Monitoring feeding behavior and flavor preferences in kids and adult goats using sensory additives

Abstract

Voluntary feed intake greatly influences productivity and welfare in dairy goats. Sensory additives can enhance feed palatability and the acceptance of sustainable, alternative feedstuffs. However, data on goats’ flavor preferences remain limited. This study assessed kids and adult goats’ preferences for basic flavors: sweet, umami, and a diverse flavor blend under two feeding environments using a feeding behavior monitoring system. Two experiments were conducted: i) experiment 1: a no-choice feeding setup with 20 animals randomly allocated into four pens and assigned to one of the four diets and ii) experiment 2: a cafeteria-style feeding system design, where two groups of 5 animals either received control, or chose among control, sweet, and umami options. Under no-choice conditions, the umami additive significantly reduced feed intake in both age groups compared to the other treatments. Age influenced feeding patterns: kids preferred the diversity blend (31.2 visits/day), while adults visited control and diversity diets more frequently (28.8 and 23.4 visits/day, respectively). This correlated with greater feed efficiency in kids, but not in adults, where the highest values were recorded for control and sweet treatments, with distinct activity period. In the cafeteria design, flavor preferences differed by age: kids preferred the sweet diet, whereas adults strongly selected the umami option (50.1 and 62.3 g/kg BW^0.75 per day, respectively), and entirely rejected sweet treatment. These findings demonstrate that goat flavor preferences are highly dependent on physiological stage and feeding environment (no-choice vs. cafeteria-style), highlighting the potential of targeted sensory additives to optimize intake across life stages.