Goat nutrition, food born disease treatment and prevention

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Goat nutrition, food born disease treatment and prevention

Goat nutrition, food born disease treatment and prevention Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur and chlorides are a few of the macrominerals needed in a goat's diet. Digestive tract of the goat.
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Microminerals usually supplemented in goat rations are iron, copper, cobalt, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium, molybdenum Goats are ruminants, animals with a four-compartment stomach, as are cattle, sheep and deer. The compartments are the reticulum, rumen, omasum and abomasum, or true stomach. Monogastric or simple-stomached animals such as humans, dogs and cats consume food that undergoes acidi

c breakdown in the stomach and enzymatic digestion in the small intestine, where most nutrients are absorbed. In ruminants, feed first undergoes microbial digestion in the reticulum and rumen — together, often called the reticulo-rumen — prior to acidic digestion in the abomasum and enzymatic digestion and nutrient absorption in the small intestine. The microbial digestion in the reticulo-rumen allows ruminants to consume and utilize grass, hay, leaves and browse. The reticulum and rumen form a large fermentation vat that contains microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that breakdown and digest feedstuffs, including the fibrous component of grass, forbs, and browse that cannot be digested by monogastric animals. Some of the breakdown products produced through digestion of feed by bacteria are absorbed by the animal through the rumen wall and can supply a large part of the energy needs. The rest of the byproducts of digestion, undigested feed and ruminal microorganisms flow out of the reticulo-rumen into the omasum where large feed particles are trapped for further digestion and water is reabsorbed. Material then flows into the abomasum where acidic digestion takes place and then to the small intestine for further enzymatic digestion and nutrient absorption. abomasum. The rumen provides several advantages to the goat in addition to digestion of dietary fiber. The bacteria in the rumen are capable of synthesizing all B vitamins needed. Bacteria can also synthesize protein from nitrogen recycled in the body, which may be advantageous in low protein diets. For proper ruminal function, goats require a certain level of fiber in the diet, measured as crude fiber, acid detergent fiber or neutral detergent fiber. They have bacteria in the rumen that can detoxify anti-nutritional factors like tannins. This enables goats to better utilize feedstuffs containing high tannin levels such as those found in browse. There are very few situations in which a goat will not consume adequate fiber, but they may do so when being fed a very high-grain diet. Inadequate fiber consumption can then lead to several disease conditions. The most serious disease condition is acidosis, or an extremely low pH in the rumen, causing decreased feed consumption. When ruminants are born, the first three compartments of the stomach are underdeveloped and the stomach functions similar to that of a monogastric animal. This enables absorption of antibodies in colostrum and efficient utilization of nutrients in milk. As the young ruminant consumes solid feed, especially high in fiber, and the microbial population is established, the rumen is stimulated to develop. The rumen must have an acceptable degree of development for successful weaning. The greatest asset goats have is the ability and tendency to utilize woody plants and weeds, not typically consumed by other species of animals like cattle and sheep, converting these plants into a saleable product. These plant species can be inexpensive sources of nutrients and make for a very profitable goat enterprise. Goats typically consume a number of different plant species in any one day and can utilize some poisonous plants because they do not consume levels high enough to be toxic. Similarly, goats are believed to have a relatively high ability to detoxify absorbed anti-nutritional factors. Goats are more resistant to bloating than other ruminants and after a brief adaptation may graze alfalfa without bloating. The environmental cue most dominantly affecting seasonal breeding in small ruminants is the annual change in day length (goats are considered short day breeders). Seasonal anestrous occurs when the day length increases and this period is associated with an absence of estrus and ovulation and decreased secretion of the reproductive hormones. Seasonal species are responsive to a hormone called melatonin which is produced by the pineal gland in response to declining periods of light. Melatonin secretion is required to stimulate gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion in order to promote cycling. Melatonin is synthesized and secreted during the night hours when it is converted from serotonin in the pineal gland. Therefore, light entering the eyes inhibits pineal gland conversion of serotonin to melatonin. The pineal gland acts as a regulator of reproductive activity since it can either stimulate or inhibit gonadal function. During short photoperiods, such as in the fall, the long duration of high melatonin secretion switches on short day breeders such as sheep and goats and switches off long day breeders such as the horse and hamster. This explains why increased light (long days) would cause anestrus in goats since this inhibits the conversion of serotonin. Goats are therefore considered to be short day breeders because they begin to cycle during the shorter days of fall. The normal breeding season of goats is during the months of September, October, and November and they may cycle into January and sometimes February (varies for different breeds and in the area of the country). A trained technician or producer can use AI, but practice is needed and the costs compared to the benefits and outcomes (such as profitability) for each farm should be carefully considered. The benefits of artificial insemination, or AI, include:

The producer can make genetic improvement in his/her livestock faster
This procedure reduces the possibility of spreading s*xually transmitted diseases between the male and the female
The producer will not have the cost of maintaining a male (except maybe a sterile “teaser” male for heat checking)
The producer can very accurately predict when kids or lambs will be born
Some disadvantages include:

The cost of hiring a technician
The cost of equipment (such as a liquid nitrogen tank)
The buck is better in detecting heat than a person
The success of AI is dependent on:

The appropriate timing of insemination in relation to estrus (heat) and ovulation (release of eggs0
The ability to efficiently collect and cryopreserve (freeze) s***m from quality bucks
The seasonality of goat reproduction
There are two AI methods currently used in the goat industry. The first is cervical insemination that involves deposition of s***m in the cervix through the va**na. The second method is laparoscopic (“surgical”) insemination and involves the use of a laparoscope and manipulating probe to aid in depositing fresh or frozen-thawed s***m directly into the oviduct. Laparoscopic AI is becoming less commonly used because it is more invasive, very expensive (a licensed/certified veterinarian is often needed), it can result in scars that may cause future sterility, and cervical insemination techniques are getting good enough that conception rates are quite similar. Some research is being considered to possibly develop va**nal AI in goats using fresh/chilled semen to make it even easier for producers to use this technology. The advantages to cervical AI include:

