Dairy goats are not small cows: feeding practices and challenges

Dairy goats can be highly productive to the level of exceeding that of dairy cattle on a metabolic body size basis. Far too often and due to limited controlled research studies, feeding practices used for dairy cattle are extrapolated to feeding dairy goats. Similarly, commercial supplements are formulated for sheep and goats even though there are well known nutritional differences, namely copper nutrition where goats have a higher requirement like cattle. Goats are selective browsers compared to sheep and cattle that are more grass grazers. Selective browsing of goats can be advantageous in addressing parasite management; however, it makes for challenges in feed sorting. Limited research has addressed specific feeding practices for high producing goats. Using total mixed ration (TMR) feeding has shown selection against the longest (> 75 mm) and smallest (< 4 mm) particle sizes by goats based on particle distribution using the Penn State Particle separator. Goats, in contrast to cows, more efficiently masticate their feed, especially grains, suggesting a lesser need for processing for improved digestion as in dairy cattle. Greater mastication coupled with pelleted or processed grains may predispose the consuming goat to episodes of ruminal acidosis and altered milk composition, especially in conventional feeding systems where supplemental feeds are provided at milking. Goats have a higher feed intake as a percent of body weight resulting in a faster rate of passage, which may limit fiber digestibility. As in all ruminant feeding systems, forage quality is of critical importance in supporting highly productive physiologic states.

Key words: dairy goats, feeding practices, browser, forage quality.