Feeding of Total Mixed Rations to Dairy Goats

Cooperating agency for this topic:
An-Kuo Su
Taiwan Livestock Research Institute
Heng-Chung Branch Institute, Heng-Chung, Pingtung
Taiwan, ROC
Fax: (886 88) 861 345, 2002-09-01

A computerized system for feeding livestock with concentrates is sometimes used in dairy goat production. It reduces the labor needed to feed the goats, and ensures that the animals are supplied with enough nutrients. However, the equipment is more expensive than a traditional feeding system. A system using total mixed rations was developed, to reach the same goal at a lower cost.

Adaptability of the Technology

A small roller or a mixer which can mix from 100 kg to 1000 kg of feedstuff ingredients can be used for this technology. Dairy goat farmers in Asia can use a total mixed feeding system to mix grain, forage or agricultural by-products to give dairy goats a daily diet with balanced nutrients.

The Technology

This technology needs a few containers which can store different kinds of feed separately. A small roller or a mixer is used to mixing the ingredients together.

Advantages of the Technology

The total mixed ration system may increase dairy goat milk production by up to 7%, compared to a computerized concentrate feeding system (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). The milk is also better in quality, especially with regard to the somatic cell count in milk (Table 1).

The main reason it is effective is because the feed is both well-balanced and thoroughly mixed. Goats have the bad habit of being selective in what they eat. This can become a problem, especially in summer when feed intake falls. Unbalanced nutrient consumption will affect the yield and quality of the milk.

Precautions

The water content of the total mixed rations is very important, since it affects the voluntary feed intake of the dairy goats.

Index of Images

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  Figure 1 Goat Fed by Computerized Concentrate Feeding System

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  Figure 2 Goat Fed by Total Mixed Ration System

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  Table 1 Lactation Performance of Test Goats

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