Do I need to give goats hay in the summer

Combined with the fact that goats have a wide choice of food in the summer, grazing is logical in the summer season, as goats naturally feed on green grasses and woody shrubs. Abundant pasture, where there are shrub plantings and large weeds, is a real gift, goats prefer this option to a plot with even grass. 

However, in any case, top dressing with a small amount of hay is a good idea, rather than relying only on grass and ferns. 

Goats are ruminants with a four-chambered stomach. Their food undergoes various fermentations to break down the food variety for digestion. Goats need fresh food, good quality hay, some grains and free-flowing minerals for proper nutrition in summer. Do not keep goats fed a previously balanced diet on grass only, which can cause serious problems in the rumen and lead to bloating or acidosis. 

How much hay to give your goats in the summer will vary depending on how large the pasture your animals have access to. But even in summer, hay is the main diet for goats - adult goats usually eat from 1 to 2 kg of hay per day (more if there are few green grasses), and lactating goats often need about 3.5 kg of hay per day even in summer. 

Hay refers to roughage, the term refers to the components of the cell walls of plants, most of which is cellulose. Older plants have stronger stems and leaves and are therefore high in fiber. Nutrients in such plants, as they say, are long-lasting. First, the cellulose of plant cell walls must be broken down by microorganisms in the goat's rumen. As a result, fatty acids are formed, which are used for energy production. Since the fat in goat's MILK is synthesized from fatty acids formed during the breakdown of fiber in the rumen, increasing the amount of roughage in the diet increases the fat content of milk. Therefore, roughage is so important in the diet of goats - at least forty percent by weight of the total amount of feed, hay is given at any time of the year. 

Give hay and cut grass from a basket or feeder, do not hang reptu - goats on a horse, easily entangled in the net with their horns. Another note about grass: don't give short-stemmed cuttings after the lawn mower because they can cause suffocation.

In addition to grass, goats will gladly eat waste after weeding the garden - carrot tops, nettles, and so on up to 3 kg per day. 

Not all goats need grain, but there are some situations where a goat's diet is supplemented with grains in the summer. A nutritious grain with a high energy content is essential to support growth and milk production. Dairy goats are particularly prone to malnutrition without adequate feeding, as they produce high milk yields in relation to their size and body weight. In these cases, in addition to grazing, about one to two cups of grain mixture per day can be given, as well as a treat at the milking stand. 

There should always be plenty of clean water - goats will not drink dirty water.