NUTRITION

for small-scale goat farms

SUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy-nē-ŭn)Sheep & Goat Specialist

University of Maryland Extensionsschoen@umd.edu – www.sheepandgoat.com

The importance of nutrition• Nutrition is usually the largest cost associated

with raising goats and other livestock. (50-75% of variable costs)

• Nutrition has a large effect on productivity (performance levels).

• Goats require proper nutrition in order to express their genetic potential for growth, reproduction, and carcass merit.

• Nutrition has a large effect on the health and well-being of animals; animals on a better plane of nutrition are better able to withstand disease (e.g. worms) and other stresses (e.g. weather).

Better nutrition

Goats require nutrients not specific feedstuffs.

1. Energy2. Protein3. Vitamins4. Minerals

Also important• Water• Roughage

(effective fiber)

Energy is usually the most limiting nutrient.

• Nutrient required in greatest quantityPounds or kilograms per head per day

• Comes primary from carbohydrates • Forage (fiber, cellulose)• Grain (sugars, starches)• Can also come from fat (lipids)

• Excess energy is stored as fat in the body.

Goats deposit fat around their organs (internally) before depositing fat externally (e.g. back, rib, and loin) like other livestock.

• For goats, TDN (total digestible nutrients) is the most common unit of measurement for energy.

What are sources of energy (TDN) for goats

High

• Cereal grainsWheatSorghum (milo)CornBarleyRyeOats

• Fats and oils• Molasses • Some by-products• Lick tubs (energy)

Moderate• Good quality

forageFresh pastureRangeBrowseHaySilageHaylageBalageGreen chopHydroponic fodder

• Some by-products

Low• Poor quality

foragesOldStemmy MaturePoorly stored, ensiled

• Straw• Corn stalks• Some by-

products

Protein is required in smaller amounts than energy.

• More expensive than energy.• We tend to overfeed/overeat.• Excess protein is not stored in the body;

energy ($$$) must be expended to remove excess protein from the body, via ammonia.

• By-pass (escape) protein is protein that is not digested in rumen. Animal-derived proteins have more by-pass protein than plant derived proteins.

• For goats, CP (crude protein) is the most common unit of measurement for protein.

Sources of protein for goats

High• Oil seed meals

SoybeanCanolaSunflowerPeanutCottonseed

• Urea (NPN)Non-protein nitrogen

• Lick tub (protein)

Moderate• Fresh pasture• Browse• Legume hays• Alfalfa pellets• Distiller’s grains• Corn gluten feed• Whole cottonseed

Low• Cereal grains• Grass hays• Low quality

forages MatureOldStemmy

Micronutrients are required in smaller quantities, usually grams (g), PPM (part per million), or IU (international units).

Minerals• Macro – required in larger amounts

1. Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P)2. Salt: sodium (Na) + chloride (Cl)3. Other: Potassium (K),

Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S)

• Micro – required in small amountsCobalt (Co), copper (Cu), fluoride (Fl), iron (Fe), iodine (I), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn).

More about minerals

• Calcium and PhosphorusRations are usually balanced for calcium and phosphorus; ratio of C to P should be at least 2:1. Good sources of calcium include limestone, dicalcium phosphate, legumes, and kelp. Grains, oilseeds, and most by-products are not good sources of Ca.

• SaltGoats should always have access to salt. Salt serves as a carrier for other minerals and can be used to control consumption of supplements.

• CopperWhile sheep are sensitive to copper, goats require copper levels similar to cattle (however, toxic levels are not known). Copper has many antagonists (e.g. molybdenum): be careful when adding to diet.

• SeleniumNevada soils may be deficient in selenium. A deficiency of selenium and/or vitamin E can cause white muscle disease (and other problems).

Micronutrients: Vitamins Two kinds1. Fat-soluble

A – D – E – K

A: green feed (carotene→Vitamin A)D: sunshineE: green feedK: not supplemented

2. Water soluble – no dietary requirementBs – C

B vitamins: synthesized in rumenB1 (thiamine) deficiency: polioencephalomalaciaB12 (cobalt deficiency)

C: synthesized in tissues

Usually supplemented

Water: the most important nutrient

• Clean, fresh, always available• Requirements vary and are affected by

many factors including, size, productivity, diet, and environmental conditions.

• 0.75 to 1.5 gallons per day for a mature goat• Consumption increases substantially during late

gestation and lactation.• Consumption increases substantially when

temperatures rise above 70°F.• Nutrient requirements increase if animal has to

consume cold water during cold weather.• Rain, dew, and snowfall may decrease free water

intake.Would you drink it?

Roughage (effective fiber)

• Goats as ruminants require adequate dietary fiber for normal rumen function.

• Effective fiber is the fraction of fiber that stimulates chewing and contributes to the floating mat of large particles in the rumen.

• The primary physical characteristic related to effective fiber is particle size.

• “Scratch factor” – risk management• Disease prevention: acidosis, enterotoxemia,

founder, and urinary calculi.• Prevent milk fat depression in dairy goats• Produce leaner carcasses in growing goats

A few more important things about nutritionPERCENTAGES

• While goats are expected to consume a certain percentage of their body weight in feed, they require amounts, e.g. pounds or grams, not percentages of nutrients.

• Percentages are useful for determining the quality of a feedstuff.

• Percentage “requirements” are based on assumed amounts of consumption.

• Percentages are used to balance rations.

A few more important things about nutrition

DRY MATTER (DM)

• Nutrient requirements are based on dry matter.

• All feeds contain water. The amount of feed that is left after the water is removed is dry matter.

• Feedstuffs vary in their dry matter content.• Most conventional feedstuffs (hay and grain)

contain about 90% dry matter.

