Goat Science And Production

Goat Science and Production is the first text in several decades to present comprehensive, state of the art information on goat science and production practices from an international perspective. Including information on meat, dairy, and fiber goats, chapters are organized logically to facilitate fundamental understanding of goat anatomy and physiology as well as practical production applications. Goat Science and Production begins with an overview of current global production, giving the reader necessary context to enhance subsequent chapters on breed variety, genetics, animal evaluation, and functional anatomy and physiology. Later chapters expand on these concepts highlighting practical application affecting feeding practices, health and disease management, and housing requirements. Information on milk, meat, and fiber production is also addressed, along with a key chapter on formulating a business plan and marketing strategy. The book concludes with a thorough discussion on further needs in research and education providing direction for future progress. Goat Science and Production is globally contributed and provides an essential introduction and reference for students, researchers, outreach personnel, and producers world-wide. Key Features: Provides current information on science and production of meat, dairy, and fiber goats Reviews domestic and international production systems Discusses environmental impacts of goat production Includes coverage of economics and marketing of goat production

Goat Science and Production presents comprehensive, state-of-the-art information on the science of goats and goat production for meat, dairy, and fiber. Chapters provide a fundamental understanding of the goat anatomy and physiology as well as production issues such as welfare, disease management, and feeding. Goat Science and Production is an essential introduction and reference to this increasingly important production animal.

Written by some of the world's leading goat meat scientists, and drawing from the most recent publications in the field, this book comprehensively covers the most important areas of goat meat production. Chapters discuss the role of genetics, breeding, reproduction, and nutrition in producing good quality, profitable goat meat. The mineral, amino acid and fatty acid composition of goat meat is also addressed, along with a discussion of its nutritive value, aimed at highlighting its health benefits over other red meats.

Goat science covers quite a wide range and varieties of topics, from genetics and breeding, via nutrition, production systems, reproduction, milk and meat production, animal health and parasitism, etc., up to the effects of goat products on human health. In this book, several parts of them are presented within 18 different chapters. Molecular genetics and genetic improvement of goats are the new approaches of goat development. Several factors affect the passage rate of digesta in goats, but for diet properties, goats are similar to other ruminants. Iodine deficiency in goats could be dangerous. Assisted reproduction techniques have similar importance in goats like in other ruminants. Milk and meat production traits of goats are almost equally important and have significant positive impacts on human health. Many factors affect the health of goats, heat stress being of increasing importance. Production systems could modify all of the abovementioned characteristics of goats.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of goat keeping and farming. It includes twenty-two chapters that address such topics as breeding and selection, goat reproduction, production systems, the effects of goat farming on the environment, the use of goat byproducts, the economics of goat farming, and much more.

The goat is one of the earliest domesticated species and has great significance for the world economy. This book provides a comprehensive overview of goat husbandry. It includes thirteen chapters that address such topics as breeding, genetics, reproduction, health, nutrition, and more.

Ecology and distribution; Breeding; Reproduction; Maintenance and growth; Pregnancy; Lactation of suckling ewes and does; Nutritional diseases; Infectious diseases of sheep and goats; Internal parasites of sheep and goats; External parasites of sheep and goats; Growth and characteristics of wool and hair; Wiik grading and marketing; Livestock and meat marketing and grading; Carcase and meat qualities; Milk production in sheep and goats; Systems, biological and economic efficiencies; Very extensive systems; Extensive grazing systems; Intensive grassland systems; Intensive arable systems; Very intensive systems; Government controlled systems; Migratory (Transhumance) systems; Nomadic systems; Village and smallholder systems; List of contributors.