Goat production

Goat production The goat must have been domesticated at the same time as the sheep in the East during the Neolithic Goats have always been considered very useful animals.

Goats success is related to its excellent adaptability to the difficult mountain conditions, extreme weather and low value feed acceptance, versatile habits and high production considering their size. These are some reasons because goats are among the first animals to be domesticated. In terms of evolution, goats could be separated by their dispersion area in three large groups: the European, the

Asian, and the African. Global goat populations, mainly in Africa and in Asia, have increased for centuries but very strongly in the past decades, well above the world population growth. They are also used for forest grazing, an integrated and alternative production system, very useful to control w**d growth reducing fire risk. Despite some exceptions, no large‐scale effort to professionalize this industry has been made so far. There are consumers for goat dairy products and there is enough global production, but misses a professional network between both. Regarding goat meat, the world leadership also stays in Africa and Asia, namely in China, and there is a new phenomenon, the spreading of goat meat tradition through Europe due to migrants from Africa and other places with strong goat meat consumption. Goats were among the first farm animals to be domesticated. According to Ref. [1], goats have been linked to humans for at least 10,000 years. Due to their great adaptability to difficult environment conditions and to different diets, they have always been considered very useful animals for their good productivity and easy to handle and they do not compete with man for food and eat cheap feeds. In the last 50 years, global goat populations have increased by about 240%, while other livestock species have maintained or decreased their populations. Currently, there are about 1 billion goats around the world. More than 90% are located in Asia and Africa and only 1.8% in Europe. While in the countries, where goat production is massive, high adaptability to the environment is one of the main breed characters, in the developed countries, most of the goats are of genetically selected breeds for high production [2]. In rural areas of developing countries, the contribution of goats is highly valued and has an important role in feeding the populations, an item that is often not adequately recognized when comparing goats with sheep and cattle. In fact, goats are extremely intelligent animals, very agile, and independent, with a high level of resistance to diseases, much better than other ruminant species. Despite the fact that in recent decades there has been a great progress in research aimed at increasing the goat productivity, there is still a great work to be done, namely in the applicability of the different races to the different environmental realities of the underdeveloped and developing countries. In these areas, the current and potential importance of goat production combined with the use of breeds that have not yet been fully selected and exploited will certainly be a reality in the near future. At both local and macroeconomic levels, goats will certainly be an animal production that will enhance the livelihoods and sustainable development of the world’s poorest population

PASTURE AND MANAGEMENTGoats should be stocked at the rate of five to six adult does to one animal unit equivalent. Meat ...
01/11/2022

PASTURE AND MANAGEMENT
Goats should be stocked at the rate of five to six adult does to one animal unit equivalent. Meat goats must depend almost solely on forage to meet their nutritional needs.
A carefully planned forage program can enhance growth and performance of goats. A good, thought-out, rotational-grazing program can improve pasture production and help control internal parasites.
Supplemental grazing in stubble fields, corn fodder, wheat pastures, or winter rye can be used to either extend the grazing season or to boost required nutrient levels.
Goats also complement both sheep and cattle in marginal grazing lands. Goats are considered excellent browsers and consume a higher percentage of brush and other less desirable plants. This allows goats to maximize the use of marginal pasture land as well as improved forage production systems.

Spanish. The Spanish or brush goat breed has developed through natural selection from goats first placed in Oklahoma and...
01/11/2022

Spanish. The Spanish or brush goat breed has developed through natural selection from goats first placed in Oklahoma and Texas in the early 1540s by Spanish explorers. The size of the goat varies according to climate, terrain and available breeding stock. Mature bucks can weigh up to 200 pounds and does up to 130 pounds. Body shape, hair and color are not consistent among goats of the breed. The term Spanish or brush goat has been used to denote goats that do not fit into any breed description. Historically, the Spanish goat has been kept primarily to help clear brush and other undesirable plants from pasture and range land.

