Other Factors Considered in Feeding Goats
Goats can consume large amounts of forages by grazing; however, intake may be higher at the trough with cut and carry feeding systems. Chopping green forage increases the ease of handling but may reduce intake. On heterogeneous resources (browse and graze), goats are more selective and choose a diet of higher quality than that offered in the trough.
Goats have more preference for legumes than grasses; for alfalfa than red clover; for Italian ryegrass, corn, and sorghum than orchardgrass and fescue hay. The voluntary intake can vary depending on the stage of plant growth; maximum consumption is generally observed 1-2 weeks before ear production with grasses and 1 week before budding with legumes. In the case of garden produce, when dry matter is less than 10-12 percent, forage wetness may limit intake.
Refusal allowance is another factor to be considered in feeding forages to goats. Goats will eat more forage (depending on the type of forage) with more refusal allowance (38 percent vs. 15 percent) having selection opportunity. Mixed green forages or green forages along with dry forages may be preferred over single forage giving them a chance for selection.
Silages are partially fermented grain/grass or legume forages and should be produced free of molds. Feeding silage to goats has been associated with metabolic and other problems and should be gradually introduced in the goat’s diet. Goats tend to eat less silage when compared to green or pelleted forages. Supplying hay with silage is advisable to reduce digestive and metabolic problems and improve intake.
Many factors can influence supplement consumption by individual animals including supplement type and delivery methods such as trough space, supplement allowance, supplement form, and formulation. Trough space allowance per animal can influence competitiveness and variation in supplemental feeding. A feeding space of 10 to 12 linear inches/kid and 15 to 20 inches/adult goats will be adequate for proper feeding. Providing space less than that will increase aggressiveness and dominance/submissive behavior. However, as in some cases with cattle, when excessive space was provided, dominant animals tended to exhibit more aggressive behavior such as fighting and chasing other cows. Most importantly, infrequent feeding and changes in feeding times along with limited space can cause more dominant animals to overeat possibly resulting in grain engorgement (enterotoxaemia) and weaker animals not eating at all. In both of these cases you may lose animals. More supplemental allowance encourages selectivity and more consumption; however, it may induce more wastage.