Less invasive procedure for AI
More cost-effective and practical for the producer (the producer can learn to do this procedure)
Reduces the likelihood of infection and pain to the doe
Conception rates achieved when using cervical AI range from 50 to 70% with timed AI, and 70-80% with breeding by heat check, though rates with any AI are typically lower during spring and summer months. Photoperiod treatment of bucks during the spring and summer months might assist in alleviating the impacts of season. For classes in your area on cervical AI, contact your local County Extension Office or visit the website of AI trainers such as BIO-Genics, LTD at http://www.biogenicsltd.com (mention of providers names are not endorsement). You can contact your local county extension office for others that might be available in your area. For a video of AI in goats see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF89Ar83M7g

More information about AI (dairy goats):http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_d/d-704.pdf

Embryo Transfer

Another reproductive technique that can be used following the onset of heat is embryo transfer, or ET. Embryo transfer has been used extensively in beef and dairy cattle for years. In this technique, the doe and ewe are first synchronized and later administered a superovulatory hormone which causes the doe or ewe to ovulate more eggs at one time than usual. This process is called “superovulation.” The eggs are fertilized by means of AI or natural service, and at the appropriate time they are flushed out of the reproductive tract of the donor female and then transferred to recipient females (or frozen for future use). The recipient females (ones to be given the embryo) are also synchronized on the same day as the donor doe or ewe. The advantages of this technology are:

It increases the genetic improvement in a herd or flock significantly since all the genetics can be “new”
It provides an additional source of income (“niche” market) to a producer who has superior breeding stock
Frozen embryos from superior stock can be shipped to other farms to aid in improving the genetics of the goat herds or sheep flocks around the United States
It reduces the spread of s*xually transmitted diseases from the male to the females
The disadvantages of ET are:

It is very expensive
The response to the hormone treatments may be erratic
It is hard to find a skilled technician who can perform this procedure in small ruminants
Copper is essential in formation of red blood cells, hair pigmentation, connective tissue and enzymes. It is also important in normal immune system function and nerve conduction. Deficiency symptoms include anemia, bleached looking and rough hair coat, diarrhea and weight loss. Young goats may experience progressive incoordination and paralysis, especially in the rear legs. High dietary molybdenum can depress absorption of copper and cause a deficiency. There should be at least four times as much copper as molybdenum in the diet. Sheep– both hair and wool types — are sensitive to copper toxicity, whereas goats require copper levels similar to beef cattle. Angora goats may be more sensitive to copper toxicity than meat and dairy goats. There are differences in copper requirements for several sheep breeds. This could also be true for meat goats, but no data are available. Although most of the United States has adequate copper levels (Figure 7), many areas have high levels of molybdenum due to soil geology and, therefore, require copper supplementation. The liver stores copper, which can protect against toxicity in the short term. However, when liver capacity is exceeded, animals can die rapidly from a hemolytic crisis caused by stressors such as being chased. The white Savanna goat breed was developed from indigenous goats of South Africa. Various farmers bred what was known as white Boer goats for a number of years in South Africa. One of the advantages of these white goats was the fact that the white color is dominant over most other colors. The other reason is that there is a big demand for white goats for slaughter purposes for various reasons. In 1957, Cilliers and Sons along the Vaal River became the best-known of the originators of this meat goat breed. On the rugged, harsh bush country where temperatures and rainfall can vary to a marked extent, natural selection played a big role in the development of these fertile, easy to care for, heat and drought resistant animals. These goats have thick, pliable skins with short white hair. The Savanna has excellent reproduction, muscular development, good bones and strong legs and hooves. Although these goats have white hair, they are selected for totally black pigmented skin, horns, hooves and all bare skin areas to avoid injury by strong ultra-violet rays. The original Savanna importers in the United States maintained the natural selection development and continued the hardy meat goat breed. They noted that the half Savanna kid got up faster after birth and nursed quicker than their other goats. The Savanna breed is relatively new to the United States, having been imported in the late 1990s. The breed is a large framed, extremely well- muscled goat with white color containing a few black pigments found on the ears. The body characteristics resemble those of the Boer goat. The breed is very adaptable and is successful on extensive grazing, as well as on intensive pastures. The Savanna is not a seasonal breeder, and mating can usually be done at a time that will ensure enough feed is available at kidding. The Savanna goat is a highly fertile and fecund breed, and a high twinning rate is generally achieved, even under less than optimal conditions. Savanna wethers have a good growth rate and are an early- to medium-maturity type that produces carcasses with good confirmation.

