Goats are known as herbivores or plant eaters. They mostly get their nutrients from the plants they eat. Due to their diet, their body is able to digest a large variety of fiber and roughage.
The nutrients that they should require are determined by their age, sex, breed, climate, body size and other factors. Nutrients from the plants they eat are not enough. There are some other nutrients they need so that they are able to produce good quality of meat and milk.
If you plan to have a goat farm, you must know about these 6 essential nutrients goats should have. By having these nutrients accomplished and given to your goat, then healthy goats are in your hands.
Besides, there are some other things you need to prepare for your goat farm, such as goat breed for your goat farm and factors that make up a successful goat farm.
- Carbohydrate
Who said that goats don’t need carbohydrate? Are goats eating rice? No, they don’t. Carbohydrates are obtained from sugar, starches and fiber. They are converted into energy by beneficial bacteria in the goats’ body called rumen flora.
A normal goat diet is high in fiber and it requires rumen flora to digest and convert it into energy. Carbohydrate is also one of the essential nutrients your pets should have, as it is the main energy producer for them!
The amount of carbohydrate required is different for different physiological stages: maintenance, pregnancy, lactation and growth.
Each stage needs different level of energy, such as the maintenance level requires energy that is mostly the same for most goats, except for the dairy kids. Dairy kids need higher level of energy than the average, while the highest energy is needed in the lactation stage.
Regarding to pregnancy of goats, goats are also possible to experience infertility. The causes for goat infertility and how to prevent it will give you the idea.
- Protein
Protein is another essential nutrient needed by goats. It is beneficial for repairing old tissues and build the new ones. Proteins in food are broken down into amino acids and absorbed in the small intestines. They are in charge for building body proteins or muscles.
Kids require higher amount of proteins. That’s why it is important to watch for the quantity and quality of proteins fed to the youngsters. Protein deficiency is detrimental to young animals, so that you need to make sure to supply adequate amount if you wish to obtain rapid growth and high production.
- Fats
Fats are other sources of energy for goats. While browsing for food, they also consume some amount of fats.
Fats are also formed by the excess energy produced by carbohydrates, specifically around the internal organs. This stored fat is used while they need high amount of energy, such as during lactation period.
- Mineral and Vitamins
Vitamins and minerals are needed for the goats’ maintenance and good functioning of their physiological systems. Vitamins are essential for the goats’ growth, health and reproduction.
As goats are not able to produce soluble vitamins, that is why it is very important to feed them these vitamins (A, D, E and K). Rumen flora in the goats’ body is able to make the sufficient amount of vitamin B for their metabolism, while vitamin C is needed for their immune system. You can also read about the other ways on how to boost goats immune system.
There are two types of minerals: macro and micro minerals. Goats need macrominerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chlorides in their diet. On the other hand, microminerals needed by goats are iron, copper, cobalt, manganese, iodine and others.
Calcium is really important as the constituent of teeth and bones and for regular heart action and muscular activity as well. Calcium deficiency will lead to poor growth and bone development in growing animals.
Phosphorus is also essential as part of the blood and cells all over the body. Besides calcium, bones and teeth also contain large amount of phosphorus.
- Water
Water is essential thing for every living thing. Water is beneficial for goats for helping to digest food transporting waste from the body, regulating temperature of the body and lubricating tissues.
Insufficient amount of water can lead to depressed performance of the goat more severely than any insufficiency of any other dietary nutrients. That’s why it is important to make sure your goat is consuming sufficient amount of water.
It is not only about quantity and how much water you give to your goat, but the quality of the water should also be good. Provide fresh water for your goat. Â
- Fiber
Fiber is helpful to keep the rumen flora function properly as it increases salivation and rumination. Roughage, the slowly degradable fiber ingredient, enables the rumen of sheep and goats to function properly.
Moreover, chewing the fibrous material will also maintain the acidity in the rumen that will be beneficial for the fiber-digesting microbes.
Hay, silage and fresh forage are good for your goats as they are rich in fibers.