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Goat Production 0708

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 10 months ago
  GOAT MILK AND PRODUCTION 
 


 

Description and Rationale

 

Dairy products are a very nutritious source of food. They are made of milk which can come from cows, goats, sheep, zebras, and other mammals. However, for many Filipinos, milk-producing mammals are often hard to get. For those who cannot afford fresh milk, powdered milk is purchased. Although powdered milk has several advantages such as a long shelf life and a lower price than fresh milk, there is a controversy over powdered milk. It is said to be exceptionally high in oxysterols (oxidized cholesterol) which may cause cancer and atherosclerosis.
 
Since fresh milk in the Philippines is not affordable for the poor, might there be a way to create more inexpensive milk? Can wild goats be bred and used for milk? Would Filipinos buy fresh milk if given the opportunity to have cheaper milk? Do they enjoy drinking goat’s milk? Could the breeding of goats be used as a livelihood project?
 
The initial purpose of this project will be to research the biology and ecology of goats through internet research and firsthand observations. Also, interviews will help me determine if Filipinos like powdered milk or goat’s milk better and other helpful information.
 
I hope that through finding cheaper ways to produce milk and through informing Filipinos of the benefits of goats milk, it will not only help families have an affordable, nutritious diet, but also make use of the resources in the Philippines such as goats and grass used to feed the goats.

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Biology

 

Common Names and Synonyms

 

The common name for Capra Aegagrus Hircus is the domestic goat. Originally, this meaning of the word “goat” came from the Latin word for play. To Filipinos, the goat is known as the kambing. Another common name is the European ruminant. The female goats are called “does” while males are known as “bucks”. In addition, castrated males are called “whithers” and baby goats are called “kids”.

 

Classification

 

 

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia (Mammal)
Order: Artiodactyla (Even-toed ungulate)
Family: Bovidae (hollow-horned ruminants)
Subfamily: Caprinae (Goat Antelope)
Genus: Capra (Goat)
Species: C. aegagrus (Wild Goat)
Subspecies: C. a. hircus (any of various breeds raised for milk or meat or wool)

 

 

 

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Morphology and Physical Description

 
The height of a goat can range from 26-107 cm in different breeds; its weight can vary between 9 and 113 kg. The average length of a goat is 1160 mm. Male goats are usually larger than females. Likewise, the male goats they have beards, horns, and a rank odor which comes from sex glands. Both male and female horns are hollow and can grow in a scimitar or corkscrew shape.
 
Most breeds have straight black, white, brown or red hair, but some have a wool undercoat. The hair can be either a plain color or patterned with spots and stripes.
 
 
Both male and female goats have 6 lower incisors and 24 molars. They are born with the lower incisors and grow the rest of their teeth within 4 weeks. They have no teeth on top; instead, they have bone plates that correspond with the teeth.
 
There are two different types of goat nose shapes: convex and straight. They have short tails that curve upward.
 
Since goats have hooves, they are called ungulates. Goat hooves must be trimmed regularly to prevent hoof folding. If overgrown, the hooves can fold inward or outward like elf shoes. If the goats have plenty of rocks to walk on, the hooves will not require as much trimming as goats that solely walk on grass.
 
 
A ruminant’s stomach consists of four sections: the rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. These compartments are used in the digestive process. The process of cud-chewing is a long event consisting of chewing, swallowing, regurgitating, and re-chewing. After this process, the food is sent to the reticulum where it is digested. If the goat has swallowed a sharp object, this process can be lethal if it punctures the reticulum wall. The bacteria and protozoa can contaminate the puncture and cause heart failure or peritonitis. In the next section of the stomach, the omasum, water and electrolytes are absorbed. Next, in the abomasum, protein is broken down into peptides. From here, the feed travels through the small intestine, large intestine, and finally into the rumen.
 
 

 

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Getting Food

 

Goats are ruminants, so they eat grasses and shrubs. However, they prefer grass that is not covered in feces. Goats in captivity eat plants all year long. They can survive without much food so they easily take care of themselves.

 

Reproduction

 

The process of reproduction in goats begins with the male’s deposition of sperm into the opening of the female’s cervical canal. In order for the sperm to survive, they must act quickly since the female’s vagina is acidic.
 
Shortly after mating, sperm enter the cervical canal. While the defective sperm are filtered out through the cervix, some sperm remain and continue their journey through the uterus and oviduct to the egg. Meanwhile, the sperm undergo changes that prepare them to fertilize the egg. Eventually, the sperm reaches the egg and fertilizes it. Once fertilized, the average gestation period for a goat is five months.
 
