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Fodder

Grazing...

Stall Fed...

Generally

Among the ruminant animal goat is one of the most useful animals because of its multifunctional utility. It gives us not only milk, meat and skin but also it is easy to rear. The success of goat farming depends on food management. For this reason, a farmer should know goat food management and how to manage it. Basically goat food management means providing food for the proper and desired growth in different ages and in different seasons. Besides, the natural food goats also need vitamins, energy, protein etc. Imbalance of vitamins, minerals may be a cause of great harm. For this reason a farmer should know a well thought and scientific feeding system of goat. Before making goat farm have some knowledge about what to feed goats.

 

Pasture And Browsing
The most efficient source of nutrients which is urgent for goat is pasture and browse. Pasture contains a high amount of energy and protein. Pasture plants also increase the tastiness and digestibility. Bahia grass, Sudan grass, millet, a mixture of a grain grass, sorghum, grass and clover are the most pasture of goats. Browse that helps to be advanced in protein than general pasture during the early part of grazing season. If goats browse freely, they will remain free from internal parasites.

What Should Not Give to Goats
Many farmers give unhygienic and outrageous things that are not suitable for goats. Farmer should not feed these foods and should concern about this matter. Here is a short list of forbidden feed of goat.

 

Paper
Goats are ruminants; they like to browse and to eat grass, tree, and bark for these reason goats have an interest about paper (made up of wood). It has no good effects. Besides, it contains such things that are not good to consume. So farmer should not to feed it. Cigarette is such a thing that is so much harmful for goat. Farmer should not feed cigarettes and cigarettes butts. It is said that goat feed cigarette to warm. But it is not a way. To warm goat, there are some safe and natural ways are available.

 

Dog Feed
Don’t feed your goat dog feed. If even you feed your dog’s dietary food, it will also do harm goats. Goat and dog dietary feeds are totally different.

 

Cat Feed
Cat and goat is two different animals. Cats are carnivorous and dogs are ruminants. So their dietary feeds are totally different.

Besides, some poisonous plants such as wilted cherry, peach and plum leaves poke weed, nightshade, crotalaria are too much harmful for goat.

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Hay
In the winter season, the most important source of nutrition is hay. Goat should feed qualified grass based hay that does not contain mold. Weedy hay is so beneficial because it is not only cheap, but also containing a large amount of nutrition. Different kinds of hays are found, among those legume hays alfalfa, lespedeza and clover are enriched in protein.

 

Vitamins and minerals
Goats need a lot of minerals. Salt, phosphorus and calcium contain minerals which is useful for goats. Farmer should provide a pre-mix of loose minerals that goats prefer so much. Goats don’t need a lot of vitamins. Goats need vitamins A, D and E.

Grain
If a man cannot find good feed of goats, he can provide a good 12%_16% course grain for goats. To increase the growth weight farmer should provide creep feeding and complementary feeding of kids to goat. Grain gives two elements which are Carbons and protein. Corn, rye, moil, oats, barley, corn are known as cereal grains that provide Carbons or energy. Protein supplements originate from animals and plants that include soybean meal, fish meal, cottons meal etc.

Garden And Kitchen Scrap
Generally garden and kitchen scraps are used in compositors’ purpose. But this compost can be used as goat feed because it acts as an onion ends good diet of goat. Orange peels, banana peels, Garlic skins, tomato ends, etc that means all kinds of vegetable and fruits cuttings are regarded as garden and kitchen scraps. Goats do not eat only one thing that is egg shells. For this reasons it should not be given to goats. Egg shells can be given to chicken to eat. Goats also love to eat these scarps and it is a good nutritional supplement to their diets. There is no reason to be worried to give to eat goats. It does not harm goats.

Some Inevitable Rules of Goat Feeding

  • Farmer should concern about good bodily condition of every goat in the herd so that no goat become too thin and too fat.

  • Goat feed must be stored in safe place before feeding.

  • Make sure that stored feed is protected from vermin, damp, contamination.

  • Provided food must be hygienic and it should be presented in a hygienic way so that every goat can share it.

  • The most important part of diet is good hay.

  • Make ensure that half of the diet is coming from forage.

  • Adequate green feed, vitamins, concentrates, minerals, water, balanced diet is the key to success of a goat farming.

  • Any change of feed habit must be occurred gradually.

  • Make ensure colostrum for kids without delay after giving birth kids.

  • Availability of pure drinking water is inevitable for goats.

  • To ensure feed for all goats, make a notice and routine so that no goat abstains from taking feed.

  • Farmer must keep contaminated feed and water away from goats.

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