Goat Diet: You wouldn’t think feeding a goat is complicated.
I mean, let ’em loose in the overgrown backyard and they’ll be happy, right? Unfortunately, no.
Surprisingly enough, goats don’t prefer grass. Sure, they’ll nibble at it a bit, and if it’s all that’s available they’ll force it down, but it’s like brussels sprouts to them. They’ll eat it if they have to, but please for the love can they have something else for dinner?
The first day I called myself a goat owner, I swore I’d always feed my goats the best of the best so I could have the healthiest goats in the world. The best supplements, the best hay, the best minerals, the best herbs., and best goat diet that I could provide!
Problem is, raising goats is a lot like raising children. You have all the best intentions in the world to feed your kids a well-balanced diet but then life happens and the dog peed on the carpet for the upteenth time and you didn’t get any sleep last night and yes, cake is a perfectly normal breakfast.
Preventing Goat Problems in the Future
Take it from somebody who has definitely slacked in the goat feeding department — a well-balanced goat diet is going to pay off in the long run. Not only will you be able to avoid sickness and expensive vet visits, you’ll also have an easier time getting your goats pregnant and their milk supply will be out of this world.
The following is a list of what we have committed to feeding our goats. My list follows the common guidelines for feeding goats, but also has additional supplements to really boost the health of your goat. If the supplements/minerals section stresses you out or makes you worry about cost, just know you’re feeding a very small amount per day (about 2 TBS.) so it should totally be doable. Plus, don’t your adorable goats deserve the best?
Hay (90-100% of their diet)
When I say “hay”, I’m not referring to those yellow bales of straw that you see on wagon rides. I’m referring to a green hay that consists of alfalfa, timothy, or bermuda grass. Hay can come in the form of actual bales, or in the form of compressed pellets. In our experience, our goats eat the pellets too fast and become bloated easily. The hay takes more time to eat and has long stems, which helps stimulate the production of digestive juices in their rumen. While it is true that goats tend to waste hay by tossing some on the ground (and they’ll refuse to eat it once it hits the ground — picky little buggers), you can easily remedy this by making a hay feeder specially made for goats or purchasing a pre-made one here. We also LOVE LOVE LOVE Chaffhaye and consider this part of their hay portion for the day. Chaffhaye is a fermented hay that has more nutrients than regular hay. It’s also a great probiotic for their digestive system. It’s about $12 a bag (the size is equivalent to a bale). Depending on where you live that may be too expensive, but for us folks in AZ that’s pretty affordable.
How we feed Hay to our Goats:
If you watch our videos on Youtube, you’ll see that we put a bale of hay on the top of our feeder, and the Chaffhaye on the bottom. They are allowed to eat the hay all day, but we portion out the Chaffhaye and only give a 3 quart scoop/per goat/per day.
Forage – (5-10% of their diet)
Most people have some kind of pasture that is filled with lots of various grasses & weeds. Not only does the pasture provide some variety to their diet, goats are also foragers by nature and like to spend their day sniffing around and nibbling at things. Your goat will be MUCH happier being able to wander around nibbling at weeds & such. Also, having a pasture or dividing it into sections and doing pasture rotation is a great way to keep worms down.
How we help our Goats Forage for Food:
We have a small 1/4 acre section for the goats to forage on. There’s plenty of grass & weeds. We also will give the goats garden waste as well as the occasional plant cuttings from our neighborhood.
Grain/Seeds – (0-10% of their diet)
Goats don’t need grain to survive, in fact, they can live happily on pasture or hay, or a combination of both, but grains can help provide extra vitamins & minerals, as well as 12-16% extra protein. I’ve put my goats on a 100% pasture and hay diet (also called grass-fed) and I’ve also fed them grain. There is a boost in milk when I feed grain and I believe it really helps cover any mineral deficiencies you may have on your farm. If you have a pregnant or milking goat, I definitely recommend giving a cup a day of grain. Make sure NOT to overdo it on grain. A classic newbie goat owner mistake is to overfeed grain and then their goat will bloat and very often die. BE SURE to only feed a small handful (no more than a cup) per day and you can feed more if your goat is a larger breed or producing more milk.
