ANN 121: Applied Animal Nutrition-I (2+1)

WATER AND DRY MATTER REQUIREMENT OF GOATS

• The nutrient requirement of goats are influenced by breed, body weight, age, lactation, pregnancy, breeding season, market choice, environmental temperature etc. 

Water requirement of goats

• Goats should be provided with ad-libitum clean water.
• On an average a adult goat drinks about 400-700 ml, water/day.
• Environmental temperature, lactation level, amount of body fat, age, water content of forage, exercise, salt and mineral content of ration  influences the total water intake.
• Goats have the ability to conserve water by reducing losses in urine and faeces.
• They are sensitive and reluctant to drink from foul tasting water sources than other species of animals, therefore taste of water also affects water intake.
• When there is water shortage, it reduces feed intake, reduced performance and gradual starvation.
• The mean DM, free water intake ratio for goats should be 1:1.2.
• If hard water is given continuously, higher calcium and phosphorus deficiency will cause male infertility.

Dry matter requirement of goats

• The dry matter requirement depends on the type of breed.
• In meat type goat breeds the dry matter intake is on an average 3-4% of their live body weight.
• While in milch type goats it is 5-7% of their live body weight.
• The factors, which affect dry matter consumption or intake, are availability of feeds, palatability, moisture content and amount of fibrous material present is feed.

• On an average an adult goat needs about 3kg dry matter/100 kg body weight for maintenance, 3.5 to 4 kg for growth, 3-3.5 kg during pregnancy, 3.5-5.5 kg for lactation and 2.5 to 3.5 kg for meat and hair production.