# Peanut hay for goats?



## brendagoff (Jun 4, 2013)

What can ya'll tell me about your experience with peanut hay? I live on the Gulf Coast and we just can't get alfalfa here, so I'm currently feeding grass hay and alfalfa pellets. I've heard that some folks feed peanut hay but I don't know if it's a good alternative for goats.

Also, if it is a good choice, can anyone give me information on where I might be able to buy some in the MS/AL/LA/FL panhandle area? Have checked Craigslist and our Market Bulletin for weeks now and am coming up with nothing. 

Much thanks!


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

We have the same challenges with alfalfa hay here, Brenda. I feed Chaffhaye as an alternative and love it, but if I was able to get peanut hay locally I might consider adding some in. There are some GA folks that live further South that feed it and swear by it. For us there was always an availability and storage issue.


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## informative (Aug 24, 2012)

I buy raw peanuts and throw them into some tilled earth and they keep coming back now because the peanuts themselves are underground

Was right in the middle of my tomato plants this year I was like what are those? Oh no peanuts!

Wonder if I water them with salty water if they will make like salted peanuts (humor)


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## texgran (Mar 29, 2009)

I fed it yrs ago when it was available here. Once they got used to it they ate it well. no problems. They milked great on it and the milk was sweet and delicious. All of the cow dairies fed it as well.
Our area was once peanut capitol. Now there is not a peanut in site. All the cow daries are gone too.


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

Try googling "perennial peanut hay" and you should get a lot of hits. Peanut hay is a bit different than peanuts that you eat, in that it's actually a forage legume. You can find more information here: http://www.perennialpeanuthay.org/. I googled "perennial peanut hay for sale" and found this place in North Central Florida - http://www.haystackfarms.com/Hay_Sales.html. There were others as well that looked promising. Caroline


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## informative (Aug 24, 2012)

I see leaves are not as round as actual peanuts for real peanut nut farming - not easy to come by either. those with productive peanut hay rhizomes may prefer to grow and sell the hay. it also seems to need region 8b/9+ maybe it dies if a solid freeze comes through which we do get sometimes in zone 7b/8a hereabouts.

fact that it grows well in the same regions as peanuts (Georgia Florida south Texas) means they are very similar plant species.


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