Goat Science
and
Production
Sandra G. Solaiman

A John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Publication

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Goat Science
and
Production

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Goat Science
and
Production
Sandra G. Solaiman

A John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Publication

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Edition first published 2010
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Solaiman, Sandra Golpashini, 1952–
Goat science and production / Sandra G. Solaiman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8138-0936-6 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8138-0936-3 (alk. paper)

1. Goats. 2. Goats–Breeding. I. Title. II. Title: Goat science and production.
SF383.S65 2010
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2009033115
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1

2010

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Dedication

To my mother, Mariam, who instilled in me the value of hard work; to my dearest children, Diaco, Dion, and Emeline,
who encourage, strengthen, and humble me; to my dearest students who constantly challenge, question, and motivate me:
May your efforts always be sincere, showing commitment to seemingly trivial matters and not devotion only to subjects

of high status and importance. In the end, status will fade, yet one can never know the impact these supposedly trivial
matters may have on the life of another.
In everything you do, do your best, proceed with integrity, and let your actions be guided by a humane conscience. In
doing so, your life portrait will be painted in colors of true fulfillment, unselfish accomplishment, compassionate love,
and peace of conscience.

“In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:6

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Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Contributors

ix
xi
xiii
xv

1

Perspectives on Goats and Global Production

C. Devendra and S.G. Solaiman

3

2

Goat Breeds
N.K. Gurung and S.G. Solaiman

21

3

Conservation of Goat Genetic Resources
J.N.B. Shrestha and S. Galal

39

4

Breeding and Genetics
J.N.B. Shrestha and G.H. Crow

55

5

Animal Evaluation
R.A. Ebert and S.G. Solaiman


77

6

Functional Anatomy of the Goat
G.M. Constantinescu and I.A. Constantinescu

89

7

Applied Reproductive Physiology
J. Greyling

139

8

Digestive Physiology and Nutrient Metabolism
S.G. Solaiman and F.N. Owens

157

9

Ingestive Behavior, Diet Selection, and Feed Intake
H. Dove

179


10

Feeds and Feeding Management
S.G. Solaiman

193

11

Health Management, Diseases, and Parasites
J.E. Miller, B.M. Olcott, and G.F. Bath

217

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Contents

12

Preferred Management Practices
L.J. Dawson

241


13

Meat Production and Quality
K.W. McMillin

255

14

Milk Production
Y.W. Park and G.F.W. Haenlein

275

15

Fiber Production
C.J. Lupton

293

16

Environmental Enhancement
A. Peischel

313

17


Housing Requirements
S.G. Solaiman

323

18

Business Plan, Production Enterprise, and Marketing Strategy
S.G. Solaiman, E. Kebede, and E.M. Aviki

339

19

Future Needs for Teaching, Research, Extension, and Outreach
S.G. Solaiman and G.F.W. Haenlein

359

Appendices
Index

369
389

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Foreword


Ruminants: Sheep, Goats, Cervids, and New World
Camelids.” Dr. Solaiman, a member of the writing committee of the NRC issue and a major contributor to the goat
sections, determined to expand the application of knowledge of the goat beyond its nutritional requirements to
include other biological, social, managerial, and economic
considerations. It is to that end and for that purpose that
this volume is being published. The codependence of goats
and their holders under greatly different circumstances
presented special challenges to the authors. Under Dr.
Solaiman’s editorial leadership, these challenges were met.
Having invested a career working with goats and with
colleagues of similar interests, I am grateful for this opportunity to commend this volume to you for your information
and enjoyment.

Congratulations and commendations to Dr. Solaiman for
bringing together a truly international team of experts as
contributors to this book addressing the characteristics,
management, production, and contributions of goats in
our world. These authors have resided and studied in at
least 14 countries and traveled extensively throughout
many others, molding their perspectives on the roles of
goats in global cultures. Sandra, whom I am privileged to
know personally, is a consummate professional, more
interested in truth than perception and value than appearance. Clearly, these qualities are shared by those selected
as contributors.
Goats belong to one of a large number of species
regarded generally as small ruminants that occupy special
niches throughout the entire world. They vary in size,
shape, color, and behavior and supply numerous consumable products. Likewise, the human populations served by
goats are diverse. In 2007, the National Research Council
of the National Academies published under its Animal

