The best way to ensure that your goat herd is receiving adequate nutrition is by formulating a diet based on the results of the forage analysis. The quality of the forage will depend on the plant variety, climatic conditions, soil fertility, maturity at harvest, harvesting techniques, and storage condition in the case of hay. A standard forage analysis will have information on dry matter (DM) content, crude protein, digestible protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude fiber, total digestible nutrients (TDN), net energy for lactation, net energy for maintenance, net energy for growth, metabolizable energy, and moisture content of the forage. Dry matter content is the first item examined in a forage analysis. The amount of forage or feed that animals will consume is determined by the DM content. Goats generally consume between 3.5 to 5.5% (typically 4.5%) of their body weight per day on a dry matter basis (Pinkerton, 1999). Total DM intake is influenced by nutritional needs of the goat and by the digestibility of the feed consumed. Higher-quality feeds are usually more palatable, thus increasing feed intake. NDF measures the digestibility of the forage. The higher the NDF value (45% and over), the lower the digestibility (i.e., crop residue and forages) of the forage. ADF also measures digestibility; as the value increases, digestibility of the forages decreases. The higher the NDF and ADF values, the lower the energy value of the forage grasses. This is because the fibrous portions of the plant are less digestible. As forages mature, the nutritive content of the plant decreases; thus, the animal may try to eat large quantities of poor-quality feeds in order to sustain a sufficient nutrient intake. However, production performance will be poor as a result of being sustained on low-quality feeds. TDN is one of the most common ways of expressing energy for ruminants. According to McDowell (1990), goats fed high-energy rations (70-80% TDN) are able to obtain average daily gains (ADG) between 200/300 grams/day. Daily gains will decline when goats are fed rations containing less than 40% TDN (animals will experience weight loss). For more information, see Goat Pastures Nutritional Needs. Sources: McDowell, R.E. (1990). Goats in Farming Systems. In: International Goat Production Conference. Pgs. 107-111. Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL. Pinkerton, F., and B. Pinkerton. Supplemental Winter Feeding of Goats. The Goat Works, Grapeland, TX. McGowan , C.H. and A. McKenzie-Jakes. (1997). Meat (Chevon) Goat Production Systems with Locally Available Resources. Meat Goat Research and Extension Bulletin VII, Florida A&M University.

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