How we feed our Goats Grains & Seeds:
I mix together a combination of organic goat grain, black oil sunflower seeds, & sprouted pumpkin seeds, then feed our milking/pregnant goats 1 cup a day of that mixture, and feed any other goats 1/2 cup a day.
Ingredients
- 12 c. grain
- 12 c. black oil sunflower seeds
- 1 bag pumpking seeds sprouted or regular
- 1 storage container
Instructions
Mix all ingredients, store in a container, and portion out 1/2 c. - 1 c. of this mixture per goat/per day.
Supplements/Minerals (1-2% of their diet)
Minerals are an important part of a goat diet. Like I said before, with the soil depletion of today, you need to make sure that your goats aren’t missing out on any essential elements.
How we feed our Goats Supplements & Minerals:
First of all, I offer Kelp, Baking soda, & this Mineral blend free choice all day. Then, when they are eating their grain/seeds for the day, I give them a combo of Diamond V yeast, Kelp, Mineral blend and the following herbs; Chapparal, Milk Thistle, Moringa, Spirulina, Nettle, & Dandelion leaf. The herbs provide lots of vitamins, minerals, & extra protein and we find this really boosts their health & fertility.
Goat Supplement/Mineral Mixture
This is a combination of the best goat supplements, minerals, & herbs to help keep your goats vibrant and healthy!
Ingredients
- 12 c. Kelp
- 12 c. Diamond V Yeast
- 1 c. Chapparal leaf or powder
- 1 c. Milk Thistle leaf or powder
- 2 c. Moringa leaf or powder
- 2 c. Spirulina leaf or powder
- 2 c. Nettle leaf or powder
- 2 c Dandelion leaf or powder
- 1 c. Mineral Blend
- 1 storage container
Instructions
Mix all ingredients, store in a container, and portion out 2-4 TBS. of this mixture per goat/per day.
Deworming
You can either deworm your goat weekly with an herbal mixture or you can deworm every 6 months with a store bought one. Because we live in Arizona and we don’t have a huge problem with worms, we go the herbal route, but either way is fine:) Deworming is important because if your goats have a high load of worms, the worms will steal nutrients from your goat and make your goat have a more difficult time keeping an adequate goat diet. Don’t forget this step!
Extra Treats
Goats love carrots, greens, fresh fruit, and dried fruit like raisins. Don’t give them large amounts of this, just a small treat here or there to keep a well-balanced goat diet. If you would like to know which plants are poisonous to goats , you can Click here for a full list on poisonous plants for goats.
Keeping your Goats Healthy
What I love about a goat diet is how incredibly simple it is. They eat 90% hay, and the rest of their diet is full of a variety of grains, seeds, supplements, herbs, & minerals. Once you have all your feed supplies on hand, you’ll find it’s actually really affordable & easy to keep your goat health & strong. If you’re raising milking goats, making sure your goats have stellar health throughout their pregnancies & lactations is a must.
And after you’ve got their nutrition taken care of, you can use your time to snuggle & play with your adorable goats and live worry-free about their health, which is the best feeling ever:)
Good Evening DaNelle and Bobbi!
We just brought home our very first Nigerian dwarf kids two weeks ago! I have been researching nutrition etc. My kids are 10 weeks old now. Is it ok to begin them on baking soda as well? I saw this tip mentioned before on a farm website as well. I just don’t know how much to feed. Also do you put apple cider vinegar in your kids water? Once a week I introduce something new, last week was black oil sunflower seeds. This week was a couple raisins here and there. Thanks so much for all of your help and all of the information you offer to us- the aspiring homesteaders. Have a wonderul and prosperous, healthy 2019!
Hello-
That’s super you have new ND kids! And it’s great you are working so hard on their nutrition!
Yes, you can offer them baking soda. Just have it out so they can eat it when they choose. You will notice that they will eat more than at other times, usually due to the fact they may have an upset rumen.
Yes, I have put ACV in goats water before, about 1 tablespoon per gallon.
I hope that helps! Best of luck with everything!
Thank you and Happy New Year!
-Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi Bobbi!