Nutrition Series the “Nutrient Requirements of Small

Ed Huston
Professor Emeritus of Animal and Range Science
Texas A&M University
San Angelo, Texas

ix

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Preface

Currently in the U.S., goats have been gaining popularity
for their milk and meat products, catching up with popularity they have experienced in other parts of the world.
Though more U.S. universities are involved in goat
research and extension programs than ever before, few
offer courses in goat science and management. The last
comprehensive book on goats, “Goat Production,” was
published more than a quarter of a century ago by Gall
(1981), while a more recent publication, “Goats: Biology,
production and development in Asia” by Devendra (2007)
is focused on Asia. There was a need for a new book covering all aspects of goat sciences and all applicable production practices; therefore, this book was created. This book
has been designed to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date
compilation of information on goat science and the principles governing their production. It is intended to primarily serve as a textbook for a Junior-Senior level animal
science course, which may also be taught as a first-year

graduate course in some universities. The depth of scientific information relating to the field of animal and veterinary science presented in this book qualifies it for use in
educating veterinary students as well as for use as a
resource book for veterinarians, educators, researchers,
extension specialists, managers, consultants, and all other
goat enthusiasts.

note that many of my contributors have provided me with
excellent suggestions that were also incorporated into the
contents. I felt that the reader should be introduced to goats
in Chapter 1 to understand the main position of this noble
animal and its significant contribution to the socioeconomics of subsistence farming and its role in hunger alleviation
in the world. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 are focused on major
breeds of goats and how to conserve genetic resources in
indigenous breeds, especially after introduction of genetically superior breeds, principles of genetics, and breeding.
Chapter 5 can serve as a reference and satisfy goat enthusiasts that actively show goats. Showing animals is a
common practice in the developed world and goats are no
exception as they are commonly included in animal shows.
This chapter additionally focuses on ideal meat, dairy, and
fiber goat characteristics for proper selection for breeding.
Chapter 6 was created mainly for veterinary students and
others interested in different functional parts of the goat.
This chapter identifies the principles governing common
practices, for example, hoof trimming, dehorning, castration, etc., as well as major functional anatomy of different
body systems, such as digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, etc. Chapter 7 focuses on applied
reproductive physiology of the goat and covers all of the
advances in reproductive technology practiced in goats.
Chapters 8, 9, and 10 cover principles governing digestive
physiology, nutrient metabolism, unique ingestive behavior of goats, and feeds and feeding practices. Rumen dysfunctions and common problems associated with feeding
are also covered in these chapters. The next two chapters,
11 and 12, cover herd health program, diseases and parasites, integrative approaches for prevention and control of

parasites, and preferred goat management practices for

TOPICS
The topics covered in this book are the collections of my
thoughts after reviewing many textbooks and resource
books, after conducting more than 20 years of research in
the field of goat science and production, both nationally
and internationally, and lastly after serving more than 25
years as a teacher in higher education. I would also like to
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Preface

raising healthy goats. Chapters 13, 14, and 15 focus on
goat products such as meat, milk, and fiber including topics
such as their uniqueness, quality, and marketability.
Chapter 16 explores the unique characteristics of goats and
their use in enhancing the environment, reducing fuel load,
and preventing fires. Chapter 17 discusses the requirements for housing including a discussion of both shelter
and fencing. After properly raising goats, they should be
marketable and profitable. Chapter 18 covers basic economic indices based on enterprise budgeting, which can be
used to measure profitability and to identify proper marketing channels for goat meat, milk, and fiber.
Reviewing information provided in each chapter, contributors were asked to identify main teaching, research,
extension, and outreach activities that are currently lacking.


Also by searching the literature and Internet using various
search engines, information lacking was identified. Based
on information gathered, future needs for teaching,
research, extension, and outreach were formulated and
briefly summarized in Chapter 19.

PREREQUISITES
This book is written assuming that the reader has at a
minimum a basic understanding and exposure to both biological and animal science. In terms of mathematical and
chemical background, it is assumed that the reader has a
basic understanding of the topics covered in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and first and second year equivalent mathematics concepts.