Myotonic. The Myotonic goats are often referred to as Wooden Leg, “stiff-leg,” or Tennessee fainting goats.The stiff-leg...
01/11/2022

Myotonic. The Myotonic goats are often referred to as Wooden Leg, “stiff-leg,” or Tennessee fainting goats.The stiff-leg name is derived from the fact that the goats, when excited or frightened, “lock-up” and often fall over and lie very stiff (faint) for a few seconds (normally only 10 to 20 seconds).
The breed is one of the few indigenous to the United States. Two strains of the Myotonic breed exist one in Tennessee and the eastern United States and the other in Texas. While the exact circumstances of the development of the breed are unknown, it is widely accepted that the breed originated in Tennessee. It is believed that all fainting goats in the United States can trace their origin back to four goats imported to Tennessee from Nova Scotia by a man named John Tinsley.
The Myotonic goat is heavy rumped and deep chested. While multi-color animals are not uncommon, the most common colors are black and white. The goat is an aseasonal breeder. Many breeders have noted that the breed has the capability to produce two kiddings a year.They have been discovered as an excellent cross breedstock for the Boer goat. Because the fainting quality comes from a recessive gene, the fainting is not usually expressed in crossbred animals.

01/11/2022

Myotonic. The Myotonic goats are often referred to as Wooden Leg, “stiff-leg,” or Tennessee fainting goats.The stiff-leg name is derived from the fact that the goats, when excited or frightened, “lock-up” and often fall over and lie very stiff (faint) for a few seconds (normally only 10 to 20 seconds).
The breed is one of the few indigenous to the United States. Two strains of the Myotonic breed exist one in Tennessee and the eastern United States and the other in Texas. While the exact circumstances of the development of the breed are unknown, it is widely accepted that the breed originated in Tennessee. It is believed that all fainting goats in the United States can trace their origin back to four goats imported to Tennessee from Nova Scotia by a man named John Tinsley.
The Myotonic goat is heavy rumped and deep chested. While multi-color animals are not uncommon, the most common colors are black and white. The goat is an aseasonal breeder. Many breeders have noted that the breed has the capability to produce two kiddings a year.They have been discovered as an excellent cross breedstock for the Boer goat. Because the fainting quality comes from a recessive gene, the fainting is not usually expressed in crossbred animals.

01/11/2022

Nubian (Anglo-Nubian). Originally imported from Nubia, Africa, the Nubian breed was developed by crossing British goats with bucks of African and Indian origin. The does are not heavy milk producers but have milk with higher than average butter fat content. In addition, the Nubian breeding season is much longer than that of the Swiss breeds, making it possible to milk the doe year-round.
Any solid or part-colored goat is permitted in the breed, but the most common colors are black, red and tan. Bucks should weigh at least 175 pounds, and mature does should weigh at least 135 pounds.

01/11/2022

The Kiko breed was developed by crossing feral does (relatively small goats which developed from escaped domestic goats in New Zealand with does weighing between 25 and 55 pounds and bucks less than 88 pounds) with Nubian, Toggenberg, and Sannen bucks. The Kiko herd book was closed in 1986 (all breeding animals had to be selected from within the herd). Kiko goats (weighing roughly twice the weight of feral goats) are capable of high levels of meat production and can produce well under a variety of conditions.

MEAT GOAT BREEDSGoats of all breeds may be raised for meat production in many parts of the world. However, meat-goat car...
01/11/2022

MEAT GOAT BREEDS
Goats of all breeds may be raised for meat production in many parts of the world. However, meat-goat carcasses are generally leaner and more muscular than dairy-goat carcasses and have different proportions.
With the possible exception of the South African Boer goat and the New Zealand Kiko goat, there are no real defined meat-goat breeds in the United States. Several other breeds, such as the Spanish, Myotonic, and the Nubian, have been utilized for meat production in the United States. Some general characteristics of each of these breeds are presented here.
Boer. The present day Boer breed (other names include the Africander and South African Common goat) was developed in the early 1900s when African ranchers began breeding goats for the specific purpose of meat production. Today there are approximately 5 million Boer goats in Africa, of which only 1.6 million are of the improved type. The Boer goat has a good conformation with high growth and fertility rates. In the late 1980s, Boer goats were imported into Australia and New Zealand. In 1993, the breed was imported into the United States from Australia and New Zealand.
A mature Boer buck weighs between 240 and 300 pounds, and a mature doe weighs between 200 and 225 pounds. Performance records indicate that some goats are capable of average daily gains of more than 0.44 pounds per day in feedlot conditions, with average performance between 0.3 and 0.4 pounds per day. The Boer goat doe has sufficient milk to raise a kid that is early maturing.The breed is prolific, with common kidding rates of 200 percent. The Boer goat has a non-determinate breeding season, making three kiddings every two years possible.

