Unlike other farm animals, goats prefer to eat shrubs and tree leaves, whether deciduous or evergreen. For this reason, they are often used to control encroaching shrubby growth in pastures. Goats consume approximately the same weight of forage as do sheep of similar size; however, they tend to select more highly digestible portions of most forages and prefer to graze along fence lines and rough areas. Goats usually grow and produce well on improved pastures and favor browse (leaves and twigs of trees and shrubs) over grass, consuming a diet of > 80% browse. Compared to grasses, browses generally contain more crude protein and phosphorus during their growing season.
An advantage of goats' browsing behavior is that it helps decrease parasite transmission. Nematode parasite larvae cannot climb more than 5–7.5 cm (2–3 inches) up a plant; because goats browse on leaves, which are generally higher up on the plant, they are less likely to ingest infective parasite larvae compared to animals that graze on pasture grasses.
Sample Daily Rations for Goats a
For a 30-kg (66-lb) goat in a nonproductive state, minimal activity, maintenance only: |
Chickpea straw, 630 g (1.4 lb) |
Alfalfa, fresh, 95 g (0.20 lb) |
For a 50-kg (110-lb) goat in a nonproductive state, minimal activity, maintenance only: |
Wheat straw, 716 g (1.6 lb) |
White or ladino clover, fresh, 333 g (0.73 lb) |
For a 20-kg (44-lb) kid gaining 50 g (0.11 lb) daily, minimal activity: |
Alfalfa hay, full bloom, 80 g (0.18 lb) |
Corn grain, 360 g (0.79 lb) |
For a 30-kg (66-lb) kid gaining 150 g (0.33 lb) daily: |
Chickpea straw, 500 g (1.1 lb) |
Corn grain, 400 g (0.88 lb) |
Linseed meal, 65 g (0.14 lb) |
For a 40-kg (88-lb) doe in late gestation, minimal activity: |
Johnsongrass hay, 960 g (2.1 lb) |
Sorghum grain, 350 g (0.77 lb) |
For a 70-kg (154-lb) doe producing 5 kg (11 lb) of milk testing at 3.5% butterfat: |
Corn silage, dough stage, 1,000 g (2.2 lb) |
Alfalfa hay, full bloom, 500 g (1.1 lb) |
Corn grain, 1,365 g (3.0 lb) |
Soybean meal, 280 g (0.62 lb) |
a Dry-matter basis. |
Some palatable species of browse are of limited nutritional value to goats because they contain one or more inhibitors that can bind to (or otherwise prevent the use of) nutrients in the plants. For example, tannins, which are present at high concentrations in some browse plants, depress digestion of feedstuffs by binding to proteins or inhibiting enzymatic activity. Excessive tannin intake can also increase sulfur requirements, which may be a more critical issue for hair-producing goats. Despite these potential problems, when given the opportunity to choose, goats appear to be able to select more digestible and beneficial browse.
Grazing or browsing on tannin-containing plants may help control many species of internal nematode parasites. Certain plant-based oils (terpenes), present in some range shrubs, apparently inhibit growth of rumen bacteria but may have positive effects on internal parasite control.
For sample daily rations for kids and adult goats, see the table Sample Daily Rations for Goats.
For More Information
American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control: Sericea lespedeza [tannin-containing plant species].
Pugh DG, Baird AN, Edmondson MA, Passler T. Sheep, Goat, and Cervid Medicine. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2020.
PennState Extension: Dairy Goat Production and Management [online course].
PennState Extension: Meat Goat Production and Management Home Study Course.
