Goats can be fun and fascinating creatures. You can often find them on farms where they are used for their milk, meat or wool. Some goats are even kept as pets. A proper diet is always necessary to ensure healthy, happy animals. Goats have some special considerations when it comes to their food. Some basic information about their bodies and needs is important to understanding a goat's unique diet.
Function
Goats are ruminants. This means that they have four stomachs and digest their food in a unique way, very different from humans. Each stomach can be compared to a fermentation vat. It uses bacteria to digest the food. In order for the process to work correctly, goats must have lots of roughage and fiber in their diet. Sudden changes in diet can be very unhealthy for goats, as it throws off the important balance of the bacteria.
Time Frame
A goat's diet should vary a bit through the various life stages. Kids (young goats) younger than two weeks usually subsist on their mother's milk. From two weeks to two months, this is supplemented with grain, minerals and hay. Between two and seven months of age, mothers will usually begin to gradually wean kids from their milk. Special considerations must also be taken for goats who are gestating, nursing or milking. These goats will need plenty of extra nutrition and even then may become thin.
Features
Domestic goats can consume a varied diet. Grain and hay are usually staples. Hay should never be damp or moldy, but hay with some weeds growing in it is actually healthy for goats. Alfalfa cubes soaked in warm water can be used alone with--but never in place of--hay. Kitchen scraps are an acceptable addition, including things such as orange and banana peels and various vegetable ends. Treats that can be fed in moderation include bread, corn chips and raisins. With access to a pasture, goats will also eat a variety of browse. Flowers, shrubs, saplings, tree bark, weeds and herbs all make for excellent browsing.
Considerations
Goats need copper in their diet. This is just one factor that makes goat feed unique. Goats should not be fed dog food, cat food or even feed formulated for sheep. The unique anatomy and dietary requirements of goats can make these other diets very unhealthy. Some places offer "sheep and goat" feed. This may be fine for sheep, but can cause a problem for goats. Sheep can not consume the copper that is necessary for goats, so goats on this diet will need supplemental copper.
Misconceptions
Because of their big appetite, goats are sometimes thought of as little lawnmowers. However, anyone purchasing goats for this purpose will be in for a surprise. Goats will readily eat flowers, shrubs and trees before they start on the grass. This does make them ideal for another type of yard work. Overgrown grasslands can be quickly stripped of brambles, wildflowers and other small trees and shrubs by a few hungry goats.
