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AGLS 3003 - Ruminant Production Systems
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  Lecture Slides 4.1.1 - Goat Production - Goats in the New World
Lecture Slides
    2. 1.1 What are Ruminants
      1. 2.1.1 Sheep
      2. 2.1.2 Goat
      3. 2.1.3 Cattle
      1. 2.2.1 Definition of Ruminants
      2. 2.2.2 Ruminant Stomach
      3. 2.2.3 Digestive Track
      4. 2.2.4 Nutrition
      1. 2.3.1 Reproductive System
      2. 2.3.2 Males
      3. 2.3.3 Females
      4. 2.3.4 Pregnancy
      1. 2.4.1 Mammary Glands
      2. 2.4.2 Growth/Regulation
      3. 2.4.3 Milk Composition
      4. 2.4.4 Regression
      5. 2.4.5 Milk Let-down
      1. 2.5.1 Genetics
      2. 2.5.2 Adaptation
        1. 2.5.3.1 Homeotherms
        2. 2.5.3.2 Heat Dissipation
      4. 2.5.4 Climate
    2. 3.1 Sheep Production
      1. 4.1.1 Goats in the New World
      2. 4.1.2 Caribbean Breeds
      3. 4.1.3 Breeding Stock
      4. 4.1.4 Do's and Dont's!
        1. 4.2.1.1 Requirements
        2. 4.2.1.2 Pysiological States
        3. 4.2.1.3 Energy Sources
        1. 4.2.2.1 Does
        2. 4.2.2.2 Weaners
        3. 4.2.2.3 Bucks
        4. 4.2.2.4 Formulation
      1. 4.3.1 Ex-/In-tensive Systems
      2. 4.3.2 Housing & Equipment
      3. 4.3.3 Milking Platform
      4. 4.3.4 Care
      5. 4.3.5 Kid rearing
      6. 4.3.6 Meat production
      7. 4.3.7 Record keeping
      1. 4.4.1 Common Diseases
      2. 4.4.2 Parasites
      3. 4.4.3 Performance Coefficients
    2. 5.1 Dairy Production
    2. 6.1 Beef Production
    2. 7.1 Buffalo Production
    2. 8.1 Forage Production
    1. 9.1 Acknowledgements
    2. 9.2 References
In this section, we cover:

4.1.1 Goats in the Caribbean  - brief history of goats in the Latin American and Caribbean region and problems faced. We also take a look at the dairy goat production units industry process flow.
  

4.1.1 Goats in the Caribbean

Goats (Capra hircus) were introduced into the New World (the Caribbean and Latin America) with the coming of Columbus. Goats are now widespread in the Caribbean and Latin America. Unfortunately, as of this date, the productivity of goats is low throughout the Caribbean, Latin America and the wider Tropics, whether they are reared for meat or milk. This is due to a number of factors but particularly due to poor management practices.

Goats are usually treated as “second class” livestock. Not enough attention has been paid to various aspects of their husbandry, such as nutrition and disease control. The goat has the potential to contribute significantly to the Tropical Regions’ output of livestock production through both small and large scale production units. This contribution could best be made through dual purpose systems producing both meat and milk. Regardless of the system of production, unless the basic areas (i.e., breeding, animal selection, nutrition and feeding, housing and animal husbandry, health and disease prevention) are given the necessary attention this potential will never be realised.

Schematics of a generalized ruminant digestive system is shown below.
The use of exotic breeds of goat has been well established throughout the Caribbean, but the full impact of these introductions on the local population is difficult to determine. It is important to bear in mind that quantitative traits such as milk production and body type are controlled by several hundred genes and so are not just simply inherited. In many instances these traits, even if they are inherited are masked by environmental factors, nutrition and disease.

Thus the process of genetic improvement must go hand in hand with improved management. The breeds imported into the Caribbean will now be described. The reason why goats are good candidates for improvement, is the high degree of heritability of some of its traits.
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Prof. Gary W. Garcia, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad. Version 3. Updated: 27-Oct-2014