Goat Sector Research Articles

Effect of bromochloromethane on methane emission, rumen fermentation pattern, milk yield, and fatty acid profile in lactating dairy goats

Several technologies have been tested to reduce enteric methanogenesis, but very few have been successfully used in practical conditions for livestock. Furthermore, the consequences of reduced rumen methane production on animal performance and milk quality are poorly understood. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of feeding bromochloromethane (BCM), a halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon with potential antimethanogenic activity, to dairy goats on rumen methane production, fermentation pattern, the abundance of major microbial groups, and on animal performance and milk composition. Eighteen goats were allocated to 2 experimental groups of 9 animals each: treated (BCM+) or not (BCM−) with 0.30g of BCM/100kg of body weight per day. The BCM was administered per os in 2 equal doses per day from parturition to 2 wk postweaning (10 wk). After weaning, methane emissions were recorded over 2 consecutive days (d 57 and 58 on treatment) in polycarbonate chambers. On d 59, individual rumen fluid samples were collected for volatile fatty acid (VFA) analysis and quantification of bacterial, protozoal, and archaeal numbers by real-time PCR. On d 69 and 70, daily milk production was recorded and samples were collected for determination of fat, protein, lactose, casein, and total solids concentration by infrared spectrophotometry, and fatty acid composition by gas chromatography. Treatment with BCM reduced methane production by 33% (21.6 vs. 14.4L/kg of DMI) compared with nontreated animals, although it did not affect the abundance of rumen bacteria, protozoa, and total methanogenic archaea. The observed improvement in the efficiency of digestive processes was accompanied by a 36% increase in milk yield, probably due to the more propionic type of rumen fermentation and an increase in VFA production. The increase in milk yield was not accompanied by any changes in the concentrations or yields of fat, protein, or lactose. Despite the substantial decrease in methane production, only minor changes in milk fatty acid profile were observed, suggesting that ruminal biohydrogenation pathways were not affected. Compounds that influence terminal biochemical pathways for methane production deserve further development for future application in the dairy goat sector.

Financial Evaluation of Different Vaccination Strategies for Controlling the Bluetongue Virus Serotype 8 Epidemic in the Netherlands in 2008

BackgroundBluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of ruminants caused by bluetongue virus that is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.). In 2006, the introduction of BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) caused a severe epidemic in Western and Central Europe. The principal effective veterinary measure in response to BT was believed to be vaccination accompanied by other measures such as movement restrictions and surveillance. As the number of vaccine doses available at the start of the vaccination campaign was rather uncertain, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Dutch agricultural industry wanted to evaluate several different vaccination strategies. This study aimed to rank eight vaccination strategies based on their efficiency (i.e. net costs in relation to prevented losses or benefits) for controlling the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2008.Methodology/Principal FindingsAn economic model was developed that included the Dutch professional cattle, sheep and goat sectors together with the hobby farms. Strategies were evaluated based on the least cost - highest benefit frontier, the benefit-cost ratio and the total net returns. Strategy F, where all adult sheep at professional farms in the Netherlands would be vaccinated was very efficient at lowest costs, whereas strategy D, where additional to all adult sheep at professional farms also all adult cattle in the four Northern provinces would be vaccinated, was also very efficient but at a little higher costs. Strategy C, where all adult sheep and cattle at professional farms in the whole of the Netherlands would be vaccinated was also efficient but again at higher costs.Conclusions/SignificanceThis study demonstrates that a financial analysis differentiates between vaccination strategies and indicates important decision rules based on efficiency.

Estimation of milk production of goats affected by number of offspring

The goat sector is the smallest among the domestic animals sectors in Hungary. The estimated total population is approximately 30 thousand does. The majority of that is local goat with a low milk production. In the study of Mourad (1992) the percentage of twins was higher than singles or triplets, and the first two months of lactation was affected significantly by litter size. Does which gave birth to multiple kids produced significantly more milk over lactation compared to those ones that produced singles (Goonewardene et al., 1999). In this study the effect of number of offspring on milk production was investigated using 58 kids of 30 Hungarian Milking goats from one private farm in Hungary.

