Meat Goat Operators Advised
To Take Supplement Seriously

By Colleen Schreiber

COLLEGE STATION — Goats, like any animals, should be supplemented when they are not getting what they need out of the pasture. That was the message presented by Extension sheep and goat specialist Dr. Frank Craddock, San Angelo, at a series of meat goat seminars across the state late last year.

Goats, he noted, prefer browse, and if given their choice will make it 40 to 75 percent of their diet. Another 25 to 40 percent will be made up of grass and five to 15 percent of forbs.

Craddock noted that water is the most important "nutrient."

"Water controls everything. As long as they’re getting enough water they’re going to eat more feed and ultimately are going to do better," he said.

Besides water intake, energy and protein are generally the other nutrients that should receive the most attention.

Energy deficiency, Craddock told the group, causes reduced fertility and delayed puberty.

"If you do finally get them bred, you’ll see small kids and low milk production, and the animals will have less resistance in terms of disease and parasites," he said.

Protein deficiencies result in retarded fetal development, low birthweights and animals that do not grow properly.

Craddock outlined when these deficiencies would most likely occur. During a doe’s dry period, supplement is generally not top priority, he explained; maintenance is the key during this time period. Occasionally, if a doe is an extremely good milker, she may need to recover the body weight that she lost during lactation. In that case, some supplementation may be necessary. Other than that, he recommended not to waste additional feed on animals during this time.

During the breeding season, energy is often the most deficient nutrient. Energy, Craddock explained, is tied to ovulation.

"You want that doe in a weight gaining condition so she will ovulate more eggs," he said.

Researchers have found that September through October is the optimum breeding period because does tend to ovulate more eggs during that time. Unfortunately, it is the time of the year when most native pasture is in a dormant state and deficient in needed nutrients. Flushing does on winter wheat, rye or any lush winter pasture if available more than satisfies the energy requirement. If improved pasture is not available, corn is the highest energy feed.

Flushing, Craddock said, needs to begin two to three weeks before turning the bucks in and continue for two to three more weeks. The Extension specialist told listeners that they can expect a 10 to 20 percent increase in the kid crop from flushing alone.

Bucks, he added, should be flushed as well, beginning four to five weeks before turning them in with the does.

Feeding a quarter of a pound of corn a day, Craddock said, will do little to increase energy levels. He recommended feeding half to three quarters of a pound a day and possibly as much as a pound a day for the bigger Boer goats and crosses.

The first two trimesters of gestation, roughly the first 100 days, Craddock noted, do not require a great increase in protein and energy. The last 50 days, however, is a different story.

"Lots of things can go wrong with those babies once they really start growing if they don’t get the proper amount of protein and energy into them at that time."

In most spring kidding operations, late gestation occurs between January and March. The protein content of most pasture forage during that time is about three percent, Craddock said.

"Out on pasture, a 100 pound doe simply cannot eat enough to get the required protein amounts. She will eat about four to five pounds of dry grass a day at about three percent protein. That only gives you about 12 hundredths of a pound, so she’s short three-tenths of a pound of protein. She’s also low in energy by about six-tenths of a pound. You have to supplement her to meet those needs."

Craddock told listeners that once an animal gets a healthy kid on the ground, additional supplementation is not usually necessary.
He noted that a variety of formulated feeds are available, most formulated with the show goat in mind. Though quite expensive, Craddock said, they do get the job done.

"If you’re feeding show goats you really should buy the formulated rations, because nutritionists have balanced those feeds to meet all the necessary requirements. You can’t mix that kind of feed on your own because you have to use minute amounts of some ingredients and most times your own grinder-mixer can’t get it mixed properly," Craddock said.

In a commercial operation, however, feeding a premixed ration may not be cost-effective.

"Anytime you start grinding, mixing and pelleting, the cost goes up tremendously. It is my philosophy that if I can feed one feed ingredient that will do what I need it to do and get it done cheaper, I’m better off than using something that has been formulated," he said.

Several feed sources are available that will accomplish the same thing as the more expensive formulated and premixed rations. Some of the more common ones are whole cottonseed, cottonseed mill, Sudan, alfalfa, peanut hay and corn.

Whole cottonseed is approximately 20 to 22 percent protein and about 70 percent total digestible nutrient, or energy. About a pound and a half of whole cottonseed a day, Craddock told the crowd, will meet the requirements.

One drawback to whole cottonseed, he pointed out, is that it’s harder to feed because of its bulk; it can often be difficult to know just how much to feed.

Cottonseed meal, which is about 41 percent protein, only requires about three-quarters of a pound a day.

A good Sudan hay provides anywhere from seven to 20 percent protein. Alfalfa, Craddock noted, is about 16 percent protein and about two pounds per head per day would meet the requirements. The drawback to alfalfa, he said, is that it is more expensive.

Protein blocks are a handy way to provide supplemental protein, but like premixed rations, the cost per pound is higher than the available one-source feeds. However, he noted, protein blocks are appropriate on large ranches where it is difficult to get over the whole area in a day. In that scenario, the savings in time and labor may outweigh the additional cost of the block itself.

Craddock told listeners that most feeds which meet protein requirements generally also meet energy requirements.

"Look at the pros and cons of all the feeds and then feed what will meet your needs most cost-effectively," he recommended.