What about coccidia? Our breeder said to purchase toltrazuril in case of a coccidia infection and persistent diarrhea. Fiascofarm mentioned their first “chemical” choice is sulfadimethoxine. What do you use? Or, do you go the herbal only route? We plan to use the Molly’s Herbs weekly prevention routine. I’m just worried about the best treatment to have at the ready in case of an outbreak. Thanks so much for your help (again)!
Coccidiosis usually affects baby goats or goats that are extremely stressed. Prevention is the best method for controlling Coccidiosis, and the one I prefer to go with. Keeping the goats area clean and dry and with fresh food and water will help, along with ensuring your goats are not overcrowded. Pasture rotation can help with this. Also, provide your goats with optimal nutrition and deworm them to make sure they are in tip-top health. If you do have to treat for Coccidiosis, or other diseases, know it’s ok (and sometimes it is necessary) to go the chemical route. Just be aware if the medications you are giving your goats have milk or meat withdrawal times. Before you treat for Coccidiosis though, a fecal testing is necessary to diagnose Coccidiosis. So, make sure you get the testing done and then follow up as needed. Your vet can suggest something usually based on your goats’ specific needs. I think this article sums up everything quite well: https://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/coccidiosis06.html
I hope your goats stay well and healthy! Thank you -Bobbi
I am searching for moringa leaf on websites other than amazon and see moringa seed much more frequently and at a more affordable price. Are they interchangeable? Also, what are the health benefits of the diamond v yeast? I was noticing that the wheat middlings used to create it are part of the end product and have to avoid all wheat. Is there another option? I am grain-free and need grain-free dairy, which is why we are raising goats. What is your opinion on the grain they are consuming in the yeast?
Hi Monica-
For your question about Moringa leaf vs. seed, this article will give you the information on the nutritional differences between the two: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453016300362
The health benefits for the yeast are best summed up in these two articles:
https://fiascofarm.com/goats/minerals.htm
https://www.allaboutfeed.net/Home/General/2007/1/Probiotic-yeast-in-small-ruminants-AAF011135W/
If you find you really want to avoid using the yeast you can supplement your goats with a probiotic. It won’t be quite the same but it will help their ruminant system.
I hope that helps!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Moringa are very common in Asian markets or if you have friends who are originally from Asia Im sure they can give you a tip or two as to where to find them. they probably are growing them in their own garden.
I love your blog so much Danelle! You inspired me to start my own blog via your webinar (I seriously watched it and then went and bought a domain-hubs thinks I am crazy) and I have plans to start a mini farm/homestead here in a few years (I want to be able to quit working first-hubs is gone a lot and I can’t do it all and work full time). Until then we will live vicariously through you watching your nigerian dwarfs prance around. LOVE THEM.
I know that kelp meal is to help with copper! And I know that the suggested Redmond salt mineral contains the sodium. I was wondering if you had a blog on what the other stuff in your mineral mix offers to or does for the goaties? Knowing that they need selenium, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, iron, manganese, and sodium in thier minerals I was wondering what is for what? And I love that you provide everyone with your holistic recipies❤❤❤
Hi Kacie-
The items that make up the Goat Supplement/Mineral Mixture are things that add extra protein and doses of the minerals you mentioned, along with improving the overall ruminant function of the goat.
I hope that helps!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Yes! Thank you! I’m excited about this mix! I’ve known my girls have needed more copper to thier diet but haven’t been able to find a good pre mixed mineral mix!
I got the kelp meal in but the bag looks a little different than it does on Amazon! There is just extra writing at the bottom tha says “multi purpose plant food 1-0-2” just wanting to make sure they sent the right stuff before I use it!
If you ordered it through the link in the article, then yes, that’s the right kind. I hope they like it!
Finally got the whole mix together! The girls love it!!!
Awesome!! And I am so glad they love it! 🙂
I have a 50lbs Nigerian wether, I have been feeding half a cup of grain twice a day for 2 years. We have never had any problems with him. I recently purchased 3 Nigerian wethers weighing about 20lbs and so many people have told me, don’t give them grain, and don’t give them pellets. I’m very confused, we lost a wether about a month ago to bloat, we had been feeding him the same way we had the older goat. They get plenty of hay and are let out to graze. I also give them baking soda, with goat mineral salt. My question is, what should I feed the 3 new goats, they were born in April?
