Nutritional and metabolic disorders in dairy goats

Abstract

This chapter aims to describe significant aspects of the most common nutritional/metabolic diseases caused by insufficient or disbalanced nutrients intake, such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and macro or trace minerals, and their repercussion in goat metabolism. Goats are opportunistic feeding behavior animals, choosing the best nutrients in both hard environments or even in feed availability periods. In some conditions, e.g., poor quality forages in nutrients, and/or when energy or nutrient requirements overpasses their intake capacity and availability, goats may not keep metabolic homeostasis. Pregnant toxemia, urolithiasis, polioencephalomalacia, and selenium or vitamin E deficiency are major diseases with impact in production, reproduction and/or health in both low- and high-producing goats or their kids. In high-producing dairy goats, due to their higher nutritional demands, increased incidence of the called "production diseases" is observed. Subacute ruminal acidosis, lactational ketosis, hepatic lipidose, hypocalcemia and low milk fat syndrome are also major problem in dairy herds to require special attention. Risk factors of these disorders should be taken into account in nutritional and feed management programs. A holistic approach regarding these programs and herd health management are crucial to control or prevent nutritional and metabolic diseases in farms.