Dr. Ruth Waineina
Dairy goats contribute to food and nutritional security through the direct consumption of milk and meat from cull dairy goats, and income stability through the sale of milk and dairy goats’ offspring. Goat milk serves a niche market because of the unique flavor and aroma of its products, such as yoghurt and cheese. Additionally, it has therapeutic value, as it is safe for individuals with cow milk allergies and malabsorption issues. It is therefore necessary to cater for the goats’ food needs for them to continue playing their essential role in human wellbeing.
In Kenya, dairy goat farming has grown significantly through community-based dairy goat improvement projects implemented by various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the former Central, Eastern and Nyanza provinces. The exotic dairy goats include the Alpine, Toggenburg and Saanen introduced in those areas, respectively. Their crosses with the indigenous Small East African goat and Galla also form part of the dairy goats. The current productivity of dairy goats in Kenya is 1-2 L per day against a potential of 4 L/day. The main constraints to dairy goat production include inadequate feeds in the dry season, disease incidences, unorganized goat milk markets and inadequate breeding bucks. Dairy goats are mainly reared under the zero-grazing system (82.5%), an intensive system where the goats are confined in some form of building/house and feed and water are brought to them.
However, about 14.9% of farmers rear the goats under tethering, a semi-intensive system. A small proportion of farmers (2.6%) rear their dairy goats under the extensive/free-range system. The various classes of goats have different feed requirements according to age or physiological stage, which need to be catered for.
Feeding Kids
Feed colostrum within 24 hours of birth – absorption of antibodies declines 6 hours after birth. Feed warm milk or milk replacer at 10-12% of body weight. Kids should be fed in at least 2 portions/day. This can be done through bottle feeding, bucket feeding or suckling. Kid suckling should be done in the morning and evening. Kids can also be bottle/bucket fed according to the schedule below:
| Period | Feeding (milk, solids) |
| Day 1 | 30-60 ml colostrum in first 2 hrs., then 45 ml every 4 h (total 180 ml) |
| Day 2 | 60 ml milk 4 times a day (total 240 ml) |
| Day 3 | 75 ml milk 4 times a day (total 300 ml) |
| Day 4 – week 2 | Give increasingly 90-260 ml milk 4 times a day (total 350-1,040 ml) Introduce solid feed (e.g., grass, hay, grain) and water at the end of week 2 |
| Week 3 | Reduce milk from 260 ml 4 times (total 1,040 ml) to 3 times a day (total 780 ml) Kid can freely feed on solids such as hay and grass |
| Week 4 – Week 9 | Feed increasingly 290-350 ml milk 3 times a day (total of 870-1,050 ml) |
| Week 10 – Week 11 | Feed a total of 700 ml milk 2 times a day (350 ml per feeding) (with hay and grain) |
| Week 12 – Week 13 | Give 350 ml milk once a day till fully weaned |
After 2 weeks, provide small quantities of good clean feed to strengthen the stomach, such as sweet potato vines(SPV), tree legumes/natural tree leaves, or hay. The kid’s rumen/gut is not fully developed for solid feeds for 2-3 weeks. Allow access to mineral lick (block) and clean water as often as necessary (1-2 liters per kid daily).
Table 2: Comparison of kid weight changes when weaned with sweet potato vines against a suckling only kid
| Kid | Birth | 30 days | 60 days | 90 days | 120 days | milk saved (kg) |
| Kid weight on Total suckle (kg) | 2.9 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 7.3 | NIL |
| Kid weight when weaned on SPV (kg) | 2.4 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 87 |
Feeding of Doelings
To ensure they feed correctly, provide the doelings with a variety of plants, starting with the least palatable forages first, and the most palatable ones last. Feed them plenty of grasses, legumes, tree leaves, and fresh kitchen remains and mix feed with hay, straw, or Napier. Do not feed soiled or non-fresh food – feed that has urine, faeces or which has been trampled on.
They can also be fed with leaves stripped from
- Cereal crops – maize, sorghum
- Pigeon peas
- Cassava leaves
Feed the doelings 2-3 times a day.
Feeding Pregnant Does
Provide sufficient high-quality feed, such as Sesbania, Leucaena, and SPV, for one month (4 weeks) before mating. This practice is known as “flushing.” During the first 3 months of pregnancy, continue to feed normally to maintain overall health.
“In the last two months of pregnancy, feed the pregnant doe with high-quality feed due to the growing foetus and to cater for twins or triplets. At kidding, put the doe in a dry, clean, and quiet place. Ensure the goats have proper and clean housing, as goats are highly susceptible to the effects
of draught, wetness, and sudden changes in weather”
In the last two months of pregnancy, feed the pregnant doe with high-quality feed due to the growing foetus and to cater for twins or triplets. At kidding, put the doe in a dry, clean, and quiet place. Ensure the goats have proper and clean housing, as goats are highly susceptible to the effects of draught, wetness, and sudden changes in weather.
Feeding of Lactating Does
Lactating does are fed above their maintenance requirements for high milk yields, good conception, and kidding rates and to avoid mobilization of body reserves. Unsupplemented does are not likely to produce milk beyond kid needs.
Dry Matter intake by lactating goats should target a consumption of 1.0-2.0 kg Dry Matter. When Napier grass is the basal diet supplemented with a concentrate in a goat’s diet, feed Napier grass – 8 to10 kg fresh per day and Concentrate (dairy meal) – 300 g per day.