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Acknowledgments

osity in sharing their information, and a very special thank
you to the contributors whose assistance related to their
expertise came at times of great need. Specifically, I am
grateful for Dr. Olcott, Dr. Dawson, Dr. Kebede, Dr.
Gurung, and future Dr. Aviki (my daughter), who extended
helping hands in order to make this book a reality. Among
others, I am thankful to my dean and friend, Dr. Walter
Hill, for his patience and encouragement, to Dr. Luther
Williams for his advice, to Dr. Ankumah for his support,
and to Dr. Kenneth Andries who contributed to Chapter
19.
One of the special features of this book is the original
artwork and illustrations provided by three professional

artists and illustrators. I would like to extend a special
“thank you” for their contribution: Beth Emery for Chapter
2; Dr. G. Constantinescu for Chapters 5 and 6; and Z.
Proctor for Chapter 12.
Finally, I would like to warmly thank Justin Jeffryes,
Executive Commissioning Editor, for believing in me and
for his encouragement, and Shelby Allen, Senior Editorial
Assistant, and the Wiley-Blackwell team for enthusiastic
support of this project. I am grateful to the production team
at Wiley-Blackwell for their excellent work.

I am extremely grateful for a number of individuals who
have assisted, encouraged, and motivated me throughout
the creation of this book. Specifically, my 90-year-old
mother, Mariam, who has instilled in me the value of hard
work from a very young age, and my three children, Diaco,
his wife Angie, Dianoosh, and Emeline for providing
advice, encouragement, and support at various stages of
the preparation of this book. I also thank my sister Valentine
and my brother-in-law, Dr. Jose Hernandez, for reminding
me that there are things in life beyond writing books.
I am deeply indebted to Dr. Denny Marple, my friend
and colleague, for his continuous support in providing
grammatical corrections and for his advice regarding sections that needed revisions for clarity. His valuable suggestions and comments have significantly shaped the final
product you have before you. I am thankful to Dr. Fred
Owens, my lifelong advisor and mentor, for reviewing and
editing various chapters of this book, and Dr. Ed Huston
for believing in me. I am grateful to Dr. Devendra and Dr.
Haenlein, my dear mentors, and Dr. Shrestha for their
input and support throughout this project and their help

with the contents and order of the chapters. I am grateful
to all of the contributors for their collaboration and gener-

xiii

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About the Contributors

teaching and research experience in Clinical Anatomy and
the Anatomical Nomenclature. He is one of the five
members of the Editorial Board of the 5th edition of the
Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, and an honorary member
of the Editorial Board of Experimental Medical and
Surgical Research. He has mentored 73 graduate students,
and published 25 books, 52 book chapters, and 96 refereed
papers. He is also a professional member of the Association
of Medical Illustrators.

The contributors for this book were hand selected from
recommendations provided by reputable sources, and by
searching the current topics in the literature related to
goats. Attempts were made to include authors who represent a wider global demographic distribution in order to
provide an international prospective on goats. As indicated
in their short biographies, they are experts in their respective fields.
E.M. Aviki, BS, MBA. Emeline has a BS in Economics

and is an MD/MBA student at Duke University School of
Medicine and the Fuqua School of Business, Duke
University, Durham, NC. Emeline has 4 years of experience as a teaching assistant for various economics courses
including Introductory Macroeconomics and Labor
Economics. Her short research experience has focused on
health outcomes in transplantation and translational
research involving malignant melanoma. She currently has
one paper submitted for publication.

I.A. Constantinescu, MS, DVM. Ileana is a Clinical
Assistant Professor of Veterinary Anatomy, Department of
Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Missouri, Columbia. She is one of the eight
members of the International Committee on Veterinary
Embryological Nomenclature. She teaches Veterinary
Anatomy and Developmental Anatomy. She has authored
3 books, book chapters, and more than 20 refereed
publications.

G.F. Bath, BVSc. Gareth is a Professor of Production
Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University
of Pretoria. He has more than 40 years of private practice,
teaching, research, and outreach activities experience in
the areas of sheep and goat nutrition, sustainable parasites
control, health systems, and diagnostics. He has mentored
numerous graduate and undergraduate students, authored
8 books or book chapters, and has over 150 refereed and
non-refereed publications.

