe I'm in the wrong business....

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jun 28 2015 :  9:36:56 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think if you have good alfalfa hay, Ron, that is great! It is getting difficult to find good quality alfalfa hay around here. I liked the Chaffhaye in that not a bit goes to waste. Goats are famous for letting 1/3 to 1/2 hay fall to the ground and be wasted. I even saw my goats sniffing the ground to get any morsel of Chaffhaye leftover. Usually once the hay hits the ground, my goats don't think its fit for consumption any longer. But the Chaffhaye is expensive so not sure I can go 100%. But I'd like Clover and Betsy to get as much of it as possible.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Jun 29 2015 :  04:30:40 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Charlene Harriet and most of the cows around here do very well on straight native grasses. Of course the alfalfa I put up is mainly for sale with some alfalfa grass mix held back for Harriet while pregnant. Had an old rancher here tell me straight alfalfa is not good for cows in winter cold. Told me they can't get the body heat from it...don't know how much truth in it...long story short, Betsy will do fine on grass if you have it. The way you supplement with minerals and so on grass is great!

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 29 2015 :  3:41:41 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Cindy, I will be more observant and scientific about feeding rates and let you know. They aren't wanting as much as the back of the bag says but that's probably because they get some pasturing every day. I just had 6 pallets delivered. The Chaffhaye folks have been great to deal with and very together in my experience so far. I'm glad to hear you have a dealer nearby. For me, Chaffhaye has put the fun back into ringing the dinner (cow) bell.

Ron, straight alfalfa hay or even mixed alfalfa/grass hay is a different creature altogether than fermented cut-green alfalfa. I'm definitely noticing that there is a whole lot less tension about eating around here. They're more easily satisfied and for longer--very nice and welcome change and no waste (gotta love that). In the past you've said you supplement with flax pellets for protein from BuckWheatGrowers and that you've had a girl (not sure who) lose body condition on grass. Protein is tricky but like you said, their appearance will let you know how you're doing with what you're serving up.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Jun 29 2015 :  3:44:53 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ghaffhaye, it's what's for dinner.

Ever get anymore feelings on the fodder systems or does it pretty much look like more aggravation than it's worth ?

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 29 2015 :  3:53:23 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I honestly don't think my cows would be able to break apart the root system when grown in a tray like they show. I suppose it could be cut. But it was cause for celebration when my kids could cut their own meat.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Jun 29 2015 :  6:05:59 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Called a local dealer...$14.00 a bag by the ton. Truck load is 20 ton. Emailed and asked if it is approved for organic producers.

Fodder system looked good in concept just seemed like much hoopla with the growing and so on.

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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maryjane

7074 Posts


Posted - Jun 29 2015 :  7:34:04 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It isn't certified organic, just non-GMO.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Jun 30 2015 :  04:47:49 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
i know of two organic practice family farms w/in 5 hours of us that went whole hog into the fodder system a few years ago - and are both now selling off ALL their equipment. the time/cost benefit wasn't there for them. thought that was interesting. not sure if the payoff could work in places where you get a lot less rain, and perhaps have less mild winters than we do.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA

Posted - Jun 30 2015 :  05:37:35 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the input Mary Jane and Cindy. I was just wondering on the Chaffhaye if the sprayed or whatnot. I did send them an email to ask them. I know it is not unusual to be able to certify weed free and not have to spray up here. If you keep and eye on things and cut before seed heads form the alfalfa seems to choke out the weeds.

Yep Cindy. That's what I was looking at. The fodder system looked like it had lots of strong points but seemed labor intensive and possibly costly if you figured in wages and so on...would be good if maybe you were in a tough feed situation with small demands or very large scale with good labor and space.

Any input on costs for the bagged alfalfa in different areas . I talked to only one dealer in this area who said $14.00 a bag by the ton. Cheaper by the truck load or 1/2 truck load. ( 10'to 20 pallets )

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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