01/11/2022

GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC​S OF THE MEAT GOAT
Female goats are called does, or sometimes doelings if they are less than a year old. Males are bucks or bucklings. Young goats are called kids.
Bucks usually do not make good family pets because of their aggressive behavior and strong urine-like odors. Buck odors are most offensive during the breeding season, usually from September to early January; however, their scent glands can be removed. Does do not secrete strong odors from their scent glands.
Goats adapt well to most environments, but do especially well in hot environments because of their small size and higher ratio of body surface area to body weight. Also, their ability to conserve body water, their limited subcutaneous fat cover, and their hairy coats are good survival traits under desert-like conditions.

The foraging preference of goats is for a broader range of plants than the preferences of other small ruminants. Goats make excellent browsers and are inclined to forage from the top of a plant downward, making them efficient biological controls for undesirable plants and shrubs. Goats are particularly adept at selecting the most nutritious plants or parts of plants. Because of their foraging characteristics, meat goats fit well on poor or fair grazing areas as long as adequate plant material is available to consume. This aspect allows goats to respond very well to an improved quality forage-feeding program. Goats can efficiently convert vegetative matter into meat and milk, requiring little need for other feed sources such as corn or processed feeds.

Common Diseases of Dairy Goats and SheepAbortionMany things, including toxic agents, congenital abnormalities, and infec...
09/10/2022

Common Diseases of Dairy Goats and Sheep
Abortion
Many things, including toxic agents, congenital abnormalities, and infectious diseases, can cause abortions. The most common infectious microorganisms that cause abortions in goats and sheep are the following:
chlamydiosis (Chlamydia psittaci)
query or Queensland (Q) fever (Coxiella burnetii)
listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes)
leptospirosis (Leptospira spp)
toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)
brucellosis (Brucella melitensis)
neosporosi (Neospora caninum)
mycoplasma sp
vibriosis of campylobacteriosis (Campylobacter fetus ssp intestinalis)
Many of the infectious causes of abortion in goats and sheep are zoonotic, meaning they can also cause disease in humans. The use of protective clothing and latex gloves or plastic arm sleeves is recommended anytime aborted tissues are handled or assistance is provided during kidding or lambing.Diagnosis is based on history of the herd/flock and clinical signs. Aborted fetuses and fresh placenta should be packed on ice, marked with correct identification of the doe/ewe, and sent to a diagnostic laboratory for identification of the infectious agent.
Treatment and prevention depends on the cause of abortion.
Follow these guidelines when abortion occurs on your goat or sheep dairy:
Inform your veterinarian immediately for help conducting a thorough investigation.
Wear protective clothing and latex gloves or plastic sleeves to prevent zoonotic infection. Incinerate the gloves afterward to prevent environmental contamination.
Isolate the animal from the herd and keep it in a quarantine pen for further examination.
Collect the placenta and fetus and keep them refrigerated or on ice. Do not freeze. Your veterinarian may want to examine these tissues and send them to a diagnostic laboratory for isolation and identification of the infectious agent.
Bacterial PneumoniaBacterial Pneumonia
The most frequent causes of respiratory infection and death of dairy goats and sheep are Pasteurella multocida or Mannheimia haemolytica (previously called Pasteurella haemolytica). These bacteria are commonly found in the upper respiratory tract of healthy animals.
Signs of pneumonia include the following:
fever with temperature of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) to 106 degrees F (41 degrees C)
moist, painful cough and dyspnea (difficulty in breathing), along with nasal and ocular mucopurulent discharge. Listening to the lungs with a stethoscope may reveal crackling sounds.
anorexia or loss of appetite
lethargy
Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and herd history. If the animal dies, a necropsy may help to identify the exact cause of the pneumonia.
Treatment involves antibiotic therapy as prescribed by your veterinarian. Keep sick animals in a dry, well-ventilated location away from the rest of the herd.
Prevention and control involves vaccination and proper herd management.
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE)
Caprine arthritis phalitis is caused by a virus classified as a small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) of the family Retroviridae. The virus negatively impacts the well-being of infected animals and the economy of the goat and sheep industry in many countries of the world, including the United States. CAE is primarily prevalent in dairy goat breeds but has been diagnosed in meat goats and sheep as well.
The primary mode of transmission for CAE is through the consumption of colostrum and milk from infected does/ewes. Blood from open wounds or on contaminated instruments, such as needles, dehorners, etc., is regarded as the second most common mode of transmission. Contact transmission between adult goats is considered to be rare, except during lactation.
CAE normally displays a slow, chronic progression over months or years. Some signs of CAE include chronic polyarthritis (inflammation of the joints), mastitis, and interstitial pneumonia.
Paralysis due to the encephalitis and myelitis (inflammation of central nervous system) tends to be more common in kids between 2 and 6 months of age.
Diagnosis is based on herd health history and laboratory tests, such as ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
There is no cure for CAE. Treatment consists of supportive therapy. Prognosis for the encephalitic form is poor. Infected animals that recover will carry the virus for life.
Prevention and control includes the following:
Cull CAE-positive animals from the herd.
Avoid purchasing breeding stock from an unknown source.
Test existing stock and new animals for CAE before introducing them to the herd.
Remove kids born of CAE-positive does from their mothers immediately at birth. Feed them heat-treated colostrum and pasteurized milk until weaning.Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL)
The bacteria Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis causes CL and is prevalent in all countries throughout the world, including the United States. Goats and sheep are infected by contact with the pus of an infected animal or ingestion of feed and water contaminated by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis.
Signs of CL include external and internal abscesses. CL abscesses typically contain pasty, thick, yellow-green pus with a foul odor.