05/10/2022

Entertoxemia is a frequently severe disease of sheep and goats of all ages.
Causative bacteria are present in relatively low numbers and appear to be in a relatively quiescent state in the normal, healthy animal.
Treatment may not be successful in severe cases.
Prevention of enterotoxemia is far more likely to be successful than trying to treat the disease.
Enterotoxemia is a frequently severe disease of sheep and goats of all ages. It is caused by two strains of bacteria called Clostridium perfringens – the strains are termed types C and D. These bacteria are normally found in low numbers in the gastrointestinal tract of all sheep and goats. If that is so, when and why do they cause disease?
These organisms are normally “laying low” in the small and large intestine – that is, they are present in relatively low numbers and appear to be in a relatively quiescent state in the normal, healthy animal. What appears to trigger them to cause disease is a change in the diet of the animal. Most commonly, the change that triggers disease is an increase in the amount of grain, protein supplement, milk or milk replacer (for lambs and kids), and/or grass that the sheep or goat is ingesting. Collectively, these feeds are rich in starch, sugar, and/or protein. When
Ewe
unusually high levels of these nutrients reach the intestine, Clostridium perfringens undergoes explosive growth, increasing its numbers rapidly within the intestine. As the organism grows in number, it releases very potent toxins (bacterial poisons) that harm the animal. These toxins can cause damage to the intestine as well as numerous other organs. This can result in fatalities, particularly in the non-vaccinated animal or in the newborn lamb or kid whose dam has not been vaccinated.
The signs of enterotoxemia in sheep and goats include:
• The animals may abruptly go off of feed and become lethargic.
• Affected animals may show signs of stomach pain, such as kicking at their belly, repeatedly laying down and getting up, laying on their sides, panting, and crying out.
• Diarrhea may develop; in some cases, there is blood visible in the loose stool.
• Animals may lose the ability to stand, lay on their sides, and extend their legs, with their head and neck extended back over their withers.
This posture is caused by the effects of the toxins on the brain. Death
commonly occurs within minutes to hours after this sign is seen.
• Because enterotoxemia can progress so quickly, animals may be found dead with no previous signs of disease.
Treatment
Treatment of enterotoxemia may not be successful in severe cases. Many veterinarians treat mild cases with analgesics, probiotics (gels or pastes with “good bacteria), oral electrolyte solutions, and antisera, which is a solution of concentrated antibodies that neutralize the toxins that these bacteria produce. More severe cases may require intravenous fluids, antibiotic therapy, and other types of supportive care, such as supplemental oxygen.
Prevention
Prevention of enterotoxemia is far more likely to be successful than trying to treat the disease.
Vaccination
Vaccination is the cornerstone to prevention of this disease. For sheep and goats, there are multiple vaccines available that induce immunity to the toxins generated by Clostridium perfringens types C and D. Because tetanus is also an important disease to prevent in sheep and goats, many veterinarians recommend that sheep and goats be vaccinated with a vaccine that also induces protection against tetanus. These vaccines are often termed “three-way” vaccines because they induce protection against the three bacteria involved: Clostridium
sheep
perfringens type C (enterotoxemia), type D (enterotoxemia) and Clostridium tetani (the bacterium that causes tetanus). Adult sheep and goats: When initiating vaccination for a given sheep or goat, all enterotoxemia/tetanus vaccines require two doses to induce effective immunity. These doses are usually administered 10 to14 days apart. Once each adult sheep or goat has received these two doses, repeat vaccination should occur at least once per year. Many veterinarians recommend that ewes and does be vaccinated roughly one to two months ahead of the anticipated birthing date, in order to maximize the amount of antibody present in the colostrum (first milk) – this helps to protect the neonate against enterotoxemia. If immunization of pregnant animals during that time frame is not feasible for you, then vaccinating the ewes and does at other times of the year appears to be effective.
For juvenile and adult sheep or goats fed diets rich in grain or allowed to graze lush pasture, more frequent vaccination for enterotoxemia may be warranted; some producers immunize these higher-risk animals two to four times per year to achieve adequate protection.
Keeping the mothers well-vaccinated is the best way to protect newborn animals against this disease, as the antibodies to the bacterial toxins are transferred to the newborns in the colostrum (first milk). Obviously, you need to ensure that newborns receive colostrum for this to work! Growing babies are typically vaccinated for the first time at six to 10 weeks of age, and one to two repeat (booster) vaccinations are typically given afterwards. Consult your veterinarian to determine what vaccination strategy best suits your operation and feeding program.
Feeding Strategies
Smart feeding strategies will also enable you to limit the potential for this disease to affect your herd or flock. Since the causative bacteria proliferate in the intestine in response to ingestion of abnormally high levels of starch, sugar, or protein, you need to be careful how you feed certain feedstuffs that contain high levels of these nutrients, such as grains, silage or haylage, lush pasture, milk or milk replacer, and protein supplements. Complete feeds – such as pellets designed to be fed to induce gain in lambs or kids – can also trigger this disease if fed in excess.
When feeding these high-risk feedstuffs, divide the daily allotment for each animal into as many small feedings as is feasible (say, three to four feedings), rather than providing such feeds in a single, large meal. It is also advisable to feed roughages such as hay before feeding these higher-risk feeds, simply to allow the animals to become full on hay beforehand. This helps to limit the potential for overeating on high-risk feedstuffs, such as grain. Consult your veterinarian to determine what feeding strategy is optimal for your situation.
Always make feed changes slowly. If you plan to increase the amount of grain fed to a flock or herd, always do so in gradual increments over several days. This helps the bacteria in the stomach to accommodate to the diet, making it less likely that the troublesome bacteria will get access to the nutrients. Make sure that you watch your animals for signs of dominance by one or more individuals – they can boss the others away from the grain and overeat; alternatively, the shy animals can hold back from feeding and become so hungry that they overeat. Divide your herd or flock as necessary, and make sure to provide an adequate number of feeding sites or feeder space to enable all animals an equal chance to eat.
For animals being turned out onto pasture after being fed hay or other stored feeds, a conservative thumb rule is to begin by allowing only about 10 minutes of grazing time on the first day. Double this with each subsequent day – it will take about a week for them to work up to a full 24 hours on pasture.
Heavily milking dams may need to be fed more roughage and less concentrate to limit the excessive milk production that might endanger their offspring. Keep the feed schedule consistent to lactating does and ewes to limit fluctuations in milk volume for their nursing offspring.