Thank you~Robin
Hi Robin-
Goats do not need grain and for many it can upset their rumen. I choose not to feed my goats grain to avoid rumen issues, unless I need to give a boost to a pregnant or lactating doe. For your new goats I wouldn’t give them grain, just lots of high quality forage and alfalfa either as hay or pellets and supplement as needed if you notice they are not growing or are showing other signs of nutritional deficiencies. These articles by DaNelle go into pretty good detail on how to feed and supplement your goats.
https://www.weedemandreap.com/what-do-goats-eat/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/supplements-for-goats/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/goats-minerals-what-you-need-to-know/
I hope that helps! Best of luck!
Thank you – Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
On some of the sites I have read that bucks and wethers can be fed timothy hay pellets. Is this the same pellets that are fed to horses or is there a different one for goats. Do you know if this causes bloat, it is a pellet but it is a hay? If it causes bloat why does the pellet cause this and not the hay? thanks
Hello-
When feeding male goats you do need to watch what they eat because they can become susceptible to urinary calculi. If your feed has a good calcium to phosphorus ratio (2:1) your male goats should be just fine. Pellets in comparison to hay can cause more bloat, simply because the goats consume them faster than hay and the quick consumption can cause bloat. Grain is more likely to cause bloat and rumen upset than any pellets. However, if you have a goat susceptible to bloat, giving them hay is better than pellets. Just check the quality of the pellets or hay you feed and make sure it has adequate nutrition to support your goats. Also, be sure to supplement you goats appropriately.
I hope that helps!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
You say to feed the grain mixture 1/2 -1 cup per goat..
How do you know each goat
Gets their portion…I put the grain in 1 bowl for all 6 of my goats…so 6 cups grain?
Hi Deborah-
DaNelle feeds her goats grains, seeds, etc. individually. They each get their own bowl so she knows exactly how much they each get. If you feed them all together you won’t know how much each get. The dominant goats get more typically. So, you can either separate your goats when they eat or just hope they get close to equal amounts. I hope that helps!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hmmm…I guess my goats are going to have to eat their Brussel sprouts. 🙂
We have 5 acres in Oregon that the goats are tasked with nibbling down to reduce fire hazard, blackberries and poison oak. We also milk them on an as-needed basis and let their babies nurse most of the milk.
I let them graze until about 5 pm. They get alfalfa and some wet COB (that’s what they call it here – rolled corn, oats and barley with molasses) pretty much all year. They always clean up the grain ~2 lbs/day/mama, and if they don’t clean up the alfalfa stems, I cut back on the grain and hay until they do. If you let them, they would only eat the best alfalfa and all the grain they could, and baaaah like you were killing them if they don’t get it on time.
Thank you for the links! I have been wondering what filled the mason jars.
On a side note, thank you for being such a family friendly YouTube channel and blog. My daughter is 6 and recently discovered your videos on my list of subscribed channels. She is enamored with your whole family and adores Lydia as a role model. She even changed our goats name from Oregon to Doris 😊. She does look very much like your Doris so it’s ok.
Thank you again for the supplement list and links. We will be breeding our girls this November and it’s never too late to start packing in the nutrition.
Hi Chelsea-
Thank you so much for the kind words, and for both you and your daughter watching! Love the name change, that’s too funny! Good luck with your goats and your breeding season. And you are definitely right about the nutrition! Thank you and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
We are getting our first goats in the spring (HOORAY!) and this is SO helpful! Thank you! Love your youtube channel too. 🙂
Hi Katy-
How exciting! Let’s us know how it goes when you get them. Thank you for watching, reading, and the very kind words! Best wishes and Happy Goating!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Katy we are too! So exciting! Our doelings will be born in April and we will get then in june 😍
I see in your videos that you use choke chain on your goats (at least some). I am wanting to get one for mine. What is the size you use for your goats? I bought 2mm 14″ long, but it does not go over their head/horns. I wanted to get a rough idea from you!
Hi Karen-
DaNelle uses an 18 inch collar when a plastic chain is holding it together, but a 20 inch collar when they are using the chain alone. It’s best if you buy a few different ones to find the right size, then return the ones that don’t work. I hope that helps. Best of luck!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)