Diagnosis is based on clinical signs detected by physical examination. The CL abscesses range from firm to soft swelling, and some are well-defined with rounded shapes on the surface of the animal’s body. Blood tests are also available.
There is no cure for caseous lymphadenitis. Abscesses are sometimes carefully drained to prevent ruptures and further contamination of healthy animals and premises.
Prevention and control includes the following:
Cull infected animals from the herd to help reduce the risk of CL infection.
Avoid purchasing animals from farms with a history of CL, and do not purchase animals with visible abscesses or abscess scars.
Examine males before introducing them to the female herd. A male with erupted abscesses can contaminate the females.
Use a clean needle with each animal to prevent the spread of C. pseudotuberculosis from asymptomatic carriers to noninfected animals.
Always disinfect equipment, such as ear taggers, tattooing needles, hoof trimmers, or wool shears, that might break the skin of animals when used. Shearing equipment is of special concern, as a hidden abscess might be ruptured during shearing.
Consider maintaining a closed herd.Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is a costly parasitic livestock disease affecting goats and sheep. Eimeria species, also called coccidian species, are protozoa naturally found in the soil that cause coccidiosis. Coccidia are host-specific, meaning the species of coccidia that affect one species of animals is different than the species that affects another. For example, the coccidia that affect chickens are different than the coccidia that affect goats.
Ingesting oocytes when grazing can infect goats and sheep, as can drinking water contaminated with goat or sheep f***s. Once ingested, oocytes pe*****te the cells lining the intestine causing inflammation and destruction of intestinal cells.
Stress is a predisposing factor in kids/lambs during the post- weaning period. Animals may die suddenly during this phase without any warning. Outbreaks can occur during stressful conditions, such as after shipping or farm relocation.
Symptoms of coccidiosis include the following:
watery diarrhea with or without mucus or blood
constipation
lack of appetite accompanied by fever
dehydration as a result of diarrhea
weakness
emaciation caused by weight loss
sudden death
hemorrhaging or ulcerations in the intestinal wall
Diagnosis is based on herd health history, clinical signs, and microscopic f***l examination.
Treatment options include drenching th a coccidiostat recommended by your veterinarian, or administering the coccidiostat in the drinking water. In cases involving severely dehydrated animals, intravenous (IV) fluid therapy may be needed until the animal is rehydrated.
Prevention and control includes the following:
Improve management and hygiene of facilities, pastures, pens, and feeding and water sources.
Minimize weaning stress. If needed, creep feed to adjust the kids to a new diet prior to weaning.
Ask your veterinarian about using a medicated feed containing a coccidiostat, such as monensin, lasalocid, or decoquinate.
Avoid keeping animals in moist areas without direct sunlight.
Anticipate possible outbreaks during severe weather and post-weaning.
Contagious Ecthyma (Orf/Sore Mouth)
Orf is caused by a parapoxvirus. This is also a zoonotic diseasewhich means that it is easily transmitted from animals to humans. Goats and sheep contract sore mouth by direct contact with the virus.
Susceptible animals usually develop the first signs of the disease 2 to 5 days after exposure, and symptoms typically persist for 1 to 2 weeks. Outbreaks of sore mouth are most frequent following stressful events, such as weaning, transportation, or relocation.
The primary symptom is blisters that develop into wet scabs on the lips, nose, ears, or eyelids. Nursing kids/lambs can transmit the virus to their dam, resulting in lesions on the teats and udder. The lesions can be extremely painful to the point of preventing sick animals from eating.
Initial diagnosis is based on the characteristics and location of the lesions. A definitive diagnosis is based on virus isolation and an immunologic test.
Contagious ecthyma usually resolves on its own without treatment. In severe cases, the use of antibiotics may be recommended by your veterinarian to combat secondary bacterial infections.
Prevention and control includes the following:
Minimize transportation stress.
Always quarantine new animals for 6 weeks before introducing them to the rest of the herd.
Separate sick animals in a pen for treatment and observation in the case of an outbreak.
Always feed and treat sick animals after feeding the rest of the herd.
Always wear gloves when handling infected animals.
Avoid the consumption of milk from does/ewes that present lesions on the teats and udder.
Vaccinate only in certain situations following specific guidelines from your veterinarian.
Isolate recently vaccinated animals from unvaccinated animals. Since the vaccine contains a modified live virus, humans should use care when administering the vaccine to avoid the risk of infecting themselves.