05/10/2022

Enterotoxemia, also known as overeating or pulpy kidney disease, is a condition caused by Clostridium perfringens type D. These bacteria are normally found in the soil and as part of the normal microflora in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy sheep and goats. Under specific conditions, these bacteria can rapidly reproduce in the animal’s intestine, producing large quantities of toxins. The epsilon toxin produced by C. perfringens Type D is the most significant toxin in producing the disease. Young animals are most susceptible. Sudden and high mortality rates may occasionally occur in lambs and kids. Although adult animals are also susceptible to enterotoxemia, they develop immunity due to frequent exposure to low doses of these toxins.
Factors Associated with Enterotoxemia Outbreaks
Overgrowth of Clostridium perfringens type D in the intestine of sheep and goats resulting in enterotoxemia are more likely to occur during the following conditions:
Excessive consumption of milk or feed with high concentrations of grain
When natural immunity is compromised such as when ill, recovering from an illness or stressed
When animals are heavily parasitized with gastrointestinal parasites, including nematodes, cestodes (tapeworms) and coccidia
When the ration is rich in carbohydrates (grains) and low in roughage
When motility of the gastrointestinal tract is reduced
Common Signs of Enterotoxemia
The peracute form is most frequent in young animals. It is characterized by sudden death that occurs approximately 12 hours after the first signs of the disease appear. Some kids or lambs may show signs of central nervous disease, such as excitement or convulsions. Sudden death may occur in only minutes in kids or lambs showing neurological disease. Typical clinical signs include:
Loss of appetite
Abdominal discomfort
Profuse and/or watery diarrhea that may be bloody
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, history of sudden death and confirmation by necropsy examination. Diagnosis can be confirmed by positive identification of enterocolitis, anaerobic culture, and identification of Clostridium perfringens type D from the f***s or intestinal contents from clinical or necropsy specimens of affected animals. The presence of hyperglycemia and glucosuria can strongly suggest enterotoxemia in live or dead animals. Necropsy data is important for the diagnosis of enterotoxemia. Therefore, dead animals or a complete set of necropsy tissues, f***s, etc., should be submitted to the diagnostic laboratory for confirmation of the clinical diagnosis. A postmortem examination of the large and small intestines can identify watery contents, blood and fibrinous clots, and small ulcers on the mucosa. The kidneys on gross examination may have a soft pulpy consistency and encephalomalacia may occur within the brain (usually only seen in sheep). On microscopic examination there may be accelerated autolysis or diffuse acute necrosis of the proximal tubules in the kidney. Microscopic ulcers and superficial mucosal necrosis with numerous associated clostridial organisms and mild suppurative inflammation may be present in intestinal specimens. Intestinal lumens will often contain abundant clostridial organisms suggesting clostridial enteritis/enterotoxemia. Advanced postmortem autolysis often prevents definitive diagnosis of enterotoxemia at necropsy due to the extensive overgrowth of clostridial organisms after death of the animal. Specific DNA testing assays (PCR) for Clostridium perfringens type D may be useful for confirmation of the diagnosis. An ELISA kit is also available for the detection of several clostridial toxins including the epsilon toxin and identification of the C. perfringens organism itself from intestinal contents.
Treatment
Recommended treatments can include the following:
Clostridium perfringens C & D antitoxin according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (5 mL of C & D antitoxin subcutaneously)
Antibiotics, especially penicillin
Orally administered antacids
Anti-bloating medication
Pain reduction
Intramuscular thiamine (vitamin B1) to prevent or treat the encephalomalacia
Supportive therapy such as intravenous or subcutaneous fluids and corticosteroids
Probiotics after antibiotic therapy to encourage repopulation of the microflora in the GI tract
Prevention
Effective vaccines are commercially available to prevent enterotoxemia in sheep and goats. All animals (especially young animals) within the herd should be vaccinated as it will reduce the chances that the animals will develop the disease. Use vaccines that are labeled for use in sheep and goats and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Some of the commercially available vaccines against enterotoxemia are also combined with tetanus toxoid. Make sure the vaccine has been refrigerated, stored properly, and is not expired. Young animals should be vaccinated at 4 weeks of age and again one month later. All adults including bucks should be vaccinated at least once per year. Do not vaccinate animals that appear ill and keep good vaccination records for future reference.

05/10/2022

Goat Enterotoxemia
Diseases
Brain Disorders
Gastrointestinal
Infectious and Zoonotic
Integumentary
Mammary Gland Disorders
Metabolic / Nutritional
Musculoskeletal
Ophthalmic
Reproductive
Respiratory
Urogenital
Goat Enterotoxemia; (Overeating Disease, Pulpy Kidney Disease)
This is an important syndrome affecting young goats on concentrate feeds. Grain-fed kids on a high-concentrate diet are most susceptible, but adults may also be affected. Goats are commonly affected with a hemorrhagic form of enterotoxemia. The toxin is produced by Clostridium perfringens type D bacteria when the animal’s diet or other issues provide optimum conditions for the growth of the type D bacteria in the intestine.
Signs: Often, the first sign of a problem is finding an otherwise healthy and vigorous kid dead. Other signs can include sudden loss of appetite; bloat; lack of rumen activity and rumination; depression and a drunken appearance; as it progresses,the animal becomes unable to stand and lies on its side, making paddling movements; fever; watery, bloody diarrhea. Sick goats are usually those in good condition. Within a few hours of death, the urine will have a high glucose concentration, and the kidneys become soft and pulpy. Other lesions may include fluid in the lungs and heart sac and hemorrhages on internal surfaces.
Treatment: The prognosis for recovery is guarded in goat enterotoxemia even with treatment. Fluid therapy providing mixed electrolyte solution with bicarbonate is indicated in acute cases to counter shock, dehydration and acidosis. Antibiotic therapy may be helpful in reducing bacterial growth. Oral sulfas have been used with some success. Anti-toxin, anti-inflammatories, oral activated charcoal and probiotics can be helpful very early in the course of the disease. At the first sign of an enterotoxemia outbreak in a herd, the remaining kids should be given injections of C and D antitoxin and a C and D vaccine booster.
Prevention: Commercially available type C and D toxoid vaccine should be administered to all kids at 6, 9, 12 and 24 weeks of age and boostered every 6 months. Does should be boostered in the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy and kids should receive adequate colostrum to ensure they obtain a protective level of passive protection.

