Supplementary Feeding
As well as good quality pasture, dairy goats require a diet supplemented with good quality protein, carbohydrates and minerals.
Supplementary feeds are, following labour, the biggest on-farm cost in most goat operations.
Why Dairy Goats Require Supplementary Feeds
High quality forages are important in any successful pasture-based farming system. Because dairy goats have small rumens yet are highly efficient converters of feed to energy, the feed they do eat must be as nutritionally condensed as possible. If the quality of the forage available is not sufficient for the goats needs they can have full rumens but not be fully fed. By this we mean that the goats are eating as much as they can but the total nutrient value in that feed is not enough to reach their growth rate targets or milk production.
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High quality forages require less supplementation than poor quality forages but even the highest quality forage will not be able to meet the needs of high performing milking does on its own.
In addition to this, because goats utilize bacteria in the rumen to break protein in feed down into a usable energy source, sudden or severe changes to their diet can upset the rumen bacteria and result in digestive issues (or worse) for the goats.
As with any kind of system, you get out what you put in - the trick is determining at what point the cost of the additional inputs is no longer justified by the return you are getting from them. The answer to this will vary from season to season based on the pasture growth conditions, costs of feed supplements and the per solid milk price you are receiving for the milk produced.
Common Types of Supplementary Feeds
Silage:
Pasture availability and quality can be managed through the use of silage.
Pit silage is cheaper to produce and creates less plastic waste whereas baled silage is generally easier to manage both logistically and from a quality point of view. Baled silage also allows smaller, more frequently cuts, which aids with silage quality. With either option, the timing of harvest, and therefore the resulting silage ad pasture regrowth quality, can be affected by factors outside your control such as weather, contractor availability and total pasture availability.
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Minerals:
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Minerals can be purchased free-flow and be included as part of the mixer wagon ration or they can be included as part of a feed pellet. The free-flow option does mean that some of the minerals are ‘lost’ in pushed out feed, but in the long run is still generally cheaper than pellet options and gives the ability to keep the per goat mineral rations consistent when increasing or decreasing concentrate rations. Having minerals in pelleted feed can be an efficient way of ensuring all does get the same ration of minerals with less overall wastage so each farmer needs to pick the option that works best for their system.
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You can find some good information relating to the Mineral Needs of Dairy Goats on the Agvance site.
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Canola:
At approximately 36% crude protein, canola contains almost 50% more protein than DGG (20-28%). Canola is less palatable than other feeds but is well tolerated by most goats when introduced slowly and in combination with other feeds. Canola contains a high level of by-pass protein, making it especially good for boosting milk production in early lactation.
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DDG:
Dried Distillers Grain (DDG) is a by-product of the fermentation of wheat into bio-ethanol. It contains moderate levels of protein, is a good source of carbohydrates and is highly palatable.
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Maize Grain:
Goats are one of the few ruminants who can digest whole maize and it is cheaper to buy than kibbled maize. It is a cost effective source of carbohydrates and goats love it.
Note: If any feed not eaten by the goats is then going to be fed out to other stock on the farm, choosing to use maize in kibbled form so that the cattle can digest it is worth considering.
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Maize Silage:
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Maize silage is a good supplementary feed over late lactation and dry period, and right through
into the post kidding period.
Like grass silage, maize silage can be ensiled in a pit, bunker, paddock stack or into a bag. Despite
the higher cost involved with bagging, this option makes it easier to keep the face of the maize
silage clean when smaller amounts (compared to cows) are being fed each day and generally
minimises waste.
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Molasses:
Liquid feedgrade molasses is derived from sugar cane and contains approximately 48% sugar.
It can be fed on its own via tubs or lick rollers (beware these can be messy!) or can be blended
with other feeds either as part of a commercial mix or on-farm by adding to a mixer wagon. As
well as providing readily available energy, it helps bind other feed components together and
increases the palatability of other feeds.
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Straw:
Straw (typically from wheat or barley) has sharper ends compared with pasture hay. These ends
tickle and activate the rumen and as such straw is an important feed for the effective rumen
development of young kids. It also helps to slow the passage of feed through the digestive system
and the increased rumen activity creates internal warmth so is beneficial in cooler weather conditions.