Differences between production systems based on grazing and browsing vs. use of harvested feedstuffs in confinement larg...
09/10/2022

Differences between production systems based on grazing and browsing vs. use of harvested feedstuffs in confinement largely depend on specific feedstuffs and plants available and being consumed. Low forage nutrient ingestion should have relatively greater impact on tissue mobilization than milk production in early than later periods of lactation, with a transition to proportionally greater change in milk production in late lactation. However, low body condition at kidding would limit tissue energy mobilization and restrict impact of level of nutrient intake to milk yield and, likewise, tissue mobilization would be less with one vs. two or three milkings per day. As lactation advances after freshening, fat and protein levels decrease with increasing milk yield, and when production declines in mid- to late lactation, fat and protein concentrations increase. Milk production generally peaks at a parity of 3 or 4, thereafter declining slowly. Elevated somatic cell count alone in dairy goats is not a valid indication of mammary infection. Extended lactations offer opportunities to minimize or avoid seasonal fluctuations in milk production and lessen production costs. If differences in performance between suckled and machine-milked dairy goats occur, they may be restricted to or of greater magnitude during the suckling period compared with post-weaning, and differences in milk yield will either be absent or less with one kid compared with greater litter sizes. The magnitude of effects of milking frequency on milk yield is less for goats of low vs. high production potential and with low vs. high diet quality. Likewise, the effect of milking frequency is greater in early and mid-lactation when yield is higher than in late lactation when yield is higher than in late lactation, along with a shorter period of peak production with one vs. two daily milkings. Physical form of the diet can affect production and composition of goat milk, although effects appear of smaller magnitude than in dairy cattle. When tissue is mobilized to support milk production in early lactation, levels of C18:0 and C18:1 cis in milk increase and levels of medium-chain fatty acids decline. Effects of elevated levels of dietary fatty acids on specific long-chain fatty acids in milk and milk products vary with the fatty acid profile of fat sources used.

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