Minerals are an essential component of goat nutrition, with deficiencies the primary source of loss of productivity for goats confined to improved or native pastures - particularly in dry seasons.

That’s the view of Ronald Leng, Emeritus Professor at The University of New England, an expert in ruminant nutrition who has received international recognition for his research.

“Goats evolved in Europe and Asia in forest country and, being ruminants, depend on a mix of pasture grasses, herbaceous plants, shrubs and tree foliages for their nutrition,” Professor Leng said.

“Their metabolism can cope with a broad range of feed that at times contain numerous secondary plant compounds that are toxic to other ruminants.

“In open country they are rarely deficient in minerals or protein because of the generally higher protein content of shrubs and trees that lasts well into the dry season.

“However, goats under intensive grazing may be subjected to both mineral and protein deficiencies depending on soil mineral content, pasture maturity and weather conditions - in particular prolonged drought.”

Selenium, cobalt, copper, zinc and iodine deficiencies have been well documented in all ruminants in different parts of Australia.

“Trace element deficiencies are usually seen as poor growth rates of young stock, reduced reproductive efficiency and decreased milk production in does.

“These problems can easily be corrected with mineral supplements.”

Understanding the digestive process is mandatory for efficient feeding of ruminants, according to Professor Leng.

“Microbes in the rumen must have available to them all the minerals, and a source of ammonia - mainly from protein in plants or urea in supplements,” he said.

“There’s a myth that urea is dangerous for goats, but the biggest danger is not using it in dry seasons because goats need it to digest their food.

“Supplementation with mineral urea mixes is the essential first step to using drought feed efficiently.

“However, they are not required where there is no feed available but are essential when animals are consuming dried-off pasture.”

Professor Leng highlighted another area of concern with goats in a grazing situation.

“The greatest problem with goats is that they are very sensitive to internal parasites, particularly round worms,” he said.

“They have a great ability to detoxify the drenches in the liver, so they need a much larger dose to keep them clear of round worms.

“Run in conjunction with sheep, they will suffer far more from the parasites than sheep, so keeping them separate is not a bad idea.

“In open country this isn’t a problem because the worms aren’t as concentrated, and also the goats have greater access to tannins which seem to control the parasites.

“There’s a lot of research coming out of New Zealand at the moment which demonstrates that goats on a high tannin diet don’t have parasites, but that’s yet to be proven.

“However, it is leading to the use of pastures containing sainfoin, chicory, sulla or birdsfoot trefoil for goats and sheep production.”