Kalahari Red goats are a hardy and adaptable meat breed originally from South Africa, known for their red coats and excellent growth rates. Feeding them properly is essential for good health, reproduction, and meat production. Here’s a quick guide on feeding Kalahari Reds:
- Basic Diet Components:
Forage:
Primary food source—grazing on pasture or browsing shrubs and trees. They thrive on veld grazing, bush, and natural roughage.
Hay:
Good quality hay (like lucerne/alfalfa or grass hay) when pasture isn’t available.
Concentrates:
Maize, sorghum, cottonseed cake, sunflower cake, or commercial goat pellets. Use especially for:
Pregnant/lactating does
Growing kids
Breeding bucks
- Minerals and Supplements:
Salt lick / mineral blocks with trace minerals like calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and magnesium.
Molasses can be added to feed for energy and palatability.
- Water:
Fresh, clean water should always be available. They drink more during hot weather or when eating dry feed.
- Special Considerations:
Kids (young goats):
Colostrum within 12 hours of birth, followed by creep feed starting from 2–3 weeks old.
Breeding does:
Boost nutrition 6 weeks before breeding and during the last trimester of pregnancy.
Bucks:
Require more energy during breeding season.
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