In formulating a ration for dairy goats it is important to note the best way to feed goats and that the rations will be presented to the animals in the stalls. There are advantages of stall feeding because:-
You do not need a large amount of land or grazing pastures
You can use many farm products, banana leaves, maize, maize thinnings, bean husks, etc.
It saves time and labor, you do not have to take goats out of the shamba for grazing or spend time looking for them
There are less death amongst the kids and all goats because they can be easily looked after throughout the day
It is easier to plan and manage breeding
It keeps goats from eating crops and damaging the shamba
It makes collecting manure very easy
It helps in controlling pests and diseases.
Dairy goats rations are formulated from roughages mainly sourced from forages, water, minerals and concentrates. Dairy goats should be fed according to body weight and physiological requirements. Dry matter amount is critical in feeding dairy goats. The dry matter requirement is 6% of the body weight.
A goat weighing 30Kg will require 1.8Kg of dry matter (DM). Here is an example of an ideal daily ration for dairy goat
5Kg of Napier
0.5Kg sweet potato vines
0.7 kg of Calliandra
0.5kg of Desmodium
40g of very high phosphorous
8 liters of clean water
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