Using the Langston University Interactive Nutrient Calculator

Getting started “intensive management, temperate or tropical range.” This

Example: calculate the nutrient requirements for a selection will be used in all the examples that follow.
nonpregnant 3 year old mature ½ Boer cross doe that had Question 7 asks the percentage TDN of the diet being
twins 6 weeks ago. The doe has a 32 inch heartgirth and is fed and uses a default value of 60. If the TDN level in the
under intensive grazing management. Her body condition feed is known, this value can be adjusted. For dairy goats,
score is 2.5. the default value is 65%. Use the default of 60%. If you know
Question 1 asks the biotype of goat. A drop down menu the value of the feed you plan to use put it in here. This value
will give the choices of Boer, Boer cross, Spanish or indig- is important in prediction of intake.
enous (native) goat, dairy goat, or Angora goat. For Kiko Question 8 asks the percent protein in the diet and the
goats, use the selection for Spanish and indigenous. Select default is 12%. For dairy goats, the default is 14%. Use the
“Boer cross.” default of 12%. If you know the value of the feed you plan to
Question 2 asks the class of goat, and selections include use, put it in here. This value is used to help predict intake.
suckling, growing goat less than a year and a half of age, mature Click on the “Calculate Requirements” button to calculate
goat including late gestation, and lactating goat including the energy and protein requirements, estimated dry matter
meat and dairy goats. If a lactating goat is selected, another intake, and calcium and phosphorus requirements. In this
drop down menu asks information needed to predict milk example, the requirements should be 2.5 lbs of TDN for
production. This information includes litter size (number of energy, 0.34 lbs of crude protein, 6.65 grams of calcium, and
kids), week of lactation (weeks since she kidded), and age of 4.65 grams of phosphorus, with a predicted intake of 3.65 lbs
doe at kidding in years. Milk production, along with fat and of dry matter.
protein percentages, are then predicted. These figures can Providing needed nutrients
be edited, which is useful for dairy goat producers who are
more likely to know the amount of milk produced and its fat After calculating the nutrient requirements for goats,
and protein contents. those nutrients must be provided using feedstuffs such as
pasture, hay, concentrate, and minerals. For most goats
For the example, select “lactating goat”. Then in the subse- throughout much of the year, nutrient requirements can be
quent menu, select the number of kids (twins) and input week met by available pasture, a mineral supplement, and water.
of lactation (6) and age at kidding (2 - 3 years). The program During times of limited forage availability or quality such
predicts that the doe will produce 3.6 lbs of milk containing as winter, or feeding poor quality hay or stockpiled forage, a
3.6% fat and 3.3% protein. supplement will be needed to supply deficient nutrients. The
Question 3 asks the gender of the goat, and the drop down level of supplemental feeding should be adjusted with changes
menu has choices of doe, buck, and wether. Select “doe.” in animal requirements, such as increased needs of late preg-
Question 4 asks the body weight of the goat. If the weight nancy. Sometimes it may be preferable to put an animal in a
is known or a good estimate is available, it should be entered lot and feed a complete diet or one high in concentrate such
in the box. If the weight is unknown, the heartgirth (chest as with dairy goats.
circumference) can be measured to predict body weight. There may be periods when nutrient requirements cannot
Check the box to estimate weight via heartgirth and enter be met, resulting in loss of body weight. This is acceptable at
heartgirth in inches. A menu will appear with choices of certain times in the production cycle if body condition is suffi-
genotype (breed) of goat (Alpine, Angora, Boer, ½ or less cient for the animal to draw upon body reserves and maintain
Boer, ¾ or ⅞ Boer, La Mancha, Nigerian dwarf, Oberhasli, the desired production level. An example would be weight loss
Saanen, Toggenberg, and Spanish). Some breeds require input during early lactation because sufficient nutrients cannot be
of body condition score. Body weight is then estimated. Input consumed. However if the doe is in poor body condition, is a
“32” inches for a “½ or less Boer” and the estimated weight growing yearling, or has severe weight loss during this time,
of the doe is 105 lbs. milk production will be depressed. During a drought, it may
Question 5 asks the desired amount of weight gain or be acceptable for open or early pregnant animals that are not
loss expected in a 1 month period, with selections ranging lactating to lose weight. During late pregnancy, inadequate
from losing 5 pounds (-5) to gain of 30 pounds. This gain is nutrition can have adverse effects on pregnancy outcome and
in addition to any pregnancy weight gain. Select 0 lbs per subsequent lactation. We can estimate what the projected
month. bodyweight losses would be by reducing the bodyweight gains
in question five and then calculating nutrient requirements
Question 6 adjusts nutrient requirements for the energy until the energy and protein requirements match intake of
expended during grazing if goats have access to pasture. The those nutrients. Severe undernutrition can cause abortion,
drop down menu includes choices of stable feeding, intensive reduced livability of the kid(s), reduced milk production and
management, semi-arid grazing (goats on extensive ranges), adversely affect maternal behavior.
and arid (desert) grazing. For the sample calculation select