Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
purebred meat - type, dairy - type, and fi ber-type goats in the
U.S. Purebred goats usually are more expensive than com-
mercial goats, and they are purchased by producers to
improve the quality of their herd. Purebred goat producers
also have a potential source of income in the popular 4-H
market. As goats gain in popularity, the number of 4-H
goat projects, plus the interest in 4-H competition among
youngsters, will increase and this will increase the market
demand for purebred goats.
able, the use of hormones and antibiotics is not permitted
in an organically raised animal production unit.
GOAT PRODUCTION IN EUROPE
The variation in climate increases the diversity of goat
production systems in the European countries. Housing
and indoor feeding often are required for the cold months,
and supplemental feed normally is required. Upland and
mountain grazing under marginal conditions in some
European countries may require several hectares per
animal to sustain production while lowland systems with
intensive grazing will have a carrying capacity of several
goats per hectare with a small herd size. Many European
countries have emphasized development of the dairy
industry with superior dairy goat breeds. Goat production
systems in Europe are in close harmony with natural condi-
tions in each locality and thus fulfi ll most criteria of sus-
tainable development in agriculture. More than 75% of
goat milk is produced in the Mediterranean region, and
most of the goat products (meat, milk and hide) are utilized
there. The development from subsistence farming to the
marketing of products has led to more specialized produc-
tion systems. In the goat sector, milk is the main product
with meat being secondary in most cases followed by skins
and hair. Milk from goats often is regarded as a niche
product and is less visible in an open mass-market situa-
tion. Goat meat consumption per capita has been fairly
stable or declined slightly over the last 40 years (EAAP,
2003). However, ethnic changes in the population may
lead to an increased demand for goat meat in countries
with large numbers of immigrants.
Commercial Goat Production Farms
The majority of meat, dairy, or fi ber goat farms in the U.S.
produce commercial goats mainly for domestic use.
Commercial Angora goat farms usually have a larger
number of goats than meat and dairy goat farms, with
Angora goats often being raised under range condition.
Most of these producers/ranchers purchase their goats
from other farms or at auctions, and some produce their
own kid crop.
The type of goats sold, their age, weight, sex, and color
are important factors for different ethnic groups and must
be considered when selling meat goats. Selling brood stock
to other producers is another marketing outlet; however,
superior stock is required to produce superior-grade goats
that will be more expensive than commercial goats. Most
commercial farms use crossbred goats and grade animals.
Multi - enterprise Goat Farming
On multi-enterprise farms, goats that produce meat, fi ber,
or milk also will serve as a holistic tool to control brush
and restore vegetation. Gross margins from combination
enterprises with two (meat and fi ber), three (meat, fi ber,
and milk), four (meat, fi ber, milk, and brush control), or
any combination requires careful economic evaluation.
With careful planning, the potential exists to manage a
dual purpose or multi-purpose crossbreeding enterprise
that produces for fi ber, milk, meat, or vegetation manage-
ment markets. Goat farmers also can produce vegetable
crops to further diversify, increase their cash fl ow, and
spread the risk of production.
GLOBAL GOAT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Goat production systems have evolved from the broader
livestock systems and vary among the AEZs and types of
farming systems (Spedding, 1975; Ruthenburg, 1980). The
biophysical environment and the available production
resources are especially important in the genesis and inten-
sifi cation of the production systems (Devendra, 2007a).
The biophysical environment will determine to a large
degree the types of crops that can be grown and the result-
ing feed resource available for animal production.
In developing countries, the main livestock systems can
be divided into four types: landless, mixed crop based,
agropastoralist, and range-based. Each of these systems
exists in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Central Asia
(CA), West Asia and North Africa (WANA), and Latin
America and the Caribbean (LAC). While the other systems
are common in most of the regions referred to, the term
agropastoralism is more specifi c to Africa and is used to
Organic Goat Production
Raising goats organically for meat and milk is gaining
popularity in the U.S. and can add value and revenue to
the farm. Organically raised animals are in high demand;
however, according to the USDA Organic Program, live-
stock produced organically must be managed according to
specifi c USDA organic standards from the last third of
gestation. Livestock feeds must be 100% organic. Although
feeds such as vitamins and mineral supplements are accept-