G.H. Crow, BSc, MSc, PhD. Dr. Crow is an Associate

Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of
Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba,
Canada. Gary has 28 years of experience in teaching,
research, and outreach working in the areas of quantitative
genetics, genetic resources. He has mentored more than 10
graduate students and authored more than 50 refereed and
non-refereed publications.
L.J. Dawson, BVSc, MS, Dip. American College of
Theriogenology. Lionel is an Associate Professor,
Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Centre of Veterinary
Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma, and an Adjunct Associate Professor, Research

G.M. Constantinescu, DVM, PhD, mult. Dr.h.c. Gheorghe
is a Professor of Veterinary Anatomy, Department of
Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Missouri, Columbia. He has 58 years of
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xvi

About the Contributors

and Extension, Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma.
He has 27 years of experience in teaching, research,
and outreach in the area of goat nutrition, internal parasites, synchronization and artificial insemination, and
male infertility. He has mentored 56 graduate students,

interns, and residents, and has authored 6 books or book
chapters and more than 120 refereed and non-refereed
publications.
C. Devendra, B. Agric. Sci., M. Agric. Sci., PhD, DSc.
Dev is a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia,
and is now an Independent Consultant, with international
efforts spanning more than 25 years of experience in
animal nutrition and feed resources, animal production
systems, and integrated natural resource management. He
is on the Editorial Boards for the Small Ruminant Research,
Livestock Science, and Outlook on Agriculture journals.
He is the author of 17 books and more than 440 publications published internationally. He was Distinguished
Visiting Professor to the University of Delaware. His
awards include the International Dairy Production (U.S.),
Lincoln International Alumni Medal (New Zealand), and
the Asian Animal Science (Korea).
H. Dove, B. Agr. Sci., Dip.Ed., PhD. Hugh is a Chief
Research Scientist, CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra,
Australia. He is a Fellow of both the Australian Institute
of Agricultural Science and Technology and the Australian
Society of Animal Production, and was awarded the
Research Medal of the Nutrition Society of Australia. He
has 33 years of experience in the area of diet selection and
intake estimation, and crop livestock interaction. He has
authored 13 books and book chapters, and more than
200 refereed and non-refereed publications. He is an
Associate Editor of the Journal of the Science of Food
and Agriculture and is on the Editorial Board of the
Encyclopedia of Animal Science.
R.A. (Bob) Ebert, BS, MEd. Bob is an Extension

Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, College of
Agriculture, Auburn University, Alabama. He has 25 years
of teaching and extension activities in the areas of livestock judging and evaluation, 4-H youth educational programs, and adult education.
B. Emery, BS Studio Art, Emphasis in Painting, School
of Visual Arts, Florida State University. Beth has participated in many group and solo exhibitions throughout the
U.S. and has won numerous awards for painting. Beth likes
to take chances with colors and shapes; and committed to

visual reality, her work conveys life, energy, and movement. She generously contributed her artistic production to
Chapter 2 of this book. For more of her work, please visit
www.betemeryart.com.
S. Galal, BS, MS, PhD. Salah is a Professor in the Animal
Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams
University, Cairo, Egypt. He has more than 45 years of
teaching and research experience including working for
the FAO in the areas of animal breeding and genetics,
population genetics, and animal genetic resources. He is
an Associate Editor for the Small Ruminant Research
journal. He has mentored 25 graduate students, authored 3
books and book chapters, and published more than 100
refereed and non-refereed publications.
J. Greyling, BS, MS, PhD. Johan is a Professor and
Department Head, Department of Animal Wildlife and
Grassland Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural
Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein,
South Africa. He has 30 years of teaching, research,
and outreach activities in the areas of reproductive physiology and accelerated reproductive techniques. He has mentored 47 graduate students and authored 3 books and 98
refereed and non-refereed publications. He is currently
Associate Editor of the Small Ruminant Research journal,
sub-Editor of the South African Journal of Animal Science,