24/07/2022

Nutrient Requirements
Skip to Nutrient Requirements
Meat goats require nutrients for body maintenance, growth, reproduction, pregnancy, and production of products such as meat, milk and hair. The groups of nutrients that are essential in goat nutrition are water, energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. The nutrient requirements of bucks, young goats and does with a high production potential and at various stages of development and production are shown in Table 1. Goats should be grouped according to their nutritional needs to more effectively match feed quality and supply to animal need. Weanlings goats, does during the last month of gestation, high lactating does and yearlings should be grouped and fed separately from dry does, bucks, etc. which have lower nutritional needs.
When pasture is available, animals having the highest nutritional requirements should have access to lush, leafy forage or high quality browse. In a barn feeding situation such as during the winter months, these same animals should be offered the highest quality hay available. Whether grazed or barn fed, goats should be supplemented with a concentrate feed when either the forage that they are grazing or the hay that they are fed do not contain the necessary nutrients to cover their nutritional requirements. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) and protein requirements are shown in Table 2. Comparing the nutrient requirements to the chemical composition of feeds shown in Table 1 should give producers an idea of how to match needs with appropriate forages. To give producers an idea where these requirements fall, low quality forages contain 40-55% TDN, good quality forages contain from 55 to 70% TDN, and concentrate feeds contain from 70 to 90% TDN.

24/07/2022

Feeding Requirements
Skip to Feeding Requirements
The goat is not able to digest the cell walls of plants as well as the cow because feed stays in its rumen for a shorter time period. A distinction as to what is meant by "poor quality roughage" is necessary in order to make decisions concerning which animal can best utilize a particular forage. Trees and shrubs, which often represent poor quality roughage sources for cattle, because of their highly lignified stems and bitter taste, may be adequate to high in quality for goats. This is so because goats avoid eating the stems, don't mind the taste, have the ability to detoxify tannins, and benefit from the relatively high levels of protein and cell solubles found in the leaves of these plants. On the other hand, straw, which is of poor quality due to high cell wall and low protein, can be used by cattle but will not provide even maintenance needs for goats because goats don’t utilize the cell wall as efficiently as cattle.
In addition, goats must consume a higher quality diet than cattle because their digestive tract size is smaller with regard to their maintenance energy needs. Relative to their body weight, the amount of feed needed by meat goats is approximately twice that of cattle. When the density of high quality forage is low and the stocking rate is low, goats will still perform well because their grazing/browsing behavior allow them to select only the highest quality forage from that on offer. Thus, they are able to perform well in these situations, even though their nutrient requirements exceed those of most domesticated ruminant species.

24/07/2022

Feeding may be the highest expense of any meat goat operation. Goats raised for meat need high quality feed in most situations and require an optimum balance of many different nutrients to achieve maximum profit potential. Because of their unique physiology, meat goats do not fatten like cattle or sheep, and rates of weight gain are smaller, ranging from 0.1 to 0.8 lb/day. Therefore, profitable meat goat production can only be achieved by optimizing the use of high quality forage and browse and the strategic use of expensive concentrate feeds. This can be achieved by developing a year round forage program allowing for as much grazing as possible throughout the year.
Many people still believe that goats eat and do well on low quality feed. Attempting to manage and feed goats with such a belief will not lead to successful meat goat production.

29/06/2022

The great demand for goats and their products, combined with the possibility for high economic returns, is attracting many progressive farmers, businesses, professionals, ex-servicemen, and educated youths to enter the goat business on a commercial scale.
Because of its multi-functional utility, goat farming is now a viable enterprise that requires very little investment. Furthermore, commercial goat farming contributes significantly to a country's economy and nutrition.
If you want to start this business and have the capacity to create a flawless plan, you will undoubtedly be able to make the most profit from goat farming.
Points to be considered for goat farming business plan
Before beginning a commercial goat farm, make sure you have a solid business plan in place. The business strategy might cover everything from site selection to goat marketing. Goat farmers, on the other hand, should be fully informed before embarking on large-scale commercial goat farming.
Goat farming business plan that you must know
Land Selection:
A sufficient amount of land should be available for shelter and the cultivation of green fodder crops for any livestock farming operation. The amount of acreage needed is determined by the quantity of goats being raised.

09/02/2022

A head-to-head analysis of goats and sheep to see which may suite you better. If you are thinking about raising goats or sheep, this video will compare the characteristics of both so that you can make a good decision in your selection. Which are easier to raise? Which may be more profitable? Which make better pets?

09/02/2022

Water, Vitamins, Minerals And Dietary Needs For Goats," explains why water is so important and discusses vitamins, minerals and other dietary needs for your goats. What are the types of protein sources? Why are carbohydrates important? What are the fat requirements for goats? What functions do vitamins assist? What are the mineral needs of goats? What are the goat's needs for fibre? What are the requirements for optimum production? This guide explains the six essential nutrients needed for keeping your goats healthy and well, so their output delivers high nutritious products.