Welcoming address to the 8th International Conference on Goats

The Executive Committee and other members of the The Executive Committee of the 9th International Conference on Goats is eager to welcome to Queretaro all foreign and Mexican delegates participating in this magnum event. The city of Queretaro was selected because of its strategic proximity to Mexico City and for its central location in the country, where goat production is important. Its importance is also related to its tradition in goat milk and meat production, processing and consumption. Today, 4 years after our last IGA international meeting held in Pretoria, South Africa, we are prepared to have an intense and fruitful event. So todaywewill begin the activities of the 9th International Conference on Goats, with the central theme: “Sustainable goat production: challenges and opportunities of small and large enterprises”. The importance of the central theme takes into consideration the modernization of the goat sector, under a sustainability scheme, in which scientists, producer associations and government and non-governmental entities have been interactingwith the result of improved goat production and social development. An increased demand for quality goat products such as meat, milk, fiber and processed food products worldwide, have resulted from the development of new market opportunities and niches. In order to achieve the success and high scientific standard expected for this conference, we will have 4 days of intensive activities with the participation of 6 plenary speakers covering topics which include:

Brazilian goat breeding programs

Historically, several goat breeds and types have been introduced into Brazil with the intention of increasing goat production efficiency. Selection and multiplication of genotypes appropriate to several production systems found in the country have been important to the development of the goat sector in Brazil. Until 2002 there were no formal breeding programs for goats in the country. Attempts for genetic improvement were concentrated in animal importations and in isolated crossbreeding. This paper assesses the main aspects of goat production in Brazil and presents the establishment of breeding programs for meat and dairy goats. Breeding Program for Meat Goats and Sheep (GENECOC) were started in 2003 with the objective of supporting breeders on the utilization of the available genetic resources to optimize their production systems. Nowadays only seven flocks of goats are enrolled in this program. These flocks are located in States of Ceará (Northeast region), Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul (South region). In 2005, EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasilerira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, started the Dairy Goat Breeding Program. The program aimed to structure the dairy goat national databank and conduct the progeny tests for the main dairy breeds raised in the country. Semen from five Saanen, three Anglo-Nubian and two French Alpine goats was collected and distributed among 15 collaborator flocks. Official Dairy Control Tests have been accomplished in eleven flocks in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (Southeast region). Many difficulties were faced in the implementation of goats breeding programs in Brazil. The results are not readily available, but the perspectives are promising. Goat breeders’ interest has been increasing and the actions have been expanded to other regions of the country, while a large number of institutions have shown interest in collaborating with these breeding programs.

Costs and reliability of livestock traceability systems for the Dutch sheep and goat sectors

Abstract The costs and reliability of two electronic identification and registration (I&R) systems for sheep and goats were estimated and compared to the current I&R system in the Dutch sheep and goat sectors. In the current system (farm individual registration or FIR), animals are identified with ear tags with an individual animal number, unique farm number and registered on-farm. In the central individual registration (CIR) system animals are identified with electronic ear tags and registered individually in a central database. In the central group registration (CGR) system animals are identified with electronic ear tags and registered individually on-farm, while group movements are registered in a central database. The net costs for the FIR system were 2.6 and 1.2 million Euros per year for sheep and goats, respectively. These net costs increased to a total of 11.8 and 6.0 million Euros per year for the CIR system and to 13.5 and 6.8 million Euros per year for the CGR system. The expected percentages o...

