Goat Husbandry: Standard Values for Feed Intake and Nutrient Excretion Adjusted
Photo: ‘Animal-Friendly Housing’ Research Group,
Agroscope
Standard values for livestock feed intake and excretion are essential for proper farm fertilisation planning and assessment of the farm’s nutrient balance. Agroscope adjusted the standard values for goats with the aim of improving nutrient-flow assessment.
Reliable standard values for livestock feed intake and nutrient excretion are essential for proper fertilisation planning and the creation of a realistic farm nutrient balance. In Switzerland, the drawing up of a nutrient balance for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) has been compulsory since 1998. This is done with the assistance of the ‘Suisse-Bilanz’ enforcement tool.
Standard values with correction factors for herd management and production performance
Previously, the standard values for goat feed intake and nutrient excretion were stated in a category representing a standardised herd population consisting of predefined percentages of adult doe goats, buck goats, kid goats and fattening kids and expressed per adult doe goat and year. However, Swiss goat production is a varied sector with differing herd management approaches (e.g. dairy goats or suckler goats; seasonal kidding) and milk yields.
Standard values for feed intake and nutrient excretion according to goat category as per the Animal Movement Database were recently determined: dairy goats, other goats over 365 days old including suckler goats, kids over 180 days up to 365 days old including female weaners, and kids up to 180 days old. The aim is for the standard values to be adaptable to farm-specific circumstances through the use of correction factors for herd management and production performance.
Conclusions
- The higher the annual milk yield of dairy goats and the weight of the adult sheep, the higher the feed intake and nutrient excretion.
- Silage-based diets in winter led to lower concentrate use and higher nitrogen excretion compared to roughage-based diets.
- Dietary phosphorus intake of dairy goats was sufficient to cover phosphorus requirements, without the need for mineral phosphate supplementation. Providing a mineral feed without phosphates would reduce P excretion by 14% (-0.22kg P/year). However, lower amounts of protein concentrates had only a slight effect on nitrogen excretion.
- Because of the completely different management approaches for kids in dairy and suckler-goat herds, the standard values for kids were distinguished according to this criterium.
Bibliographical reference
Richtwerte für Futterverzehr und Nährstoffausscheidungen von Ziegen.