In the wild, male goats compete for rank by butting heads until one of them surrenders. This entitles them to a female to reproduce with. They use sex glands to reproduce. In some places, the breeding system for goats is between late summer and early winter; however some breeds reproduce all year long in the tropics. Once born, kids are able to walk after just several hours.
 
Does most common have kids in pairs, but they can have up to six kids at one time. The mother will naturally wean her kids when she feels the time is right.
 
 

 

Environmental Factors

 

Goats can live all habitats except tundra, deserts, and aquatic habitats; the only necessity for goats is grass and water. Goats require exercise, so it is best if there is 25 sq ft. of space per goat.
 
Goats are susceptible to predation so it is best if they are kept in a fenced area when domesticated. They have a herding instinct so they like to be in groups of 2 or more.
 
 
 
The loss of goats due to parasites has become a problem. Parasites cause problems for goat farmers since they kill goats, lower their market value, reduce their body weight, reduce the amount of wool and milk productivity, and reduce dung output. These parasites are prevalent in hot, humid climates and grassy areas. To prevent infection, goats should be taken care of and cleaned.
 
Since parasites can be a problem, one way of protecting goats from harmful parasites is to feed them 

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Origin and Distribution

 

The Capra hircus is thought to have descended from Central Asia. These goats have been domesticated and spread out all over the world by humans.

 

 

 

Importance to People

 
Goats benefit humans in many ways. Goats are a large source of protein in developing countries. They are farmed for milk, fiber, wool, cheese and leather. Also, goat milk is more digestible than cow milk; goats are used more than cows for dairy and meat products across the world. In addition, goats are kept as pets and used in pet show competitions.
 
In the Philippines, goat farms exist. However, the opportunity to create many more goat farms also exists. With more goat farms in the Philippines, the price of goats would be lessened and the Filipino people would be provided with a greater amount of much needed protein and milk.

 

Survivability and Endangered Status

 

Goats live in abundance in the Philippines and all over the world. The main threat to goats is predation. They make an easy target for coyotes, dogs, mountain lions, foxes, eagles, and bobcats. The best protection for goats in domestication is fences; however, this does not eliminate the predators. In the wild, goats stay in herds as a form of protection; some use their horns to fight off predators.

 

Potential Solutions

 

Why are there not many goat farms in the Philippines? One main reason is the cost of goats. They are more expensive than cows because of the lack of goat farms. This, then, creates a problem. The products of goats are expensive; shouldn’t everyone be able to afford goat milk? If the price of goats decreased because the number of goat farms increased, then the goat farmers could charge less for their products while still maintaining a solid income. So how can the importance of goats and the benefits of goat farms be spread to the Filipino people? Below are 3 possibilities with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages for each. 

 

 

 

Possibility 1: CREATE MORE GOAT FARMS

 

If more goat farms existed, couldn’t goats and their milk be sold at a cheaper price with little affect on the owner of the goat farm? The Alaminos goat farm is a good example of dairy goat farming. They have recently begun a dairy goat production project where their goal is to multiply dairy goats. Through this program, goats are given to the city government to be used in its year-round supplemental feeding program. This is a great way to spread nutrition to the people, especially if similar goat farms are created in the Philippines.

 

Advantages

 

  1. With more goat farms, the number of goats in the Philippines would greatly increase. This could potentially lower the price of goats, which would, in turn, lower the price of goat milk.
  1. Goat farmers and goat milk suppliers would be provided with a solid income, while making goats and goat milk more affordable. The lower price of goats and goat milk would most likely greatly profit the producer since more of their products would be purchased.
  1. More families would be able to afford having a goat in their home which would also provide much more nutrition since goat milk has many nutrients.

 

Disadvantages

 

  1. Although goat farming is a supportive livelihood, it is not for everyone. It requires full time commitment and the ability to feed and care for goats 365 days a year.
  1. To have a successful goat farm, good grazing land is needed which is not available to everyone. Even in the Cut and Carry system, good grassy land is needed to cut and carry to the goats.
  1. The time and money to create a goat farm is unavailable to me at this point in my life.

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Possibility 2: INFORM PEOPLE OF THE BENEFITS

 

If people knew the true benefits of goat milk, wouldn’t they be much more inclined to buy it?