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Brewers Grain:
Brewers grain is the residue left after the process of producing beer and vinegar. It is high in digestible fibre, energy and by-pass proteins. By-pass proteins move straight to the goat's abomasum where it is absorbed, rather than needing it be broken down by bacteria in the rumen. This process requires less enegry and reduces the risk of over-feeding. Despite these benefits, brewers grain is a mashy substance that requires an on-farm storage bunker, and has a relatively short shelf life before developing an offensive odour and the risk of bacterial buildup.
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Compound Pellets:
There are a variety of different compound pellets on the market which have each been specifically formulated to boost dairy goat production and/or growth. One key advantage of these pellets is that all the daily mineral requirements can be included and the goats can't pick out just the bits they like and leave other bits behind. They also tend to be highly palatable. The downside it that they often cost more than individual feeds and it is not easy to adjust the balance of proteins and carbohydrates in the diet by simply changing the ratio of the ingredients like you can do if feeding individual components as the pellet 'recipe' is preset by the supplier.
Feeding Supplementary Feeds
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Mixer Wagons:
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Mixer wagons are an effective option for goat diets as it means the forage is chopped small which aids digestion and reduces feed lost by being dragged into the pen. It also means that all the components get mixed evenly and prevents the goats from picking through their feed and only eating ‘the good bits’.
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The ideal finished chop length should be approximately the width of the goats jaw - so a smaller chop for doelings and kids than for the adult does. Where possible, feed out to your older does first so that the mix is naturally more chopped by the time you get to feeding the younger/smaller animals.
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In-Shed Feed Systems
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In-shed feeding systems are very common when milking goats. Not only are they an easy way to deliver additional feed concentrates, they are also a very useful behaviour management technique by way of keeping the goats occupied whilst they are being milked.
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In-shed feed systems are designed to deliver dry, free-flowing concentrates such as maize grain, DDG pellets or mixed compound pellets. As with any other feed storage system, your in-shed feed system needs to be regularly cleaned to prevent the build up of bacteria or mould. It is also important that any feed hoppers used to store the feed before being dispensed are kept dry - so care may need to be taken when hosing down this area after each milking.
Supplementary Feeds by Seasonal Demand
There is no perfect recipe for feeding dairy goats and even small imbalances in the diet can cause significant impacts on their health and production. Whilst the information below can be used as a guide, support from a veterinarian or ruminant nutritionist is advised.
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Early Lactation: It is important to provide an energy rich diet to help the doe as she recovers from kidding. By-pass proteins such as Canola are valuable at this time as they do not require as much of the doe's energy to utilise the protein.
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Spring: As the spring pasture becomes lusher, additional straw will slow its passage through the digestive system, and additional carbohydrate in the diet is often required to balance out the extra protein available in the grass.
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Drying Off: Supplementary feeds should be slowly phased out prior to dry-off. Once the does production has dropped (ideally to below less than 1 litre per day), only hay should be fed for 2-4 days until the does have dried down completely. During this time. avoid bringing the does back near the milking shed as this will stimulate them to produce milk again.
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Protein Utilisation
Protein utilisation can be monitored through MUN (Milk Urea Nitrogen) levels. The ideal range for MUN in goat milk is in the mid 20’s but can vary from farm to farm. Generally, an MUN of over 30 means there is an excess of protein in the diet and/or insufficient carbohydrate to utilise it. Values below 10 indicate insufficient protein in the diet which will lead to lower milk production and body condition. Under a consistent diet the MUN level should not change more than 2-4 points, however changes in grass quality can cause it to move in a short timespan (McLean, Oct 2013).
Cost of Imported Feed / Animal
Variations to this may occur as a result of feed prices going up either due to supply and demand effects or other factors affecting the cost of imported feed such as overseas conflict or transport logistics. Other factors that affect this expense area are ones such as on-farm feed availability which can be affected by the quality of pasture management or weather factors. Additionally, the cost of purchased feed per animal could be deliberately increased in order to fill a production gap if it were required, or similarly reduced in order to cut back on production.
Contracting feed early in the season and ‘shopping around’ for the best deals can help secure feed at lower prices. Good communication with farm managers, along with training and support where required, should help minimise the risk of imported feed costs increasing as a result of poor pasture management decisions. In all these scenarios, it is important to ensure that animal condition scores and health are maintained.
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