Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Bacteria in the water can make the goat sick if ingested. Make a habit of keeping drinking wa-
ter fresh and clean.
Water helps goats control their body temperature, aids in waste elimination, and improves
their digestion. The amount of water an individual goat needs is determined by temperature,
the moisture content of their forage, dietary salt, the amount of exercise it gets, and whether it
is lactating. A lactating doe needs to consume more water than the amount of milk she pro-
duces.
Design a way to fill water containers frequently and easily. Hoses or faucets should be ad-
equate and within easy reach of containers (remember that hoses must be wound up and taken
away from chewing goats after filling water containers). Place plenty of water sources around
in several locations where the goats regularly spend time. Elevate smaller containers, such as
pails and small tubs, off the ground where they will not be stepped in and turned over, or con-
taminated by feed, feces, or dirt from the ground. Wash water containers regularly with a
solution of a disinfectant such as Nolvasan, chlorhexidine, or bleach, scrubbing with a hard-
bristle brush, and always rinse thoroughly. These disinfectants will kill bacteria clinging to the
sides of the container.
Water in outdoor containers should be prevented from freezing. Do not force your goats to eat
snow because their water is frozen. Goats like their water slightly tepid. In winter, special
heaters can be placed in water containers to keep the water at an ideal temperature. Does that
are not lactating and bucks can be watered once a day in winter if they are given enough
warm water to drink their fill.
When does drink more water, their milk production increases. Adding some molasses to the
water encourages does to drink more. Warming the water in winter and cooling it during hot
weather also encourages drinking. Lactating goats that have free access to water whenever
they want it produce 10 percent more milk than if they are only watered twice a day. You can
install automatic watering devices that supply clean water through a nozzle whenever a goat
tries to drink from it.
Water makes up more than 60 percent of the soft tissue of your goat's body and about 87 per-
cent of goat's milk. All of the fluid lost through milking, urination, and expiration (breathing)
needs to be replaced daily. A goat dies when it loses more than 20 percent of its water content.
Roughage
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