Feed and feeding management of

goats

DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

LPM 312

IRSHAD 2K6,COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES,MANNUTHY

KERALA, INDIA

Feeding habits of goatsSelective feedingBrowsing-mobile lips & very

prehensile tongue. They can graze on very short grass and browse on foliage

Fastidious eating habits – consume wide varieties of feeds & vegetation than sheep or cattle.

Ability & distinguish between various tastes

Consume certain species at definite stage & reject them at other stage

Rumen is not developed at birth but young kids start picking at hay or grass at 2-3 weeks of age and by 3-4 months the rumen fully functional.

RoughagesGreen chopHays and other roughages-most

economical, good quality legume hay/mixed legume grass- excellent source of nutrients

Mixed hay should contain at least 50% legume hay

Hays- Alfalfa, red clover, ladino cloverTree leaves- Pipal, Neem, Mango, Asoka,

mulberry etc.

Shrubs, herbs & climbers-Jharhari, Karonda, Gokhurch

Grasses- Anjan, Senji, HirankhuriVegetable wastes- Carrot, Raddish, Turnip,

Cabbages, Cauliflower, MustardCultivated fodders- Lucerne, Berseem,

Cowpea, Mustard, Sorghum, MaizePods & berries – Gular, Pakar.Hays and straws- Oat hay, Paddy hay,

Maize

o Energy feeds- Corn, Oats, Barley, Milo & wheat & byproducts

o Protein feeds- Cotton seed meal, Soya bean meal & others(Copra meal, Peanut meal, Sunflower meal, distillers dry grain).

o Urea and NPN substances

Concentrates

Commercial feeds

Complete food- roughage and concentrate combined

ConcentratesProtein supplement

Feed preparations

Pelleting and cubing

Concentrate requirement for adult

goatMaintenance- 250 g/ 50 Kg body

weightProduction rate – 450g /2.5 L

milk/doePregnancy- during last months of

gestation-220g / day/doe

Formulation of concentrate mixture

A. Wheat bran – 1 partB. Grain (maize , barley) – 2 partsC. Oil cake (linseed cake, GNC) – 1

partD. Mineral mix – 2%E. Salt – 0.5% 

Example for concentrate mix

INGREDIENTS PERCENT

GramMaizeGNCWheat branMineral mixCommon salt

153725202.50.5

Nutrient requireme

nts of goats

Dry matterFor better growth and production performance, all nutrients should be present in the ration in correct proportion. DM consumption is different for meat and dairy type goats. It is 3-4 % of body weight for dairy type 5-7 % in meat type goats.

Energy

•Energy is the vital component of goat diet affecting utilization of other nutrients and overall productivity. •If more energy provided, the goat will gain weight faster. •1g live wt gain/3g starch equivalent•1kg milk/ 300 g SE.

Protein

•A minimum of 6 % total protein requirement in diet. •additional protein requirement for growth pregnancy, lactation and mohair production• This can be achieved by adding concentrates in the ration.

MineralsGoat milk is rich in mineralsNa, Cl, Ca, P, S are the main minerals to be supplemented.Ca and P require in larger quantities. It is recommended to feed a mix made of equal parts of iodised salt and dicalcium phosphate at free choice.Formulate mineral mix using sterilized bone meal, lime stone, iodised salt, copper sulphate, zinc oxide and ferrous carbonate.

Vitamins and antibiotics

Vitamins A, D & E are to be supplemented

• Green forages and yellow maize are rich in Vitamin A.

• Vitamin D can be obtained from sunlight

• Vitamin E present in almost all rations.

DM

Antibiotics

Aureomycin and terramycin are included

It will:increase growth rate of young kidsimproves general appearance of

kidsdecrease the incidents of

infectious diseases

Nutrient requirements of goats

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT

Dry matter   Energy For maintenanceFor wt. gainFor milk production Protein For maintenanceFor milk production 

2.5- 3% of body wt.(meat goats) & up to 8% of body wt(milking goats)  

725.8gSE/100kg live wt/day3g SE/g live wt. gain300g SE/kg milk  45-64g DCP/100kg live wt.70g DCP / L of milk 

Water  

Total water intake Minerals CalciumPhosphorus  Vitamins and antibiotics

450-680g/day for a goat weighing18-20 kg 1:4  147mg/kg live wt.72mg/kg live wt.