and is on the Editorial Board of the Livestock Science
journal.
N.K. Gurung, BS, MS, PhD, Professional Animal Scientist
(PAS), and Hubert Humphrey Fellow. Nar is an Assistant
Professor, Department of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences, College of Agricultural, Environmental and
Natural Sciences, Tuskegee University, Alabama. He has
more than 15 years of research, extension, outreach, and
teaching experiences in Animal Nutrition, especially goats,
by-products utilization, goat production, and silvopasture
systems. He has authored more than 30 refereed and nonrefereed publications.
G.F.W. Haenlein, Dipl. Ag., DSc., MS, PhD. George is a
Professor Emeritus, Department of Animal & Food
Sciences, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources,
University of Delaware. He has 59 years of research and
more than 42 years of teaching and extension experience
in the areas of dairy goats, nutrition, milk production, and
composition. He is founder and Honorary Editor-in-Chief
of the Small Ruminant Research journal. He has mentored
20 graduate students and has authored 7 books or book

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About the Contributors
chapters and more than 650 refereed and non-refereed
articles.
E. Kebede, BS, MS, PhD. Ellene is an Associate Professor,
Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences,
College of Agriculture, Environmental and Natural

Sciences, Tuskegee University. She has 15 years of experience in teaching, research, and outreach in the areas of
resource management, impact analysis and policy, and
participatory research. She has mentored 12 graduate
students and authored more than 27 refereed and nonrefereed publications.
C.J. Lupton, BSc., PhD. Chris is a Professor, Department
of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences, Texas A&M University, and Adjunct Professor,
Department of Agriculture, Angelo State University,
Texas. Chris has 25 years of research and outreach activities in the area of animal fibers (fiber metrology and effects
of nutrition, management, selection, and genetics). He has
one patent. He has mentored 20 graduate students, and has
authored 13 book chapters and more than 250 refereed and
non-refereed publications. He is currently serving on the
Editorial Board of the Sheep and Goat Research journal.
D.N. Marple, BS, MS, PhD. Denny is a retired Professor
and Department Head of Animal Sciences (2001), Iowa
State University. Denny is a past President of the American
Society of Animal Science, and a former member of the
Boards of Directors of American Society of Animal
Science and the Council for Agricultural Science and
Technology. He has more than 35 years of experience in
teaching, research, and outreach in the area of animal
growth and development and was involved in research on
swine growth and meat quality as well as beef cattle
research on shipping fever and fescue toxicity. He is the
author or co-author of 57 refereed journal papers.
K.W. McMillin, BS, MS, PhD, Professional Animal
Scientist (PAS), Diplomate in the American College of
Animal Food Science. Ken is a Professor of Meat Science
in the School of Animal Sciences and Department of Food

Sciences, the Louisiana State University Agricultural
Center at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has more than 28
years of experience in teaching, research, and outreach in
the area of processing and shelf life of muscle food species,
modified atmosphere packaging, and goat meat properties
and marketing. He has mentored 14 graduate students, has
2 patents, and has published 9 book chapters, 71 refereed
journal articles and conference proceedings, and 64 popular

xvii

press and technical articles. Currently he serves as
Associate Editor of the Animal Products, Journal of
Animal Science and is on the Editorial Board for Meat
Science.
J.E. Miller, DVM, MPVM, PhD. Jim is a Professor of
Pathobiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine,
and Veterinary Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and Adjunct Professor, Department of
Animal Science. He has 27 years of research, teaching, and
outreach experience in the areas of epidemiology and
control of ruminant parasites, host response to parasite
infection, and genetics of breed resistance to parasite infection. He has mentored 25 graduate students, authored 5
books or book chapters, and over 100 refereed and nonrefereed publications.
B.M. Olcott, BS, DVM, MS, MBA. Bruce is an Associate
Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science,
College of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State
University. He has 31 years of experience in teaching,
research, and outreach in the areas of veterinary production
medicine, small ruminant health and production, veterinary science, clinical herd health and production medicine.
He has mentored 9 graduate students and has authored 6

