Goat Feeding Information Guide

Goat Feeding Information Guide

 

Goats are both browsers and grazers with high infinity for woody plants, pods and tubers. They have good digestive system that handles different types of food. The farmers needs to provide sufficient tree leaves or browsing material including supplementary fodder concentrates. Feed them hybrid Napier, maize, para grass, lucen and guinea grass. Others include Cowpea, stylo, Barseem and rice bran.

 

Thing to consider in goat feeding

 

There are a few things to consider in goat feeding. The first thing is to understand goat behavior feeding habit and preferences. Provision of balanced diet is essential to the development of the animal. Forage or dry hay including clean drinking water will contribute to the success of the herd. Make adequate provision for leafy greens, supplements and concentrates. To avoid contaminates provide adequate storage in dry area.

 

Things to consider

understand goat behavior

feeding habit

food preferences

provide balanced diet

let them forage

provide dry hay

clean drinking water

feed them leafy greens

introduce supplements

fodder concentrates

storage food in dry area

 

Goat Feeding

Goats have a strong digestive system to easily absorb crude fiber, crude protein better than domesticated buffalo, sheep or cattle. They require good amount of dry matter including fodder concentrate. Feed leaves, shrubs, grass and pods. They will eat tubers, weeds, thorny plants, fruits tree bark and tree leaves. Introduce 4% dry matter for meat breeders, 5% dry matter for dual purpose goats and 6% matter for breeding goat.

READ ALSO: FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN FARM ANIMALS

Complete List of Goat Feed

dry matter

fodder concentrate

leaves

shrubs

grass

pods

tubers

weeds

thorny plants

fruits tree bark

woody plants

tree leaves

hybrid Napier

maize

para grass

lucen

guinea grass

Cowpea

Stylo

Barseem

rice bran

banana leaves

pineapple leaves

jackfruit leaves

wild roots

yam

sweet potatoes

wild roots

banana stem

Green Fodder Concentrate

Commercially produced green fodder concentrate is an essential part of the animal’s diet. Introduce a 2% mineral mix in the fodder concentrate for best results. In intensive farming 60% of the food is concentrate. Purchase 100g/d concentrate for growers, 200g/d for finishers and 250g/d for fully grown adults. Concentrate supplement for doe is 300g/d while breeders need 250g/d.

READ ALSO: Criteria That Determine Forage Quality in Ruminant Livestock

Forest-by products

Forest by-product refers to stems and leaves of edible fruit plants. Common feed for goats are banana leaves, pineapple leaves, jackfruit leaves. Others are wild roots, tuners like yam, sweet potatoes, wild roots and banana stem. Shrubs and fodder trees.

There are many shrubs and fodder trees perfect for goat feeding. Shrubs include pittosporun phillyraesides, Acacia tortilis ficus religiosa and Azarachta indica. It is important to focus on indigenous shrubs, trees and tree leaves.

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