Feeding management

of goats

Feeding of kids and finisherFed with colostrum within 30 mins after birth

and continue for 3 days. Colostrum feeding is very important as it is rich source of all essential nutrients provide Abs good source of vitamins like Vit A,D and

minerals like Cu, Fe, Mn & Mg got laxative properties and cleans intestine

of meconium•After feeding colostrums for 2-3 days whole milk or milk replacer can be fed for 4 months

DM

How many times the milk or milk replacer should be fed?

Thrice daily feeding in first week and twice daily thereafter

How much amount to be fed? 450ml up to 8 weeks and thereafter

minimizing the quantity and completely stopped when kids attain 4 months of age.

More accurately saying• 1/6 th body weight during 1st month• 1/8th body weight during 2nd month• 1/10th body weight during 3rd month Instead of using whole milk we can use milk

replacer also.

DM

What is milk replacer?

It is constituted feed with 25% CPused to replace whole milk.we can practice mixing of whole milk& milk replacer we can use cow milk in place of goat milk.

Kids start chewing their cuds by 3 weeksprovide good legume hay or fresh green grass and creep feed along with fresh water & salt. creep feed with a DCP level of 18-20%, TDN 75% and 2.5-2.9 ME/kg,fed at rate of 450g/day.

DM

From 4 months to breeding

Fed roughages supplemented with concentrates (15-16% CP level) at rate of 450g daily). Dairy goats are not allowed to become too fat, for this reduce the intake of energy feeds. Always provide clean, fresh water and minerals Commercial mineral mix can be used.

Feeding of pregnant goats

Provide high quality leguminous fodder adlibitum.

concentrate with 15% CP at 400-500g/day.

A free choice lick to mineral mix will take care of Ca and P requirement of both dam and foetus.

Allow good grazing

DM

Reduce the amount of conc. mix to half before some days of kidding

increase amount of bran & succulent type feed to provide more bulk.

After kidding fed the dam with bran & warm water

gradually bring the doe to its full feed for milk production.

Feeding of lactating goats

Nutrient requirement are higher during lactation. Ration should contain high quality roughages like Lucerne,Berseem and other cereal grasses. It will provide fresh nutrients and bulks needed for production of VFAs like acetic, propionic and butyric acid, which are needed for high milk production.  

DM

A concentrate feed with 14-16% CP level can be fed at the rate of 350g/L of milk obtained.

It has to be fed 2 times/day.Add 1% trace mineralized salt

and 1% Ca-P mineral mix to this conc mix.

Molasses added upto 5-7% of conc mix It helps to increase palatability and

decrease dustiness of feed.Keep a clean, fresh supply of water at

all times.After 2wks gradually increase conc.

level according to milk yield and individual requirement.

Individual requirement can be assessed easily by feeding conc. feed at milking time.

Feeding of breeding bucks

During non-breeding season, buck doesn’t require additional concentrate if it is on good pasture.

During breeding season, conc. mix fed at the rate of 400-900g/day depending on its body wt.

not allow buck to get too fat, hence reduce intake of energy feeds.

Provide adlib. roughages, clean fresh water and minerals.

DM

Feeding guide for goatsAGE & STAGE OF PRODUCTION

FEED INGREDIENTS

DAILY AMT. TO BE FED

Birth to 3 days 3 days -3 wks   3wks-4 months(start minimizing milk & stop completely at 4month) 

Colustrum Whole milk or milk replacerWater, salt  Whole milkCreep feedLucerne hayWater, salt 

Adlibitum 450 ml

Adlibitum   450 ml upto 8 wks450 g dailyAdlibitumAdlibitum 

4 months to freshening Dry pregnant   

Milking doe 

Buck

Concentrate mixture Conc. MixLucerne hayWater, salt 

Conc. MixSaltCa-P mixMolasses

Only pastureConc. mix

15-16% CP at 450g 15% CP at 400-500gAdlibitumAdlibitum 

350g/L milk obtained1%1%5-7% of conc. mix

Non-breeding season400g daily at breeding season