Genetic improvement for dairy production in sheep and goats

Functional traits have become important for efficient breeding schemes in the dairy goat and sheep industries, mainly in Mediterranean countries, due to increased costs of production relative to milk prices and consumers demand for safe, quality food and attention to animal welfare. The challenge facing the European dairy sheep and goat sector is to cost-effectively produce typical cheeses attractive to the consumer, i.e. of high quality and perceived to be safe, while maintaining production in less favoured rural regions. The emphasis for functional traits related to udder morphology and health, at the moment on a quantitative genetics basis, has resulted from the knowledge established during the last decade that selection on milk traits only, as practiced for several decades for breeds benefiting from efficient breeding schemes, would lead in the long term to “baggy” udders that are more difficult to milk by machine and more susceptible to mastitis. At the same time another window has been opened based on new molecular tools allowing the detection and mapping of genes of economic importance in farm animals. To date, marker- or gene-assisted selection (MAS/GAS) has been applied in dairy small ruminants either for introgression of a major gene such as the Booroola mutation or for selection of major genes such as the polled mutation and αs1-casein gene in goats, or the PrP gene for scrapie resistance in sheep. These applications clearly showed the need for balance over time between selection for polygenes and the major gene for a given trait, or between increasing frequency of favorable alleles of a major gene while maintaining selection for other traits and the genetic variability within the breed. It showed that the selection for major genes will be more profitable at the breed level if an efficient breeding scheme is already running to be able to account for these optimizations over time. Moreover attention is also turning to the mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for production and functional traits. Results are promising since numerous QTL have now been detected, mainly in dairy sheep, showing that cattle results can be partly transferred to dairy small ruminants. But QTL fine mapping is a crucial next step before any application of MAS/GAS because of the need to dramatically reduce genotyping costs for these species. Finally, given the large differences among existing breeding programmes for dairy sheep and goats, the ability to use these new technologies and molecular knowledge in the breeding schemes will probably be breed dependent at least in a near future.

Common agricultural policy reform and its effects on sheep and goat market and rare breeds conservation

In June 2003, the EU approved a very important reform of the CAP that will strongly affect the entire European agriculture. This paper analyses the major issues related to the effects of the evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy on the sheep and goat sectors, and especially the possible direct and indirect effects of the last reform in terms of accelerating or decelerating the loss of biodiversity due to the extinction of breeds. In fact, the single farm payment, fully or partly decoupled from any production, will include from 50% to 100% of the present amount of aid paid to sheep and goat breeders, according to decisions to be taken by each Member State. These decisions could deeply affect breeders’ economic interests in continuing to breed sheep and goats or not. On the other hand, new regulations will also allow Member States to introduce supplementary premium in case of transhumance, and/or for preserving rare breeds, and/or for promoting high-quality food products which could be obtained from these breeds. These policy tools, together with the increased amount of money available for rural development could balance, at least theoretically, negative effects due to the application of decoupled aid. On the other hand, previous experiences show that these tools have not been used with efficacy in order to preserve endangered breeds. Therefore, new attention and new procedure are suggested in order to overcome these limitation and to improve in situ preservation of rare breeds.

The role of the goat in society: Past, present and perspectives for the future

The goat was the first animal domesticated to produce for the consumer. The geographic occurrence of this phenomenon, combined with the location of the cradle of the first known civilisations (Mesopotamia), contributed to the direct connection of the goat to all phases of life of the people who created and developed civilisation in the area now known as the Middle East. The presence of the goat in all sectors of ancient societies has continued to the present, particularly in religion, economy, nutrition and tradition. Breeding goats was important during Greco-Roman times, Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Goat farming reached a turning point in the 18th century in Europe when distinct populations emerged through selected breeding from the basic European, Asian and African goat populations. In the 19th century, a change in the social structure and in production methods was observed. Specialisation in agricultural production replaced traditional farming, aimed at supplying growing urban populations. Other historical events affected the process. Large imports of wool from the southern hemisphere forced prices down, frustrating sheep breeders in Europe many of whom switched to goat farming. Early in the 20th century, the goat population of Europe was forcibly reduced (except Greece) due, inter alia, to stringent laws that discriminated against goats, as ‘a threat to the environment’, particularly in forested areas. Conditions prevailing today are fairly complex. Problems and prospects vary by region, which consequently have different cultural and economic implications. Both global and regional approaches to livestock farming are important from the economic aspect of developed and developing nations. Rapidly increasing goat populations in developing countries, point to the goat assisting in solving some of the needs created by the rising human populations. Goat farming in Europe also has a more positive outlook after nearly a century of a negative reputation. Dairy-goat farming is significant to the economies of the Mediterranean countries. The goat is clearly not synonymous with under-development and poverty. Improving access to scientific information through research and extension services must benefit the goat industries of developing regions where the demand is increasing due to growing human populations and their associated needs. Consumer's acceptance of high quality goat products coupled to longstanding cultural traditions sets a positive outlook for the goat sector in the developed countries. It remains important though that appropriate policies are implemented for each situation.

