When it comes to feeding dairy goats, getting their nutrition right can often feel like something of a minefield. However, if you ask us, this shouldn\u2019t have to be the case. After all, while feeding your dairy goat can seem challenging at the outset, there are actually plenty of options you could consider in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this thought in mind, we have outlined some of the most important things you should know when choosing the best dairy goat feed for your needs. However, we\u2019d strongly recommend talking to your vet or a professional nutritionist to help inform your final decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are numerous dairy goat feeds available, and choosing the best dairy goat feed can be tricky as a result. However, the best dairy goat feed should always be: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally speaking, if you are feeding a high-performing dairy goat, the best dairy goat feed will be a compound feed. Compound feeds are blended from numerous different ingredients into a single pellet, which helps ensure consistent mineral intakes for each meal. In turn, this reduces the risk of your dairy goat\u2019s diet fluctuating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, if you have a lower-performing dairy goat, you could consider feeding straight grains and pulses, such as peas. However, these have highly variable nutritional profiles and so may not be as suitable for your dairy goat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A high-quality feed with healthy, fresh ingredients is important when feeding your dairy goat. In many cases, we overlook the importance of this when choosing a feed. However, feeding grains or compound feeds that are less nutritious can significantly harm your goat\u2019s health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mycotoxins in the feed are one of the most common worries here. Unfortunately, these are not always visible, so you may have to judge the feed as best as you can. As such, if your dairy goat\u2019s feed ever smells fausty, moldy, or generally \u201coff,\u201d don\u2019t take the risk of feeding it. You\u2019ll lose a lot more if you feed your dairy goat spoiled feed than if you simply replaced the feed with something of a higher quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When choosing a goat feed mix, it\u2019s important to do your research. Indeed, just because the bag says \u201cfor goats\u201d on the packaging doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s necessarily suitable for your goats. As such, as a goat owner, it\u2019s up to you to become something of a goat nutritionist too. But, if you\u2019re not sure where to start, contacting your vet or nutritionist may be a good option. You should also keep an eye on your goat\u2019s condition when working out a ration and adjust her feed accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When choosing a goat feed mix, many people only look at the ingredients list. However, we strongly recommend that you consider some of the other factors on the product\u2019s packaging, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The energy and protein requirements and both highly important for dairy goats since they have to put a lot of energy into making milk. Energy for livestock feed is usually measured in ME. As such, ideally, you\u2019ll want to look for a feed with an ME of around 11 MJ\/kg or higher. Most dairy goat breeders will also feed products with a protein level of around 18% to keep their goat\u2019s production sustainable and safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minerals are one of the most often overlooked aspects of feeding your dairy goats. However, this is something you can\u2019t afford to let slide since mineral levels are vitally important for your goat\u2019s health. Therefore, checking the minerals your dairy goat feed contains is crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also worth considering how certain minerals interact. For example, an incorrect ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the diet can increase the risks of urinary calculi among male dairy goats (and other breeds). As such, ensuring your chosen feed is suitable is vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luckily, there are several ways you can go about this. First, you could consider getting your grass or forage analyzed for mineral content; this will allow you to understand what is lacking from your grazing. Alternatively, you could directly blood test your goats for mineral levels; this helps you see your goat\u2019s exact mineral profile, so you can choose a suitable strategy for feeding them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some of the most common mistakes that many people face when feeding their dairy goats include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019ve been looking for the best dairy goat feed, no single answer is necessarily right. For example, this may depend on factors such as your budget, the availability of nutrients in your forage, and the like. However, no matter which type of dairy goat feed you use, you must always do your best to ensure it\u2019s fresh, high quality, and nutritious. After all, while there\u2019s often a belief that \u201cgoats can eat anything,\u201d spoiled grains can significantly increase your goat\u2019s risk of suffering from mycotoxin poisoning. And trust me \u2013 you don\u2019t want your goats to go through that. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When it comes to feeding dairy goats, getting their nutrition right can often feel like something of a minefield. However, if you ask us, this shouldn\u2019t have to be the case. After all, while feeding your dairy goat can seem challenging at the outset, there are actually plenty of options you could consider in this…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=249"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":250,"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249\/revisions\/250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herdiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}