book chapters and more than 40 refereed and non-refereed
publications.
F.N. Owens, PhD, and Professional Animal Scientist
(PAS). Fred is a senior research scientist for DuPontowned Hi-Bred International and a Professor Emeritus of
Animal Sciences at Oklahoma State University. He has
taught and conducted research on protein nutrition, feed
intake, grain processing, rumen function and feed additives
for 40 years. He served as president of the American
Society of Animal Science and Editor-in-Chief for the
Journal of Animal Science, mentored numerous graduate
students, authored 18 book chapters, and published 460
referred and non-referred articles. In 1996, Fred received
the Morrison Award, the most prestigious U.S. research
award in animal science.
Y.W. Park, BS, MS, M. Div., PhD. D. Min. Young is a
Professor at Georgia Small Ruminant Research &
Extension Center, Fort Valley State University, Fort
Valley, GA, and an Adjunct Professor, Department of
Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia,
Athens, Georgia. He has more than 30 years of research
experience in the area of goat milk and its products. He
has mentored more than 20 graduate students. He is on the

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xviii

About the Contributors


Editorial Board for the Small Ruminant Research journal.
He has published 3 books, 27 book chapters, and more than
240 refereed and non-refereed articles.

Ruminant Research journal. He has authored 20 books and
book chapters and more than 200 refereed and nonrefereed publications.

A. Peischel, BS, MS, PhD. An is an Assistant Professor
and Extension Specialist, Tennessee State University/
University of Tennessee—Cooperative Extension Program.
She has 25 years of experience in Extension and Outreach
in the areas of goat production, vegetation control and
environmental enhancement using goats. She has mentored several graduate students and has authored 5 book
chapters and numerous refereed and non-refereed
publications.

S.G. Solaiman, BS, MS, PhD, and Professional Animal
Scientist (PAS). Sandra is a Professor, Department
of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural,
Environmental and Natural Sciences; Director of Small
Ruminant Research and Education Program, Tuskegee
University; and an Adjunct Professor at Department of
Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Alabama. She has
more than 25 years of teaching, research, and outreach
experience in the areas of goat nutrition, trace mineral
nutrition, kinetics of digestion and passage, forages and
pastures, system nutrient optimization, growth performance, and carcass quality. She was a member of the
Small Ruminant Committee of National Research Council,
and currently serves as Editorial Board member of the
Small Ruminant Research journal. She has mentored

more than 20 graduate students and has authored 3 books
or book chapters and 50 refereed and non-refereed
publications.

J.N.B. Shrestha, BVSc & AH, MS, PhD. Jap is a Research
Scientist, at the Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,
Sherbrooke, QC, Canada, and also an Adjunct Professor,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He
has 35 years of research and outreach activities in animal
breeding and genetics, and conservation of domestic
animal diversity. He is an Associate Editor for the Small

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Goat Science
and
Production

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1
Perspectives on Goats and
Global Production
C. Devendra, PhD, DSc, FASc and S.G. Solaiman, PhD, PAS


KEY TERMS
Improver breeds—local breeds of goats that have a potential to improve performance of other breeds.
Bezoar—Capra hircus, the true goat, one of the five wild ancestors of the domestic goat.
The Silk Road—one of the world’s oldest and historically important trade routes.
Agroecological zones—climate, soil, and terrain conditions relevant to agricultural production.
Agropastoralism—mixed crop-livestock systems with extensive grazing in which households are on the move and
their livelihoods are involved with the system.
Range-based systems—extensive systems characterized by rainfall of less than 150 millimeters (mm)/year.
4-H Competition—a competitive event important in youth development education.
Rainfed areas—non-irrigated agricultural areas that depend on rain as a source of water.

OBJECTIVES
By completing this chapter, the reader should acquire knowledge on:

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Where the goat originated
How the goat contributes to human culture
Outlook for goat production in the world
Outlook for goat production in the United States (U.S.)
Production systems in the world
Production enterprises in the U.S.
Constraints to goat production

Farming systems research

INTRODUCTION

in subsistence agriculture in the developing countries,
and they support a variety of socioeconomic functions
throughout the world.
This chapter provides a comprehensive background and
some perspectives on goats and goat production in the
world and the U.S. highlighting and discussing the various
aspects of goat production. For brevity, discussions are
necessarily concise, and readers are encouraged where

The goat species is an important component of animal
genetic resources. Together with sheep, and partly
because of their size, both are commonly called “small
ruminants.” Goats have been associated with man since
the dawn of agriculture and the domestication of animals.
Goats were the first animals to be domesticated by man
and continue to hold an important niche particularly
3

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4

Goat Science and Production

appropriate to read the references provided when seeking

further information.

