Grass fed experiment, first try

[michaels4gardens]

I'm in mid-state NY and keep meat mutts in cages but don't feed pellets. Right now we're feeding willow, brambles (rose and raspberry), dandelions, dock, burdock, comfrey, clover and grass. Also feed the grow-outs and nursing does some grain--oats and wheat. And they all have hay, mixed grass and clover, all the time.
I'd like to understand better the relative nutrition of hay and fresh grass/clover. I'd thought that the grass was most nutritious when it is growing fast, before it starts to head out. Is that right? (And I know to only feed the burdock and dock early while the leaves are small.) It makes sense to me that the nutrition in any feed depends on the soil. I just hadn't realized that elevation made a difference. There are lots of discussions about the merits of different percentage protein pellets and of what wild and garden greens are "safe" for rabbits. But not so much about how to balance the natural diet and how season, soil etc. affect the nutrients available in various natural feeds.Guess we'll just have to keep good records, gather and feed a variety of forage through the seasons, and learn as we go. I appreciate all who take time to tell what works (and doesn't) for them.
Just saw the first green showing on the little bare root mulberries we planted last month--looking forward to having that to add to my buckets another year.

Timothy hay can have as much as 17% protein if cut in the "late vegetative stage", but less protein is more common, for example "early bloom" is around 15%- mid bloom about 10%, -- point is-- it varies.

 

[6riversfarms]

Very interesting thread. I have been doing a lot of studying up on pasture and forage lately. I have come to the conclusion that in order to succeed with livestock I need to become a grass farmer extraordinary lol. I wonder if\how rabbits could be used in a rotational grazing system with other livestock such as chickens, sheep, and cattle.