Goat Feed Ration Calculator
A goat's daily feed is sized as a percentage of its body weight and then divided between forage and concentrate. This calculator takes the goat's weight, the daily intake percentage, and the forage share you want, and returns total daily feed, forage weight and concentrate weight. Every figure is user-editable so you can match the life stage and production goals for your goats.
Feed ration formula
Total daily feed = weight * (intake percent / 100)
Forage = total * (forage percent / 100)
Concentrate = total - forage
Total feed is the daily dry-matter target as a fraction of body weight. The forage share sets how much is hay, pasture or browse, with the rest as concentrate.
Worked example
A 60 kg goat at 3.5 percent intake with a 75 percent forage share: total = 60 * 0.035 = 2.10 kg/day. Forage = 2.10 * 0.75 = 1.58 kg/day. Concentrate = 2.10 - 1.575 = 0.53 kg/day.
Goat feed: frequently asked questions
How much should a goat eat per day?
Goats typically eat about 3 to 4 percent of their body weight in dry matter per day, more than horses or cattle relative to size. The exact figure depends on whether the goat is growing, lactating or at maintenance, so it is a user-editable input here.
How is goat feed split between forage and concentrate?
Goats are browsers and do best on a forage-based diet, with hay, pasture or browse forming most of the intake and concentrate added to meet higher demands such as lactation or growth. You set the forage share and the calculator assigns the rest to concentrate.
Does this balance the goat's full nutrition?
No. This calculator divides total intake by weight and ratio. It does not balance protein, energy, calcium-to-phosphorus ratio or trace minerals such as copper and selenium, which are critical for goats. Consult a veterinarian or ruminant nutritionist for a balanced ration.
Official sources
- U.S. National Academies, National Research Council: Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants.
- The ration split follows from the definitions of percentage of body weight and percentage of total feed.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 19 June 2026. See our methodology.