RUMINANT NUTRITION
GOAT NUTRITION
1. Introduction
Goats were among the first domesticated animals, adapted from the wild version Capra
aegargus. Beginning about 10,000-11,000 years ago, Neolithic farmers in the Near East
began keeping small herds of goats for their milk and meat, and for their dung for fuel, as well
as for materials for clothing and building: hair,
bone, skin and sinew. Today there are more than
300 breeds of goats, and they live in climates
ranging from high altitude mountains to deserts.
Recent mtDNA research suggests that all goats
today are descended from a handful of animals and
may have been domesticated in a handful of
different places. World population: 746 514 000 goats, Africa and Asia: 80 - 90%.
2. Digestive tract
• Lower BW than for other ruminant livestock species.
• Different passage rate.
• More efficient in nitrogen recycling.
• Foraging behaviour: compared to other domestic ungulates goats are more flexible in
their feeding habits, expressing rapid seasonal shifts. The goat is characterised as a
generalised feeder since it adapts its choice according to what is available, having a
very large selection choice (Van Soest, 1982).
Grazing goats are obliged to shift foods since natural pastures are continuously changing
composition and therefore quality. It has been demonstrated experimentally (Papachristou and
Nastis, 1993) that goats exhibited very rapid seasonal shifts between shrubs, grasses and
forbs, depending on their availability and their seasonal nutritive
value. Selection rations of most species vary greatly from season to
season.
Selection: goats have very mobile mouthparts and necks. No upper
incisor or canine teeth. They depend on the rigid dental pad in front
of the hard palate, the lower incisor teeth, the lips, and the tongue to
take food into their mouths. Agile, frequently stand on hind legs,
reach high.
Top-down grazer. Strongly prefer clean and fresh feed.
3. Productivity of goats
• Meat, milk, fiber, skins/hides.
• Categories based on the premise of potential effects on nutrient requirements.
• Meat: 50% or more Boer blood.
• Dairy: Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Toggenburg, Angora.
• Indigenous, local or mixed purpose genotypes.
1
RUMINANT NUTRITION
4. Energy requirements
• Body condition scores (1 to 5)
•
ME = 422-445 kJ / BW 0.75, NEm = 322 kJ / W 0.75
o
Intensive management/tropics: + 25%,
o
semiaride climate/hilly pasture + 50%,
o
arid climate/mountain pasture + 75%.
•
Pregnancy: In the last 6 weeks: NEm + 150%,
•
Lactation: NEm + 250%, Grain supplementation: 0.8-1 kg/day / 2.5 l milk,
•
Gain: ME = 443 kJ / W 0.75
5. Protein requirements
• MP for maintenence: mature and lactating
• [MFCP 2.67 % DMI + EUCP 1.031 g/kg BW0.75 1.03 + (0.2 g/kg BW0.75)],
• growing 3.07 g/kg BW0.75,
• angora 3.35 g/kg BW0.75,
• MP for tissue gain by growing goats:
o dairy 0.29,
o indigenous 0.29,
o meat 0.404,
o angora 0.281 g/g,
• MP for milk protein: 1.45 g/g,
• MP for clean mohair fiber: 1.65 g/g.
6. Minerals and vitamine
• Sodium, Copper, Fluorine!
• Vitamin: Necessary for enzyme systems functions, immune response, metabolism,
tissue function, etc. Usually available in sufficient quantity. Poor grazing conditions,
high production, or restricted diets may necessitate supplementation.
7. Water
• The goat's body is normally more than 60% water. Rumen contents must be about
70% water to function properly. Even a slight dip in water consumption can result in a
goat with fever and off feed.
• Sensitive to water quality. The quantity and frequency of water intake vary greatly
among goat types, their locations, and associated diets.
• Lactation: 1.28 l of water for 1 l of milk, salt content of water are important.
8. Feeding and management
Goats can utilize any feedstuffs that is safe for ruminant consumption. Locally available
feeds, low demand for human consumption, forages, roughages, roughage products. minimal
levels of supplemental feedstuffs.
• Forages: lower preference for grasses than sheep and cattle. More forbs and browse
plant species. Goats can select. In many situations some type of supplements may be
necessary. Very important to have reasinably accurate estimates of nutrient needs at
the particular time. Cottonseed hulls, peanut hulls, cereal straw, corn cobs. Diets with
rorage, roughage or roughage product levels less than 30% to 40 % of the diet can lead
to digestive disturbances (acidosis).
• Cereal straw – may be treated.
2
RUMINANT NUTRITION
• By-products: Whet middlings, wheat bran, soybean hulls, rice bran, distiller’s dry
grains.
• Corn, barley, sorghum, other grains processing (for max utilization, but less importan
than for cattle), molasses, meat goats – corn (in the winter), moderate protein content
(less than 12% CP).
• Cottonseed meal, soybean meal, linseed meal, peanut meal, sunflower seed meal.
Soybean meal is slightly more palatable than cottonseed meal, but both are readily
consumed by goats. Odor may reduce consumption. Keep low level in diet. Protein
concentrates are moderate to high in DE content.
• NPN sources: Urea – one third of the protein in the diet. Its use with low quality
forages is not recommended unless adequate time for adaptation and other sources of
readily available energy, such as molasses, are provided. It should not be included in
the rations of young ruminants when the rumen is not fully functional. Ammonia
toxicity can occur when a large amount of urea is introduced in the ration or the ration
containing urea is improperly mixed.
