Do adult Saanen dairy goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) prefer to eat from a high or low feeder? A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science - Biology at the University of Waikato

The natural feeding behaviour of a goat involves reaching up above their own body height to browse from shrubs and small trees. Traditional methods of feeding dairy goats involve feeding forage on the ground or in low feeders with neck rails, these are translated practices from farming other species such as dairy cows. Cattle and goats differ markedly in their natural feeding behaviours and current feeding practices do not reflect this. The height at which a dairy goat’s feed is presented is an important part of its environment, and the lack of opportunity to engage in natural feeding behaviour could contravene goats’ welfare. The dairy goat industry in New Zealand is an industry on the rise and research into how we can best provide for natural feeding behaviour in dairy goats and improve their welfare will assist the New Zealand dairy goat industry to best provide for the animals in their care. The aim of this study was to examine the preference of adult dairy goats for feeding from a high feeder or a low feeder. Twelve Saanen goats were kept in the same enclosure for the whole experimental period except for milking. Four feeders of two different heights (high or low) were presented to the goats in four locations. Each day the feeders rotated position to reduce the effect of location bias. There were also two silage feeders at each end of the enclosure. Feeding behaviour was observed continuously over each 24 hour period and feeding bouts were recorded at each feeder. There was a significant linear relationship between the feeding time spent at the high feeder and the silage feeder. There did not appear to be a location bias, therefore the feeder preference was not affected by location. There was a significant individual preference among the goats for different feeders. This study found that in order to best provide for the browsing nature of the goat, opportunity to obtain forage from varying heights enable the goat to best exhibit natural feeding behaviour. This may have effects such as reducing lameness and agonistic interactions at the feeding places, and increasing feed intake, both of which will assist in maximising production and improving welfare for housed dairy goats.