How to Feed Grain to a Goat

Being that a goat's natural foods are grasses and hay, occasional or limited rations of grains can improve its overall health. Feeding your goat grains can increase lactation, maximize growth, and increase its energy. But careful dietary integration must be applied, when making a change to your goat's eating routine. An excess of grain can cause uncomfortable bloating, and ruminal acidosis in the goat's stomach, which can lead to sickness.

Things You'll Need

  • Storage Containers
  • Whole Grains
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make note of the physical attributes of your goat, like age, sex, weight and breed. It is also important to note if the goat is caring for a calf or is lactating, because they need more calories.

    • 2

      Talk to your veterinarian. Let them know that you are thinking about integrating grains into their diet. The veterinarian will help you formulate the right grain ratio for your goat. If you have a female goat, and it's close to breeding season, your veterinarian might suggest flushing. Flushed occurs with adding 0.5 lb. to 1 lb. of grain per day. The increased weight gain that the goat experiences from the flushing may translate into higher fertility and ovulation rates.

    • 3

      Buy your grain and purchase storage containers to keep it dry and cool. This also helps keep small rodents out of your grain. Only purchase whole grains. Feeding your goat ground grains raises the rate of digestion and increases acidity in the rumen.

    • 4

      Do not feed large quantities of grain to your goat at once. Introduce the grain gradually, over two to three weeks. Large quantities are considered to be in excess of one pound per feeding. Also include a minimum amount of grasses and hays, before the animal consumes the grain, usually about 1.5 percent the weight of the animal. This helps prevent the grain from absorbing too quickly into the goat's digestive track.