Table 1.1 Zoological classification and ancestry
of domestic goats.

EVOLUTION AND DOMESTICATION
OF GOATS

Common name

Species

True goat

Capra hircus, including the
bezoar (c.h.aegagrus)
Capra ibex
Capra caucasica
Capra pyrenaica
Capra falconeri

Evolutionary biology indicates that the goat was domesticated about 10,000 years ago at the dawn of the Neolithic
age. Domestication was associated with three of the oldest
civilizations: the Nile in northeast Africa, the Tigris–
Euphrates in west Asia, and the Indus in the Indian subcontinent. Archeological investigations of relics from past
civilizations show that links between goats and people and
their livelihoods were very close. Archeologists indicate
that the goat was first domesticated in the “Fertile Crescent”
of the eastern Mediterranean. This landmass stretches
between the Black and Caspian seas along the coast of

Palestine, and curves like a quarter moon toward the
Persian Gulf. This is the site where agriculture originated—
in the narrow strip bounded by the Euphrates and Tigris
rivers.
Domestication of wild goats was evident first in Jericho
(Jordon) around 7000 BC as well as in the Zagros
Mountains in Gangi Dareh (Iran) around 8000 BC (Zeuner,
1963). Since then, the goat has been involved in many
aspects of human culture including religion, tradition, folklore, nutrition, livelihood, and economics (Boyazoglu
et al., 2005).

GOATS IN MYTHOLOGY
Goats, probably more than any other species, have been
associated with mythology in many cultures. In ancient
mythology, Jupiter was nursed by a goat and Thor’s chariot
was pulled by a team of goats. The Greek god Pan often
is represented as half man and half goat. In Chinese culture
for example, the goat spirit Yang Chin is the god of FanYin, the transcendent goat with a white face, horns, a long
beard, and a special headdress.
In Chinese astrology, the goat is one of the cycles among
the 12 earthly branches of nature. Symbolizing love and
happiness, the goat represents Wei, the eighth earthly
branch and the embodiment of summer. The goat also is a
Mongolian god (Cooper, 1992). The zodiacal sign
Capricorn comes from the Latin word Capra meaning a
goat. In addition, the sign Aries has a mixed etymology.
In Umbrian it is a ram, in Greek it is a kid (goat), and in
old Irish it is a doe.

ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

The goat is a hollow-horned ruminant that belongs to the
mammalian order Artidactotyla, suborder Ruminantia,

Ibexes
Caucasian tur
Spanish ibexes
Markhor

Source: Ellerman and Morrison Scott, 1951.
family Bovidae, and is of either the Capra or the
Hemitragus genera. The distinction between these two
genera was based first on horn structure, but the distinction
has been confirmed genetically.
The domestic goat belongs to the genus Capra. It developed from the following five wild ancestors:
1. Capra hircus, the true goat including the bezoar
(e.g., aegagrus)
2. Capra ibex, the ibexes
3. Capra caucasica, the Caucasian tur
4. Capra pyrenaica, the Spanish ibex
5. Capra falconeri, the markhor
See Table 1.1. The Mediterranean breeds also owe some
of their distinctive characteristics to the ancestral influence
of the extinct Capra prisca.
The comparative morphology and breeding experiments
indicate that the bezoar of western Asia was the main
progenitor of most domestic goats. Both the markhor and
bezoar gave rise to the majority of the Indian and central
Asian breeds with their distinctive characteristics: long
coarse hair, black rather than white, brown, or other colors,
and scimitar-shaped horns (Devendra and Burns, 1983).


IMPORTANCE AND SOCIOECONOMIC
RELEVANCE OF GOATS
Goats provide products and services important for man
throughout the world. In developed countries goats are
valued mainly for their milk, fiber, and meat; while in the
developing countries, they are valued mainly for meat,
followed by milk, fiber, and skins. Table 1.2 summarizes
the products and services from goats in Asia, which will
be similar to other regions of the world.
The socioeconomic relevance of goats is greatest in
developing countries where they meet socioeconomic, cultural, and recreational needs. Their small size is especially
relevant and relates directly to economic, managerial, and

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