Feed Intake by Mature Goats in Confinement


Use this Feed Intake Calculator to calculate the daily feed intake for mature non-lactating goats. Enter the data into the table below and then click the Calculate Feed Intake button. The results will be displayed in the table at the bottom of the page.

Example

We will use 40-kg meat goat with 0 average daily gain (ADG) and consuming a diet containing 9% crude protein (CP) and 9 MJ/kg dry matter (DM) of metabolizable energy (ME).
























1. Enter body weight (kg)
2. Enter average daily gain (g/day)
3. Enter dietary CP concentration (% of DM)
4.

Enter dietary ME concentration (MJ/kg DM)
or
You can use the TDN calculator below and the ME concentration
will be entered automatically.
5. Enter % DM in diet (default is 90%)
6.
(Optional)		 Feed intake requirements increases in late pregnancy (95-150 days pregnant).

Enter day of pregnancy











To convert from English to metric
system,
enter your values here.
They will be automatically
entered into the table to the left.
Body weight (lbs)
ADG (lbs/day)


    

To estimate the dietary ME concentration, often feed tags list the Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN) concentration. Likewise, most commercial feed laboratories estimate the TDN concentration based on various analyses, such as for crude protein and fiber fractions.




The ME concentration can be calculated with these simple formulas:
ME (MJ/kg) = TDN (%) × 0.15104 and
ME (Mcal/kg) = TDN (%) × 0.0361.
Enter TDN (%)
 ME (MJ/kg)
 ME (Mcal/kg)

The approach used to develop predictions of voluntary DM intake by goats was based on an assumption of constant
overall efficiency of utilization of ME. Therefore, ME requirements from other studies of this
project were employed, along with assumptions of efficiencies
of ME utilization. In accordance, inputs necessary to predict
intake entail factors influencing the partitioning of energy
for use in various physiological functions, including production
level. Although this calculator will predict feed intake with negative ADG, the majority of observations in the database used to develop the prediction equations had positive ADG or values near or slightly less than zero. Hence, caution should be employed when predicting intake with substantial body weight loss. It is also important to note that input of an unreasonably
high level of production given the characteristics of the
animal and nature of the diet will result in a comparable
unlikely estimate of feed intake.

Data on which this calculator is based were from
goats in pens or stalls and not in late gestation or experiencing
appreciable compensatory growth or effects of acclimatization.
Correspondingly, adjustments of the maintenance ME requirements
available in other calculators are not employed here. Therefore,
caution should be exercised if using this calculator to determine
if an estimate of feed intake based on a ME requirement calculator
with the maintenance requirement being substantially affected
by adjustments is likely or not. However, adjustments can be used with the Option B Calculator ""Feed Intake with Adjustments of Maintenance Energy Requirements – Mature Goats"

Our example would require a voluntary DM intake of a 40-kg meat goat with 0 ADG and consuming a diet with a ME concentration of 9 MJ/kg DM and 9 and 12% CP are 0.76 and 0.82 kg/day, respectively.

















Predicted ME intake (MJ):
Predicted DM intake (kg):
Predicted DM intake (% BW):
Predicted as fed intake (kg):
Predicted as fed intake (% body weight):


The source used in this calculation method is:

Luo, J., A. L. Goetsch, I. V. Nsahlai, J. E. Moore, M. L. Galyean, Z. B. Johnson, T. Sahlu, C. L. Ferrell, and F. N. Owens. 2004. Voluntary feed intake by lactating, Angora, growing and mature goats. Small Ruminant Research 53:357-378.