 

Advantages

 

  1. A brochure containing the health benefits of goat milk in comparison to cow milk and powdered milk would be helpful in spreading the word about goat milk. If people know the harm in the powdered milk they drink and see how much more beneficial goat milk is than cow milk, they will be more likely to drink it. It is also good for those who are allergic to cow milk; this fact could attract a number of consumers.

 

Disadvantages

 

  1. Since goat milk is hard to find in this area, it may not be very beneficial for people to be informed of the milk if it is not readily available to them.

 

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Possibility 3: HAVE A GOAT MILK TASTE TEST

 

Many people have never tasted goat milk. Its price causes some people to never even think of tasting it. Also, some think that goat milk has a bad smell. However, if Filipinos knew what goat milk tastes like, they would most likely fall in love with its creamy, delicious taste.

 

 

 

Advantages

 

  1. Once tasted, goat milk is very satisfactory. Its rich texture and flavor make cow milk seem watered down.

 

  1. By having a goat milk taste test, I would be helping out goat farmers by purchasing their milk.

 

 

 

Disadvantages

 

1. Although many people love the taste of goat milk, there are some who dislike it. Small chunks are inside the milk which appeals to some but are unappetizing to others. This could cause some to choose cow milk or powdered milk over goat milk.

 

2.  Goat milk is hard to find in this area. Even if stores have goat milk, it is usually sold out early in the morning. I went around to several squatter areas and asked for some goat milk and, after about 5 min. of their attempt at milking the goat, there was less than a teaspoon of dirty goat milk in the cup.

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Action Step: Inform People of the Benefits

 

After attempting to have a goat milk taste test and failing to find enough milk for people to sample, I decided to inform people about goat milk. I created a brochure listing the nutritional benefits of goat milk along with the other advantages of drinking goat milk over cow, caribou, or powdered milk. I gave people these brochures and explained how beneficial goat milk is.

 

According to the Bible, milk is a special thing and a reward. In Exodus 3:8, it says“So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.”

 

Another verse tells of the nutrients of goat’s milk. It says in Proverbs 27:27, “the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls”. Even in the early times of the Bible, goats gave wealth to the owner and its nutrients were also appreciated. So, I figured that more people should be able to have these nutrients and know about the greatness of goat milk.

 

 

Bibliography

 

Bowen, R. "Digestive Anatomy in Ruminants." Arbl.Cvmbs.Colostate.Edu. 23 Nov. 2003. 15 Apr. 2008 <http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/herbivores/rumen_anat.html>.

 

Christensen, Karin. "The Biology of the Goat Reproduction." Goatbiology.Com. 2008. 10 Apr. 2008 <http://www.goatbiology.com/animations/reproduction.html>.

 

"GOAT (a Common Teut. Word; O. Eng. Ga..." Encyclopedia.Jrank.Org. 2008. 5 Apr. 2008 <http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/GOA_GRA/GOAT_a_common_Teut_word_O_ Eng_g.html>.

 

"Goat Multiplier Farm, Dairy Goat Production Project Launched." Alaminoscity.Gov. 20 Sept. 2007. 3 May 2008 <http://www.alaminoscity.gov.ph/news/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=305>.

 

Idris, H.s., and H. Umar. "Prevalence of Ectoparasites in Goats." Blackwell-Synergy.Com. 2007. 10 Apr. 2008 <http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1748-5967.2007.00048.x?cookieSet=1>.

 

"Many Goat Farms Appear." Kcna.Co.Jp. 3 May 2008 <http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2001/200111/news11/27.htm>.

 

 

Mileski, Adam. "Capra Hircus." Animaldiversity.Ummz. 1995. University of Michigan. 10 Apr. 2008 <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/ Capra_hircus.html>.

 

Musen, Steve. E-Mail interview. 30 Apr. 2008.

 

Umphrey, J. E., and C. R. Staples. "General Anatomy of the Ruminant Digestive System." Edis.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. June 2003. University of Florida. 17 Apr. 2008 <http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_DS061>.

 

"Viet Nam's Goat and Rabbit Research Centre Wins FAO's Saouma Award." Fao.Org. 9 Nov. 2001. 3 May 2008 <http://www.fao.org/News/2001/brief/br0111-e.htm>.

 

 

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Comments (3)

Anonymous said

at 9:05 pm on May 19, 2008

Wow Alyssa you did a fantastic job on this project! Way to go!

Anonymous said

at 9:30 pm on May 19, 2008

I agree with you alyssa....this is so informative! so incredible beyond description!

Anonymous said

at 9:20 pm on May 20, 2008

.... no comment.

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