09/02/2022

SOME GENERAL FEEDING GUIDELINES
The goal of feeding is to foster good health so as to get the maximum production. It is essential to keep an eye on costs to stay within a reasonable budget. Feed constitute cost about 60-70% of the cost of production. It is important to pay attention to prices and low cost alternative grains. Proper feeding of goats is the best defense against diseases. The question that always arises is how much grain and hay to feed. As mentioned above, it depends on the s*x of the animal, the body weight and whether the goats are pregnant, lactating or dry. Hay and grain offered to goats should be consumed in about 20 minutes. If the animals are taking longer than 20 minutes to consume the feed provided, then they are probably being overfed. It is necessary to provide fresh and clean water at all times. The lack of water can reduce intake. Daily consumption of water ranges from one quart to one and half gallon per head per day. Periodically scrub and sanitize watering bowls to keep them free from contamination, microbes, parasites and algae. On average, and adult animal should be fed five lbs. of high quality feed and hay per day. Milking does should be fed an additional pound of grain/day for every quart of milk produced. Goats may reduce their feed intake if the grains are moldy. It is essential to buy good quality grains. Grains not dried properly or stored under damp or wet conditions in high temperatures can lead to mold growth.
FEEDING TO PREVENT NUTRITIONAL DISORDER
Remember prevention is better than cure. A sick goat in the whole herd can could about 10-20 times more when you have to treat as opposed to the cost of prevention. The following nutritional conditions can develop due, in part, to poor feeding practices:
BLOAT
Gas is a natural by-product of digestive fermentation in the rumen, and it is expelled continuously as the goat belches. Bloat occurs when gas is trapped in the rumen. It is a life-threatening condition. Frothy bloat is usually caused by grazing lush pasture or legume pastures. Foam forms in the rumen with tiny bubbles that are impossible for a goat to belch up. The rumen expands with foam and the goat could die quickly from respiratory or circulatory failure due to excessive pressure on the diaphragm. Dry bloat is usually caused by indigestion from eating too much grain. In this type of bloat, gas forms in pockets and is trapped in the upper portions of the rumen. To prevent bloat, feed high quality hay before allowing them to eat new, green moist grass. Grain ration should not be fed alone. It is advisable to feed hay first before grains in the morning.
ACIDOSIS
Fiber (e.g. hay or silage) is important in the diet because it stimulates the goat to chew, thereby producing alkaline saliva which serves to control the level of acidity in the rumen. The rumen microflora can only handle gradual changes in forage: grain ratio. If the proportion, absolute amount or type of grain changes too quickly, then lactic acidosis will develop. The type of rumen bacteria change to lactic acid producers. This lowers the pH of the rumen. The acid gets absorbed into the body creating general acidosis. It is advisable to avoid sudden or too much offering of grain to goats.
LAMINITIS/FOUNDER
Laminitis is the term used to describe the initial outbreak of the disease when the laminae become inflamed and break down, releasing its hold on the bones in the hoof. Over-feeding a high-energy diet or feeding a concentrated grain diet with low-to-no-roughage sets the stage for this illness. The signs are lameness, reluctance to move, fever and all 4 feet are hot to the touch. It can be partially cause by complication of other diseases. The approach to prevent this disease is to feed balanced rations with no sudden or drastic change in diet.
URINARY CALCULI
The urethra is a tube that empties urine from the bladder. The male's urethra is much longer and narrower than that of the doe. It is less of a problem in does because of the straightness and shortness of their urethra. Stones are mainly formed in the bladder and become a problem when they are lodged in the urethra. Symptoms of this condition include straining or frequent non-productive urination, abdominal discomfort, stretching, kicking, looking at their sides, and rapid tail switching. To avoiding this problem it is advisable to feed a ration of high quality, free choice, mixed legume/grass hay with salt and trace minerals with calcium to phosphorus ratio of 2:1. Add grain as required. Freedom to browse is an added plus. Have fresh water available at all times encourages urine flow. If possible defer castration until 3 to 5 months of age. This allows the influence of testosterone on the development of the urethral lumen size.
MILK FEVER
Milk fever usually occurs around kidding time. The noticeable symptom of this disease is dragging of the hind foot. Certain feed rich in calcium, most notably and peanut (legume) hay are believed to be the cause. These feeds contain calcium in excess of what the doe needs at kidding time. This excess calcium sets off a "chain reaction" causing calcium to be deposited into her bones when her body needs to be releasing it for use in milk production. The best way to prevent milk fever is to lower calcium intake during the last 30 days of pregnancy. In most herds, this can be done by eliminating legume hays from the doe's diet. This puts the doe's body in a slightly negative calcium position, allowing the hormonal system to mobilize calcium reserves during kidding time.
ENTEROTOXAEMIA
This condition is called over eating disease on pulpy kidney disease. Many sheep and goats carry a strain of the bacteria Clostridium perfringens Type D. This microorganism is part of the normal microflora of the intestine. Excessive consumption of grain or young succulent forage causes the bacteria to multiply and produces a toxin that leads to sudden death of the animal. Control of this disease is vaccination of the breeding female as well as the kid. Avoid feeding high grain diets or allowing goats to graze lush pastures.