• Goats have to consume more of feedstuffs that are high in moisture (e.g. pasture, silage, hydroponic fodder) to get the same amount of nutrients as they get from dry feeds.

Nutrient requirements of goats vary by

• Type of goat• Genetics (breed)• Size (weight)• Age• Sex• Stage and level of

production• Environmental conditions• Body condition and disease

status

Nutrient requirements vary by type of goat

Meat Dairy Angora1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00

Energy (TDN) require-ments, lb/day, 132 lb. doe,

maintenance

Angora goats have the highest nutritional requirements.

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by type of goat

Angora Boer Local Dairy1.20

1.30

1.40

1.50

1.60

1.70

Energy (TDN) require-ments, lb/day, 66 lb. buck

Dairy goat kids have the highest nutrient requirements for growth. Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small

Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by size (weight).

88-lb 132-lb 154-lb 0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

Energy requirements, lb. TDN/day

Mature non-dairy doe, main-tenance

Bigger goats need more feed, but their maintenance requirements (% of body weight)

are lower.

Lower % of body weight

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by stage of production.

Maint

enan

ce

Breed

ing

Early

gesta

tion

Late

gesta

tion

Lacta

tion

1.00

1.40

1.80

2.20

Energy requirements, lb. TDN/day,

132-lb. mature non-dairy doe (twins)

For non-dairy does, energy requirements are the highest during late gestation (?).

?

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by stage of production

Maint

enan

ce

Breed

ing

Early

gesta

tion

Late

gesta

tion

Lacta

tion

0.100.150.200.250.300.350.400.450.50

Protein requirements, lb/day132-lb. non-dairy doe (twins)

For non-dairy does, protein requirements

are highest during late gestation and lactation.

?

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by stage of production

1.02.03.04.05.06.07.08.09.0

10.0

Mineral requirements, g/d132-lb non-dairy doe (twins)

Ca P

Ca and P requirements do not increase during gestation and are highest during lactation.Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource

Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by stage of production. Requirements are highest during early lactation

Early lactation Mid lactation Late lactation0.00.20.40.60.81.01.21.41.6

Parlor-milked Dairy doe nursing twins

Early lactation Mid lactation Late lactation2.02.53.03.54.04.55.05.56.0

Parlor-milked doeDairy doe nursing twins

Energy (TDN)

154-lb doe

Protein (CP)

154-lb. doe

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by level of production

Single Twins Triplets1.801.902.002.102.202.302.40

Energy requirements, lb. TDN/day

132-lb. non-dairy doe, late gestation

Does carrying and raising multiples have higher nutritional requirements that those

raising singles.

+13%

+20%

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements vary by level of production.Nutrient requirements of 154-lb. parlor-milked doe.

Low Moderate High4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

Energy (TDN), lbs. per day

Low Moderate High1.00

1.10

1.20

1.30

1.40

1.50

Protein (CP), lbs. per day

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Growth: nutrient requirements vary by desired level of performance

No gain 0.11 0.22 0.33 0.44 0.550.500.700.901.101.301.501.70

Energy requirements, lbs. TDN/day,of a 44-lb. intact Boer buckling

+12%

+45%

+70%

+45%

+97%

+115%

Source: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

How to balance rations for goats

1. Describe the animals you are feeding.

2. Look up their nutrient requirements.

3. Determine what feedstuffs you have available.

4. List the composition of your feeds.

5. Match animal requirements to available feedstuffs.1. By hand2. Computer software3. Online program

How much

feed do I want?

How much

feed do you

need?

Describe the animals you are feeding. Type, class, size, production status and level

• 140 lb. Boer wether (pet)• 80-lb. Angora doe in late pregnancy

(single fetus)• 120-lb. Nubian doe in late pregnancy

(triplets)• 150-lb. high-producing Saanen doe,

early lactation.• 40-lb. Nigerian Dwarf doe, mid-

lactation.• 40-lb. early weaned Boer bucklings,

maximum growth• 60-lb. dairy does, moderate growth

Look up their nutrient requirementsEnergy (TDN) + Protein (CP) + Calcium (Ca) + Phosphorus (P)

Where to find

Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Resource Council (2007).

Nutrient requirements are built into ration balancing software and spreadsheets.

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets

Determine what feedstuffs you have available List their composition

Where to find

Feed composition tablesFeed labelsForage test results

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets

Match animal requirements to available feedstuffs

Langston University Ration Balancer and Nutrient Requirement Calculatorhttp://www2.luresext.edu/goats/research/nutr_calc.htm

Ration balancing software for sheep and goats http://www.sheepandgoat.com/rationsoftware

I don’t want to do all that work.I just want to know how to feed my goats.General recommendations• Feed 3-4% of body weight• Separate into production groups

Feed different animals differently• Feed mostly forage diets (full

feed).• No grain for pet goats or wether

(after 1 year).• Good quality forage will reduce

need for supplemental feed(s).

I don’t want to do all that work.I just want to know how to feed my goats.General recommendations• Supplement what forage diet is deficient in, e.g.

energy for high producing animals (growing kids, lactating does).

• Risk management: provide free choice (loose) minerals to grazing animals or animals consuming low quality forage diets.

• Use body condition scoring (1-5) to monitor or fine-tune feeding program.

• Don’t listen to your neighbor. If you’re not sure you’re feeding your goats right, do the work: balance your rations.

• How to save feed costs: that’s another presentation.

Thank you for your attention. Questions? Comments?

SUSAN SCHOENIANSheep & Goat SpecialistUniversity of Maryland

Extensionsschoen@umd.edu

www.sheepandgoat.com

Bucks in Maryland Buck Test eating Sunn Hemp.