Why Understanding Goats' Feeding Style Matters

Did you know that goats absolutely love food? Ask anyone who's ever taken goats out to pasture and they'll tell you the story. Just like your two-legged foodies, goats are picky about what they eat. They are finicky about staying in one place and eating the same kind of food. As food connoisseurs, they jump about getting a nibble here and there until they are full.

For goat producers, it is very critical to understand the feeding patterns of goats so that you don't get a headache when your goats run about - nibbling here and there. It's very important to understand the feeding characteristics of the goat and then work to optimize them. At the very least, a goat needs to be free to jump about in search of the food that it desires.

That's why tethering goats is never a good ideas. In fact, at Goat Unltd, we do not condone tethering goats: it's one of the most cruel acts ever because it distorts the natural tendency of the goat. The practice of tethering a goat cause stress to the goat and should be condemned and confined to the dustbins of what not to do when looking after goats.

Despite that goats provide a constant supply of essential food (both meat and milk) and cash income throughout the year, goats have a low priority in most households and little attention is given to their husbandry and welfare.

Goats are very active foragers, able to cover a wide area in search of scarce plant materials. Their small mouth, narrow muzzle and split upper lips enable them to pick small leaves, flowers, fruits and other plant parts, thus choosing only the most nutritious available feed. As natural browsers, given the opportunity, goats will select over 60 percent of their daily diet from brush and woody perennials.

Goats belong to the small ruminant group of animals and have no upper incisor or canine teeth but a dental pad instead. The rumen is the largest part of four stomach compartments with the capacity of roughly 2-6 pounds. Some bacteria and protozoa are normal habitants of the rumen which break down plant food into volatile fatty acids along with vitamins and amino acids. The daily feed intake of goat.

Goats are able to digest a large variety of fibre and roughage. The nutrient requirements of goats are determined by age, sex, breed, production system (dairy or meat), body size, climate and physiological stage. Feeding strategies should be able to meet energy, protein, mineral, and vitamin needs depending on the condition of the goats.

The ability to utilize browse species, which often have thorns and an upright growth habit with small leaves tucked among woody stems, is a unique characteristic of the goat, compared to heavier, less agile ruminants. The feeding strategy of goats appears to be to select grasses when the protein content and digestibility are high, but to switch to browse when the latter overall nutritive value may be higher.

Goats need certain minerals and vitamins for their maintenance as well as proper functioning of their physiological systems. Feeding of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) must be insured in a goat's diet due to its inability to make these vitamins.

Insufficient water intake will depress a goat’s performance earlier, and more severely, than any other dietary insufficiency. Adequate water is the paramount management concern. Goats should be consuming more water with high protein ration feedings. Decent water quality, not just quantity, is a must.

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