09/02/2022

All animals including goats have specific nutrient requirements. During winter when the availability of forage is limited, it becomes necessary to provide adequate levels of hay and grain to goats to meet their nutrient requirements. The general recommendation is to feed approximately 5 pounds of hay and grains in total per adult goat. Goats nutrient requires vary based on their weight, stages of pregnancy and lactation. Consequently, balancing their rations to meet their nutrient requirements can be a cost saving to producers. Over-feeding is wasteful, and under-feeding can affect the health of the animals. Nutrient deficiencies lead to reduced growth, low reproductive performance and poor animal health. One of the ways of balancing rations is by the use of the Pearson Square method. Ration can also be balanced by the use of a computer. The use of Pearson square is most effective when only two feeds are being used. In addition, the animal requirement (the number in the center of the square) must fall between the nutrient concentrations in both feeds. For example, if the animal requirement is 10% crude protein, then one feed must be greater than 10% and the other must be less than 10%.
A ration can be balanced for Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), crude protein (CP) and fat (EE) etc. When balancing goat rations for these nutrients, the method requires their nutritive values which can be found in forage/feed analysis reports or can be taken from book values. Table 1. lists the ingredients that will used to balance a goat ration using coastal Bermuda hay, whole shelled corn and cottonseed meal.
Nutritive Value of Feed Ingredients Used in Balancing Goat Ration
Feedstuff
% Dry Matter
% TDN
% CP
Coastal Bermuda hay
89
53
10
Whole shelled corn
88
88
9
Cotton seed meal
92
80
46
Apart from the feed analysis report, the nutrient requirements of the animal must be known as well. These are taken from the Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants (2006). A ration will be balanced for a 66 lbs. mature doe in late pregnancy with twin kids with an average daily dry matter (DM) intake 2.23 lb., requiring 79.21 % TDN and 14 % crude protein. The protein requirement will be increased to 15% CP as a safe guard.
Table 2. Dry Matter Intake, Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN) and Crude Protein (CP) for a doe in late pregnancy with two kids
Mature Doe in late Pregnancy with 2 kids Dry Matter Intake Total Digestible Nutrients Crude Protein
Live Weight (lb.) Lb. % %
66 2.23 79.21 15
Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, NRC 2006
STEPS IN BALANCING THE RATION
STEP 1
Firstly balance the TDN in the ration. Start by drawing a square and put 79.21 (the desired TDN) in the center of the square. Please refer to
STEP 2
Write the TDN value for coastal Bermuda hay (53) on the upper left corner of the square, and whole shelled corn (88) on the lower left corner.
STEP 3
Write Coastal Bermuda hay in the upper right side of the square and whole shelled corn on the lower right side of the square.
STEP 4
Subtract diagonally the smaller number from the larger number (79.21-53 = 26.21; 88 – 79.21=8.79). Write the results on right side of square, then add the parts to get the total parts (8.97 + 26.21 = 35)
STEP 5
Divide the results of the subtractions for coastal Bermuda hay and the whole shelled corn by the total parts to get their preliminary percentages. For coastal Bermuda hay it is (8.79 ÷ 35 = .2511 = 25.11 %), and for whole shelled corn it is (26.21 ÷ 35 = .7488 = 74.88 %)
Balancing rations figure: hay and corn
Balancing ration for TDN
STEP 6
Next calculate the protein concentration in the coastal Bermuda hay and the whole shelled corn by multiplying each feed ingredient percentage by its crude protein. Calculation the amount of crude protein supplied by coastal Bermuda hay & corn
Feedstuff
Crude Protein
Coastal Bermuda hay2511 X 10
2.511 %
Whole shelled corn7488 X 9
6.739 %
Total
9.2
STEP 7
Find out if the crude protein is adequate in the ration. The concentration in the Coastal Bermuda hay and whole shelled corn is 9.25%. The animal’s requirement is 15 %. Therefore 5.75 % CP (15-9.25) is lacking in the ration. It can be increased by adding a protein supplement such as cotton seed meal.
STEP 8
Once again use Pearson Square method to balance for crude protein as shown on Figure 2. The required crude protein in the rations is 15%. It goes in the center of the square.
STEP 9
We now have to use coastal Bermuda hay & whole shelled corn mix as a feedstuff (9.25 %) which goes on the upper left corner, and cotton seed meal (46%) which goes on the lower left corner.
STEP 10
Subtract diagonally the small number from the large number (15 – 9.25) = 5.75; (46-15) = 31. Then write the numbers on the right side of the square as before.
STEP 11
Add the CP values on the right side of the square (31 + 5.75 = 36.75) to get total parts. Then divide the results of the subtractions for coastal Bermuda hay & whole shelled corn and cotton seed meal by total of the parts to obtain the preliminary percentages (31 ÷ 36.75 = .8435 = 84.35%) and (5.75 ÷ 36.75 = .1565) =15.65%).
STEP 12
The result shows that 84.35 % of coastal Bermuda hay & whole corn and 15.65 % of cotton seed meal make up a ration consisting of 15% CP. Balancing ration for Crude Protein
STEP 13
Calculate the pounds of dry matter that each feedstuff contributes to the total ration. Multiply pounds of dry matter required on a daily basis (2.23) by the percentage of the cotton seed meal. The dry matter component made up by cotton seed meal is (2.23 X .15645) = .3488 pound. Therefore, the amount of dry matter that should come for coastal Bermuda hay/whole shelled corn is (2.23 - .0.3481) = 1.8819 pounds.
STEP 14
In order to calculate the amount of dry matter from coastal Bermuda hay and whole shelled corn, multiply 1.8819 by the percentage of coastal Bermuda hay and whole shelled corn that were obtained in Step 5. We calculated Coastal Bermuda hay was 25.11 % and whole shelled corn was 74.88 % as shown in Figure 1.
Calculating the amount of each ingredient
Feedstuff
Coastal Bermuda hay1.8819 X 0.2511
0.4725
Whole shelled corn 1.8819 X 0.7488
1.4091
Cotton seed meal
STEP 15
Feed requirements are expressed on a 100% dry matter, and so the feed supplied must be expressed on a 100% dry matter basis. But Coastal Bermuda hay, whole shelled corn and cotton seed meal have 89, 88 and 92 % DM respectively. Consequently, each feedstuff must be increased in the ration to meet the 100% dry matter requirement. This is done by dividing the amounts for each feed by its respective dry matter percent.
THE NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF MEAT GOATS AND COMPOSITION OF COMMON FEEDSTUFF USED FOR FEEDING GOATS
Balancing rations for meat goats requires information on their nutrient requirements. These requirements are provided in this publication. In addition, the nutritive value or the composition of the ingredients used in ration is required. It is advisable to use the analysis results from your feed ingredients when balancing rations. However, in the absence of information of the nutritive values of ingredients you wish to use in a ration, you may resort to the nutritive value provided in Table 7. This table is located in the last 3 pages of this factsheet. All the information below was taken from the Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants, National Research Council, 2006. The information presented in document has been summarized and grouped into seven tables which are as follows:

