To know whether diet palatability or feed preferences can influence the rate of intake (RI) or not in ruminants, twelve lactating goats received a complete diet (45 per cent DM) composed of 72 per cent DM dehydrated lucerne, 13 per cent pressed beet pulps and 15 per cent cereals in two experiments. In each experiment, NaCl was added: 0 per cent, 2 per cent and 4 per cent to experimental diets. The palatability of diets was estimated by the method defined by Morand-Fehr and Hervieu (1993) by testing two feeds or diets in cafeteria tests. The results were the following: Exp A, RI (g per mn) between 0 and 10 mn (RI 10): 85a (0 per cent NaCl), 60b (2 per cent), 40b (4 per cent); RI between 10 and 30 mn (RI30): 47a (0 per cent), 26b (2 per cent), 14c (4 per cent); palatability (average intake in tests) (g per test): 183a (0 per cent), 127b (2 per cent), 77c (4 per cent); Exp B, RI10: 80a (0 per cent), 52b (2 per cent), 42b ( 4 per cent); RI30: 40a (0 per cent), 29b (2 per cent), 12b (4 per cent); palatability: 175a (0 per cent), 92b (2 per cent), 38c (4 per cent). The results suggest that a taste variation without modification of physical presentation of diets as an increase of NaCl added to diets can modify RI in goats, and consequently the palatability of diets can influence the rate of intake very strongly.