Developmental challenges and opportunities in the goat industry: The Kenyan experience

Dairy goat development in Kenya started in the mid 1950s, with the introduction of exotic dairy goat breeds. Major projects to improve the dairy goat sector were not realized until the late 1970s under United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) funded and FAO executed projects, which lasted until the mid 1980s. The initial projects were mainly government station-based, and aimed at multiplying improved stock for distribution to farmers. Due to several technical, logistical and financial constraints the station-based projects failed to meet their objectives, and by 1996, despite huge financial investments in this endeavour, only a total of approximately 40,000 improved goats were available in Kenya. The farmers were not directly involved and genotype-by-environment interaction issues were not duly taken into account in designing and executing the projects. In early to mid 1990s, the German Development Corporation (GTZ) and FARM Africa initiated new approaches that were community-based and farmer-led in two regions of Kenya. Genetic improvement activities were now based on-farm, as opposed to government stations. Farmers and farmer-group members were rigorously trained on breeding programme designs and management, husbandry, including primary healthcare and were facilitated to run their show with frontline technical support from the NGO's and government officers. In just 7 years, the dairy goat population has risen to more than 90,000 head, hence doubled over the 7-year period. In addition, the improved goat technology is alive with many NGOs replicating the new approach. The community participation in the crucial areas of service provision, animal health delivery, marketing and quality control has strongly influenced this development. The challenges, successes and other experiences of these two Kenyan projects are presented and illustrated by way of a case study as to how simple participatory approaches can actually lead to significant improvement in the livelihoods of the rural resource poor families.

Mediterranean sheep and goats production: An uncertain future

European sheep and goat production, in the Mediterranean areas represent important economic, environmental and sociological issues. Our article aims at comparing the situation of the main small ruminant systems in South European regions (Spain, France, Italy and Greece), and their possible future evolution. On the average, the income of milk systems tends to be higher than meat systems thanks to a good market price. Moreover, the dependence on subsidies is greater in meat systems and in extensive systems. However, milk systems seem more sensitive to the market situation for example, Italian products in the USA and products from Greece with respect to certain foreign companies. Sheep and goat production, being frequently the only possible enterprises in less favoured areas, are often fundamental to maintaining social activities and to keep the vegetation out of danger from fire. However, in Greece and Spain some intensive systems are becoming established in the more fertile plain areas. The roads to success are rather uncertain considering the new CAP reform as nearly all these systems seem to be dependent on the important European subsidies. Nevertheless, we have identified different ways to progress according to systems and regions. Such an uncertain future could be easier to forecast if those involved in the sheep and goat sectors worked more collectively in Europe.

Strategy for goat farming in the 21st century

The objective of this paper is to contribute to progress in the choices of strategies for further development of goat farming in the 21st century. During the last 20 years, the number of goats around the world increased (by about 60%) not only in the countries with low income (75%) but also in those with high (20%) or intermediate (25%) income. This situation is due to the capacity for adaptation by goats to very different environments, to the development of goat farming in developing countries where subsistence farming, barter economy and community culture are important, and where the market economy is relatively limited, and to the ecological image of goat farming and products in developed countries. Goat farming is in a good position to pursue its development in the 21st century, if a satisfactory policy is applied tactfully. For that, the factors explaining goat farming success during the end of the 20th century must be maintained and developed as the social aspects of goat farming in developing and developed countries, particularly in land management and the sociological integration into an economically sustainable life. Moreover we have to improve or maintain the good image of goat products. The two main improvements to bring into goat farming in the 21st century concern research organisations, which must encounter the needs of goat farmers and be well adapted to different production systems in order to lower the research deficit in the goat sector, and investments for better supplies particularly to the poor goat farmers.

