Making sure you put enough nutrition into your dairy goat to support her milk production

Sarah Day, nutritionist for Small Holder Feed offers feeding advice for your dairy goats to help them be happy, healthy and milky animals.

- 

You get out what you put in, when feeding your dairy goats ensuring their diet provides the nutrients needed not only for their own health and wellbeing, but also the nutrients needed for high quality milk production is key.

Milk production in goats lasts for around 10 months and depending on the breed milk yield can vary. An average milker will provide around 4.5 litres a day, but the British Saanen is likely to produce more per lactation and Guernsey goats are likely to give less milk than the bigger dairy breeds which can be exactly what you need on your smallholding so you are not swamped. Milk production is influenced by the stage of lactation your goats are in. Milk production usually peaks 6-8 weeks into lactation and then from here gradually declines naturally. Dairy goats have higher nutritional requirements than pet goats or companion animals. It is key that the diet provided meets their nutritional demands for energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals at each important stage of their life. Needs will vary depending on size, stage of pregnancy and milk production.

A lack of nutrients or an imbalance of the diet can have a significant impact on milk yields, it can also put your goats at risk of illnesses occurring such as rumen acidosis, pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING RATIONS

• Energy

Sufficient energy for your goats is crucial for supporting their productivity and a deficiency in energy can reduce fertility and depress milk production. A lack of energy in the diet could be due to feed restriction or low digestibility of dietary components.