6 HOW TO FEED GOATS

 

1. Provide clean water.

Goats must have clean water at all times. Use a heavy water container as the goats can recover it. Check the water at least 2 times a day, and more often when the weather is extreme.

• In winter (if you live in a country with 4 seasons), you may need to provide water throughout the day if the temperature is below freezing. You can also buy freeze-resistant water containers at a farm store.

2. Provide a variety of plants in the grazing area.

These can be weeds, grasses, vines, and other greenery. Goats even love to eat thorny plants like wild roses! If there isn't much variety in your grazing, you can propagate seeds for weeds such as dandelion. Plant shrubs along the edge of the fence because goats like to graze in that area. You can also provide a forage of plants that goats love. We recommend that you give a mixture of some of the plants below:

• Grass

• weed

• Vines

• jackfruit leaves

• Moringa leaves

• Turi leaves

• Lamtoro

3.Avoid giving poisonous plants.

Goats may be known to eat just about anything, but some plants can be harmful to these animals. Although goats can recognize dangerous plants, these animals can eat them out of curiosity. Make sure this dangerous plant does not grow in or near grazing, and do not give its vines to goats. Some plants that are toxic to goats include:

• Begonia

• Aloe vera

• Azalea

• English fir

• Oleander

• Delphinium

• Carnation

• Larkspur

• wild cherry

• Chrysanthemum

• Lili

• Daffodils

• Bay leaf

• Opium

• Rhubarb

• Tomatoes

4. Give additional food in the form of hay and other grains.

Goats do not need grain, but these animals really like to chew it. Grains are also suitable when the weather is cold or if the grazing is too small to provide a variety of crops. Provide several types of food, such as hay, oats, bran, and barley

• Goats generally eat 3-4% of their body weight every day, you should feed goats based on their body weight.
• You only need to provide additional food if the supply of plants in the grazing is not sufficient. You also have to provide additional food for female goats that will give birth or goats that will be slaughtered so that their bodies gain weight.
• You can also use pelleted feed, which contains a lot of nutrients. This feed can be used to replace grains.
• When the weather is cold, provide additional food to help fight cold temperatures. For example, you can give grain as much as 4% of its body weight if the goat is reluctant to graze outside the cage.

5. Hang the feed above the ground.

Although they like to eat grass, goats do not like to eat food that is placed on the ground. Placing food on the ground will reduce the chance of mold growing and prevent insects from eating it. When you provide food, such as hay, place it on the cage wall or fence post.

A feeder for horses can be a good choice.

If you keep more than one goat, use a wide feeder. It's possible that the goats will push each other when they eat, and the tight feeder can cause injury.

6. Use a vet-recommended salt lick supplement.

Goats need a variety of vitamins and minerals in their diet, but the quality of their diet can depend on the quality of the soil and the food they eat. Usually, goats do need supplements. Many goat owners use a mixture of salt or salt licks that contain a variety of the necessary minerals. In this way, the goat will eat the supplement happily and will also drink in larger quantities.

Your veterinarian will be able to determine which supplement mix is ​​right for your goat, as soil conditions in your area will affect the mineral mix needed. The doctor will also suggest the amount of salt supplements to provide and how often to give them.

You can buy a salt mix or salt lick for goats at animal feed stores or the internet.

Always keep supplementary supplements away from goats as these animals will eat more than the recommended dose.