Proposals for improving the research efficiency in goats

Presently, research on goats is less developed than on cattle, sheep and pigs in spite of the world-wide significance of goat farming. In the year 2000, the countries with low levels of income produced 33% of all technical papers published on goats around the world, while having 81% of the world goat population. The countries with high levels of income produced 46% of all goat papers for only 1% of the world goat population. Generally, the quality and efficiency of goat research is very variable, although the situation has improved during the last 20 years. Despite limited financing support for goat research, its efficiency could be improved by a better research organisation and implementing committees, which include representatives of professional organisations to decide research priorities, and by implementing research networks, which would incite researchers from various institutions to work together. Such research networks must supply new general, scientific knowledge by pooling the results obtained from various experimental conditions with linkage analyses particularly if the bibliographic results appear to be heterogeneous or conflicting. Organisations for analysing and synthesising the scientific information must be created in order to make it easier for application by end users. Moreover, strong efforts must be made to improve the professional training of researchers in the goat sector. A project for improving the structuring of goat research at the world-wide level must be supported by international organisations such as FAO, ICARDA, ILRI, IGA, etc. Difficulties encountered by goat research are the same as those of the other animal species but in the goat sector the consequences are more significant because of its delayed development and very limited organisation.

The role of woman in the sheep and goat sector

The role of woman in the agricultural sector, especially as keepers of small livestock such as sheep and goats, greatly increases world food security by improving the health and livelihood of individual families. Studies by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) confirm that while women are the mainstay of small-scale agriculture, farm labor force and day-to-day family subsistence, they have more difficulties than men in gaining access to resources such as land and credit and other productivity enhancing inputs and services (Women and Sustainable Food Security, 1996). Recent statistics also point to the fact that the percentage of women who experience poverty is greater than that of men. Hunger and malnutrition affect more than 780 million people in the developing world; 550 million rural women live below the poverty line in their respective countries.

Present state and future outlook of the small ruminant sector

Presently, sheep (1096 millions) and goat production (677 millions) are the second and fourth largest livestock groups at the world level, respectively. In industrialized countries, sheep farming is more important (40.0%) than goat production (4.6%). During the last 15 years, the number of sheep has diminished at the world level, whereas the number of goats has strongly increased. Overall, production of small ruminants (meat, milk and fiber) grew substantially in developing countries, but stagnated or decreased in industrialized countries. Significant progress in research was achieved during recent years with small ruminants, particularly in the field of biotechnology. Transgenesis and other relevant areas of research will develop further in the near future, meanwhile, cloning, embryo transfer, etc. have already interesting applications. Identification of genetic mechanisms explaining the polymorphism of certain characters, e.g. alpha-s1 casein content of goat milk can have interesting consequences in future selection programs. However, there are still large discrepancies between the availability of scientific knowledge and its application in sheep and goat husbandry in most production areas. Consequently, a strong effort has to be made to improve research efficiency and particularly technology transfer. Due to the high research costs, the organization of regional research and development networks should allow, in the end, the best results. Development actions in the sheep and goat sector show a definite delay compared to other animal productions. To become more efficient, research in this field must apply more specific methods directed to the reality of small ruminant production. Research and extension planners must accept the role of the breeders as far as decision making is concerned, and define sustainable policies, especially at the levels of structures of national and international development, but also by providing efficient tools to facilitate decision making.

A partial adjustment model with rational expectations applied to the goat sector in Greece

In this paper an attempt is made to examine the rational expectations hypothesis for the goat-meat sector in Greece within the framework of a single equation method that describes the factors affecting demand and supply. The structural equations of the model are estimated by applying the Cochrane-Orcutt technique. The calculated elasticities suggest that Greek goat producers should pay more attention to milk rather than meat production. Statistical indications also confirm the effects of the Chernobyl accident upon the goat sector. Moreover, the forecasting ability of the model has been tested using simulation procedures, which indicate a small deviation between theoretical and observed values. Finally, some further implications concerning the goat sector are drawn from this analysis.

A partial adjustment model with rational expectations applied to the goat sector in Greece

AbstractIn this paper an attempt is made to examine the rational expectations hypothesis for the goat‐meat sector in Greece within the framework of a single equation method that describes the factors affecting demand and supply. The structural equations of the model are estimated by applying the Cochrane‐Orcutt technique. The calculated elasticities suggest that Greek goat producers should pay more attention to milk rather than meat production. Statistical indications also confirm the effects of the Chernobyl accident upon the goat sector. Moreover, the forecasting ability of the model has been tested using simulation procedures, which indicate a small deviation between theoretical and observed values. Finally, some further implications concerning the goat sector are drawn from this analysis.