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Nutrient Requirements Skip to Nutrient Requirements Meat goats require nutrients for body maintenance, growth, reproduction, pregnancy, and production of products such as meat, milk and hair. The groups of nutrients that are essential in goat nutrition are water, energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. The nutrient requirements of bucks, young goats and does with a high production potential and at various stages of development and production are shown in Table 1. Goats should be grouped according to their nutritional needs to more effectively match feed quality and supply to animal need. Weanlings goats, does during the last month of gestation, high lactating does and yearlings should be grouped and fed separately from dry does, bucks, etc. which have lower nutritional needs. When pasture is available, animals having the highest nutritional requirements should have access to lush, leafy forage or high quality browse. In a barn feeding situation such as during the winter months, these same animals should be offered the highest quality hay available. Whether grazed or barn fed, goats should be supplemented with a concentrate feed when either the forage that they are grazing or the hay that they are fed do not contain the necessary nutrients to cover their nutritional requirements. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) and protein requirements are shown in Table 2. Comparing the nutrient requirements to the chemical composition of feeds shown in Table 1 should give producers an idea of how to match needs with appropriate forages. To give producers an idea where these requirements fall, low quality forages contain 40-55% TDN, good quality forages contain from 55 to 70% TDN, and concentrate feeds contain from 70 to 90% TDN.

Feeding Requirements Skip to Feeding Requirements The goat is not able to digest the cell walls of plants as well as the cow because feed stays in its rumen for a shorter time period. A distinction as to what is meant by "poor quality roughage" is necessary in order to make decisions concerning which animal can best utilize a particular forage. Trees and shrubs, which often represent poor quality roughage sources for cattle, because of their highly lignified stems and bitter taste, may be adequate to high in quality for goats. This is so because goats avoid eating the stems, don't mind the taste, have the ability to detoxify tannins, and benefit from the relatively high levels of protein and cell solubles found in the leaves of these plants. On the other hand, straw, which is of poor quality due to high cell wall and low protein, can be used by cattle but will not provide even maintenance needs for goats because goats don’t utilize the cell wall as efficiently as cattle. In addition, goats must consume a higher quality diet than cattle because their digestive tract size is smaller with regard to their maintenance energy needs. Relative to their body weight, the amount of feed needed by meat goats is approximately twice that of cattle. When the density of high quality forage is low and the stocking rate is low, goats will still perform well because their grazing/browsing behavior allow them to select only the highest quality forage from that on offer. Thus, they are able to perform well in these situations, even though their nutrient requirements exceed those of most domesticated ruminant species.

Feeding may be the highest expense of any meat goat operation. Goats raised for meat need high quality feed in most situations and require an optimum balance of many different nutrients to achieve maximum profit potential. Because of their unique physiology, meat goats do not fatten like cattle or sheep, and rates of weight gain are smaller, ranging from 0.1 to 0.8 lb/day. Therefore, profitable meat goat production can only be achieved by optimizing the use of high quality forage and browse and the strategic use of expensive concentrate feeds. This can be achieved by developing a year round forage program allowing for as much grazing as possible throughout the year. Many people still believe that goats eat and do well on low quality feed. Attempting to manage and feed goats with such a belief will not lead to successful meat goat production.

Goat nutrition

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Control of Johne’s disease in farm animals is fairly straight-forward, but requires consistency and lots of patience. To significantly reduce the infection rate in a dairy herd, herd managers must follow recommended changes in management, specifically designed to limit transfer of the MAP infection from cows to calves. The most critical changes for dairy herds are: Only allow MAP test-negative cows into the main maternity pen, Remove the newborn calf and cow from that pen within an hour of birth, Feed the calf clean colostrum from a MAP test-negative cow, and then Feed the calf pasteurized milk, meaning milk replacer or milk from a dairy herd that is pasteurized on the farm. To find sources of MAP, herd owners must test every cow in the herd at least once during each lactation (basically once a year) and they must consistently act on the test results by culling (slaughtering) or segregating the test-positive animals. And, most importantly, they must do this consistently for a period of at least 6 or more years. Published evidence shows that such a program is very successful at reducing the infection rate in dairy herds. The strategies in other species are similar in concept but must be adapted to different animal husbandry methods. For more specifics about prevention and control of Johne’s disease in specific kinds of animals look under “Animal Type” for information regarding beef cattle, goats, sheep, deer and elk, bison, water buffalo, wild ruminants, zoo ruminants, and other non-ruminant animals.