Goats are perhaps the most unpretentious in relation to food pets. The basis of their diet is - in descending order - coarse, juicy and concentrated feed. You can also give these animals a swill from the food waste from the host table. In this article, we will examine in detail what to feed the goat and how many times a day it needs to be done.
The basic rules of the diet
The amount of food given to goats depends on many factors - on the size, age, season, period of convergence, etc. But there are general rules:
- large goats are fed more than small goats;
- adult animal - less than the same weight, but growing;
- goat-goats give more feed than a goat;
- milk - more than dry;
- giving a lot of milk - more than little milk.
Goats love variety in feed. In this case, the animals quickly feel full, they gain weight and give more milk. Of course, all feed should be fresh. You can not give goats moldy or rotten hay and poor quality root crops. Feeding stale, sour feed leads to the development of various kinds of diseases, deterioration in the quality of milk and a decrease in its quantity, miscarriages and other similar troubles. Next, let's figure out how to feed the goat, young animals and male producers in more detail.
Hay, straw and twigs
The basis of the diet of goats, like any other ruminants, is roughage. In summer it is grass and branches, in winter - hay, straw and brooms. In the warm season, the lion's share of the goat’s roughage is obtained by grazing. These animals eat almost any kind of grass. However, the tasteless, watery plants of the lowlands prefer an odorous variety of meadow. Goats need to be grazed in places where there is access to water. Be sure to feed the animals carrot and beet tops. In autumn, you can give potato.
Branches of trees and shrubs are also excellent goat food. These animals especially like willow, poplar, willow, aspen, linden. Goats and birch branches readily eat. However, giving their animals too much is not worth it. A large number of birch branches in the diet can lead to kidney disease. Hay goats are harvested in the usual manner. Dry it right on the field.
Harvested branches should have a length of about 50-60 cm and a thickness on the cut of about 1 cm. The bundle should not be thicker than 10-12 cm, otherwise it will dry out poorly.
The amount of roughage
One day goat on a pasture can eat up to 9 kg of grass. In winter, a slightly larger amount of concentrated feed is introduced into the diet of animals. Therefore, the percentage of hay in the menu is less. Experienced farmers are advised to give adult animals 1-5 kg of such food per day. In nutrition, one kilogram of hay corresponds to two kilograms of branches. Often in winter, goats are given fall foliage collected in autumn. Such food is more nutritious than branches, it can be given less.
Hay for goats is harvested in the usual way. Most often, owners of household plots dry about 500-550 kg per head. You can also prepare 250-275 kg of such feed and 500-550 kg of brooms or 400 kg of leaves.
Vegetables
How to feed a goat yet? Of course, you must include in the diet of the animal and vegetables. Very willingly these animals eat beets, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, etc. The amount of such food should be about 2-4 kg per day. All vegetables, except potatoes, are given raw. You can include in the diet of animals and cleaning from the kitchen table. To increase appetite, they should be sprinkled with purchased balanced compound feed or bran. Green animals should not be given green potatoes and tubers with large sprouts.
Concentrated feed
To the question of how to feed the goat so that there is more milk, there is simply a wonderful answer. The animal should receive a sufficient amount of protein. Therefore, concentrated feed should be given to goats. From cereals, oats and barley are usually included in the diet. Crushed goats are digested much better than whole grains. Oats contribute to the rapid growth of young animals and increase the sexual activity of adult animals. Barley helps speed up weight gain. Goats, in order to avoid obesity, are usually fed with a crusher of this type mixed with corn. In addition to oats and barley, you can give animals and concentrated foods such as soybeans, beans, peas and lentils (wholemeal).
Be sure to include in the diet of animals and bran. This is an easily digestible feed, which contains a huge amount of protein needed by goats. In particular, bran will be useful to young and lactating uterus.
The amount of concentrated feed
Cereals to animals are usually given about a kilogram per head in winter for an adult animal and about 0.5 kg for a kid. In summer, this dose can be slightly reduced. Goats-manufacturers, for example, are given about 300 grams. cereals per day. Increase their number (up to 1 kg) a month and a half before mating.
How to feed a goat: supplements
Mineral feed for these animals does not require too much. However, putting a piece of lick salt in the stall is a must. On one head of it should be about 6-8 grams per day. In the second half of coagulation, the uterus is necessarily given chalk (10 g each). This mineral supplement is also necessary for goats, starting from a month old (7 gr.). Chalk can be replaced with bone meal.
As already mentioned, it is allowed to give goats and waste from the owners' home table. It can be cereals, soups, peeling, boiled potatoes, etc. The feed of this type should be fresh. Do not give goats waste containing bones, rags, paper, etc.
Goat watering
With what to feed a goat, young animals and goats, we have figured out. Now let's figure out how to properly water these animals. Do this at least three times a day. Water must be clean and fresh. Its daily rate is about 8-12 liters. It is best to give animals water whose temperature is equal to t air in the stall. Drinking cold can easily lead to the development of colds. Do not give goats too warm water. It pampers animals. In this case, the result will be the same - frequent diseases.
How many times a day to feed a goat?
Of course, when growing these animals, you should adhere to a specific feeding schedule. In order to get as much milk from goats as possible, they should be fed at least three times a day. The first time this is done at 6-7 in the morning, the second - at 12-13 hours, the third - at 18-19 hours. In summer, in the pasture period, additionally goats can be fed only in the morning and in the evening. Milking is done after the goat finishes eating. Coarse feed is usually fed in the morning and in the afternoon, juicy, concentrated and good hay are given in the evening. In spring, goats are gradually transferred to grazing.
What to feed the goat so that there is more milk, you now know. The increase in milk yield contributes primarily to the development of a balanced diet. Animals should receive enough cereals, hay and grass, as well as vegetables. Proper feeding will contribute to a rapid increase in livestock, goat weight gain and a reduction in morbidity.