9. Feeding kids
• Dairy goat kids - removed from the mother soon, colostrum, heat treated milk or milk
replacer.
• Milk replacer: 20% to 30% CP, 15% to 20% Fat, starter or creep diets: 18% CP
(corn-soybean-wheat middlings).
An example:
Colostrum: heat treated, CAE negative mother or not at all, Drink within 2 hours.
Day 1 to 3: Colostrum (4-5 times per day, ad libitum),
Day 3 to 21: milk or milk replacer (3-4 times per day, 0.9-1.4 l + water),
Day 14: taste the hay,
Day 21-42: milk or milk replacer (2 times per day), 0.45 kg starter diet,
Day 42-56: milk or milk replacer (2 times per day), 0.55 kg starter diet.
10. Feeding after weaning
• The great majority of goats in the world derive most nutrients from grazing, altough
confinement production systems also occur: complete diet (pelleted), free choice for
ad libitum consumption.
• Total Mixed Ration.
11. Feeding yearlings
• Yearlings require nutrients for maintenance and growth if they are going to be
replacement does.
• After weaning up to 6 months, continue feeding with kid starter. No silage and NPN
at this age. Fresh water should be available at all times. Macro and micro minerals
should be incorporated in the grain mix or provide a loose mineral mix.
• At 6 months of age up to the breeding age (9-10 months) animals may require 0.5-0.7
kg of grain mix with at least 14% CP, minerals, trace minerals, and vitamins A, D, and
E.
3
RUMINANT NUTRITION
12. Feeding pregnant meat does
• Meat goats require a little more attention at least 4-6 weeks prior to the next kidding.
• A good pasture, hay or silage as well as 0.2 to 0.5 kg of 12% CP grain mix will be
sufficient.
• No alfalfa as a sole source of forage during this period. Alfalfa contains a high Ca:P
ratio which is not desirable for late pregnant does.
• Does should be kept in good flesh but not fat during this period.
13. Feeding nursing meat does
• During the first few months of lactation, animals should consume enough to meet their
needs for milk production for nursing kids.
• Feed high quality legume or grass hay and a grain mix containing 16% CP and
balanced for vitamins and minerals. Good pasture, browse, and garden products
including root crops can be helpful. Grain intake should be increased if needed to
optimize kid growth.
• Grain mix should be supplemented with 6 million IU of vitamin A and 3 million IU of
vitamin D per ton.
14. Feeding dairy goats
• Dairy goats: from 4 to 7% DM per 50 kg body
weight as compared to 3-4% DM consumption for
dairy cows.
• Highest requirements occur between early lactation
and mid lactation and late gestation. The period of
lowest requirements is during dry, early-pregnant
stage.
• Concentrate feeding just before and just after
parturition is important for preventing pregnancy toxemia and lactational ketosis.
4
RUMINANT NUTRITION
15. Feeding angora goats
• The most valuable characteristic of the Angora as compared to other goats is the value
of the mohair that is clipped. They produce a fiber with a staple length of between 12
and 15 cm. The mohair is very similar to wool in chemical composition but differs
from wool in that it is has a much smoother surface and very thin, smooth scale.
Consequently, mohair lacks the felting properties of wool. Mohair is very similar to
coarse wool in the size of fiber. It is a strong fiber that is elastic, has considerable
luster, and takes dye very well. Mohair has been considered very valuable as an
upholstering material for the making of plushes and other covering materials where
strength, beauty, and durability are desired. The market valuation of mohair fluctuates
more than does that of wool, but, in general, satisfactory prices are obtained for the
clip. During depressed times, the market has favored fine hair and because fine hair is
normally shorn from young goats, selection for fertility has also become increasingly
important.
• The Angora has a grazing habit which has made it very adaptable to certain agriculture
sections. Goats are great consumers of "browse" and have a tendency to eat as high as
they can reach by standing on their hind legs. This adapts goats for grazing areas on
which sheep would not do well. Angoras have been able to make economic returns on
land that is unsuitable for usual agriculture pursuits. Protein is required to support
mohair fiber growth.
An example:
• 40 kg of BW (Angora doe),
• 11 g/day clean mohair fiber (4 kg/year),
Grazing:
forage 8% CP, 20% UIP,
walking 9 hours (5 km): ME x 1.28,
requirements: 11.36 MJ/day of ME and
71.43 g/day MP, with DMI: 3.12 % BW.
16. Feeding breeding males
• Between breeding seasons: maintenance level (grazing).
• Before breeding season: concentrate feeding 3 to 4 weeks before beginning of the
breeding period (0.8 to 1 kg/ day), oat, carrot, eggs, water, salt.
• Breeding period: + 5-10% concentrates (90% oat), males reduce feeding time – lose
BW.
• During the breeding season, males engage in fighting other bucks and in breeding
does, and may devote little time to feeding. They draw heavily on body reserves.
Sometimes they stop eating during the mating season and lose up to 17% of their body
weight.
17. Common nutritional disorders
• acidosis (grain overload), enterotoxemia (overeating disease),
• bloat, obstructive urolithiasis (urinary calculi),
• pregnancy toxemia (ketosis), and milk fever (parturient paresis, hypocalcemia).
