| Proper nutrition for goats is important at all ages in | | | | stomach in non-ruminants such as man and swine. |
| order to maximize profit potential in the kids, | | | | When a goat kid is born, the abomasum is functional, |
| yearlings or adult animals. Nutrient requirements differ | | | | but its rumen, reticulum and omasum are small and |
| in various stages of maintenance, growth, pregnancy | | | | non-functional. The kid depends on low fiber milk, not |
| and lactation, but it is important to feed a balanced | | | | forage, for its source of nutrition. When the kid |
| ration at all times as goats that are too fat, too | | | | swallows milk, the milk goes directly to the |
| skinny or receiving too much or too little of specific | | | | abomasums through the esophageal groove. Every |
| nutrients are more prone to other health problems. | | | | time the kid swallows, this flap of skin at the |
| Conversely, goats that are sick, wormy or injured | | | | entrance to the reticulo-rumen folds over to form a |
| also will not benefit maximally from proper nutrition. | | | | groove that bypasses the reticulum and rumen. This |
| Goats are ruminants. The stomach of a goat is | | | | diversion sends the milk directly to the abomasum to |
| divided into four compartments: rumen, reticulum, | | | | be digested by stomach acids. As the kid gets older, |
| omasum and abomasum. This combination of | | | | it starts consuming forage. Then the rumen with its |
| compartments allows ruminants to digest cellulose | | | | microorganisms becomes active and starts to enlarge. |
| and other complex carbohydrates that cannot be | | | | Its population of microorganisms increases, which |
| digested by non-ruminants. Microorganisms in the | | | | slowly and more efficiently allows it to digest forages. |
| rumen and reticulum possess the cellulase enzymes | | | | The reticulum and omasum also respond to the |
| that break down cellulose to more simple compounds | | | | changes in diet by getting bigger. By the time the kid |
| which the animal uses as an energy source. The | | | | is an adult goat, forage is the main source of food, |
| abomasum functions as the true stomach by | | | | and the rumen is much larger than the abomasum. |
| secreting digestive juices similarly to the simple | | | | |