Fat, Happy goats.....

I have a friend who sells hay. This last year (2007) was a pretty good summer for hay - at least around here. It wasn't so hot as the prior 2-3 years and we had more rain. His yield was up about 275% from the last year (2006). Mine was pretty good both years, but my hay mow isn't very large. Mine is Native Praire and his is Native plus a re-seed of a local mixture.

A couple of weeks ago he broke a few bales with his trailer. Not a LOT, probably 5 or 6. At any rate, there was a pile of loose hay inside his hay shed and he told me I could have it. I had been meaning to get it out of his way sooner, but never made it until today. It didn't take long to fork it into the pickup. There were actually 3 intact bales that made it to my barn. They were ALMOST coming apart and had to be handled GENTLY!
The loose hay, I put in a couple of tractor tire bunks I have for the goats.
Since it was a nice day, the goats were outside browsing around. They tend to stay in the barn when it is raining, snowing or LOOKS like it might do either! They also don't like snow or mud - they have "delicate" toes and don't like to get them wet.

I was turning into our driveway when they spotted me. From there it was a mad dash to see what I had brought them. I threw the first bit into the tire and they imediatley started working on it. I threw some in the other feeder (about 10' away) and they separated into two groups. It was fun to watch them standing there munching away, while more hay was being thrown in . They would just stand there, oblivious to the hay that was landing on their heads! After a bit, all I could see was a bunch of goat bodies, with no heads. They had a happy feast, at any rate!

I checked on them a couple hours later and they were all curled up around the bunks, rubbing their tummies! They had hay in the barn, but this was out in the sunshine, so it tasted better. They will rest and chew awhile, then come out for another round. It was good to see them at the bunk for a change, usually that is a spring or summer thing.