Goat production concentrated in developing countries (tropics, dry areas), contributes largely to the livelihoods of low and medium income farmers. Farming systems in these areas have evolved to cope with the formidable constraints imposed by harsh natural and economic conditions by adapting integrated crop/livestock production strategies. In Asia, Africa and Latin America, due to its almost exclusive extensive nature, goat production relies mainly on grazing on communal lands that hardly provide the minimum nutrient requirements due to overstocking and degradation. While some of these production systems are becoming semi-intensive, appropriate breeding strategies should be designed to promote conservation and improvement of their unique attributes, such as adaptability, water use efficiency and suitability under harsh climatic conditions. In Europe, dairy goat production is more common around the Mediterranean basin, where it is important from an economic, environmental and sociological perspective to the Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Europe owns only 5.1 % of the world's dairy goat herds, but produces 15.6 % of the world's goat milk; this is the only continent where goat milk has such an economic importance and organization. In developing countries the dairy goat sector requires a systemic approach, whereby nutrition, animal health, breeding, know-how, inputs and technologies must be assembled. This would allow the optimization of natural and local resources and would promote the transition from a risk reduction strategy towards an increased productivity strategy. Such an increase would privilege production efficiency based on clean, green and ethical practices for responsible innovation.

Uso de un alimento integral como complemento a cabras locales en pastoreo:respuesta en producción y composición química de la leche Use of total mixed ration as supplement in grazing local goats: Milk production response and chemical composition ResumenEn México, la población caprina se concentra en sistemas de producción extensivos, con hatos formados en mayoría por cabras que los productores llaman criollas, denominación ahora aceptada como locales. La alimentación de la cabra lechera en el sistema extensivo es a través del pastoreo, pero éste, por sí solo no puede satisfacer las necesidades nutricionales de la cabra. Por tanto, si se quiere aumentar la producción de leche, es necesario complementar la alimentación de las cabras en pastoreo. Al respecto, en rumiantes en pastoreo que han sido complementados con un alimento integral se han reportado aumentos en la producción de leche. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de estudio fue evaluar el efecto en la producción y composición de la leche de cabras locales en pastoreo complementadas con un alimento integral. Para ello, se realizaron dos experimentos. En el primero, se evaluó el efecto de cambiar de un sistema de pastoreo a uno estabulado, con el fin de desafiar a las cabras a que expresaran su potencial productivo al ofrecerles un alimento integral. En el segundo, se evaluó el efecto en producción de leche y componentes de la leche de cabras en pastoreo al complementarlas con diferentes niveles del alimento integral usado en el experimento 1. Los datos de producción de leche y composición química en leche de ambos experimentos fueron analizados utilizando un modelo de medidas repetidas. Los datos de peso vivo y condición corporal final de las cabras, se analizaron como un diseño completamente al azar. Se realizó un análisis de costos parciales en ambos experimentos, con el fin de conocer la viabilidad económica de los tratamientos. En el experimento 1, la concentración de grasa en leche no se modificó (p > 0.05) por efecto de tratamientos, pero si AbstractIn Mexico, the goat population is concentrated in extensive production systems in Mexico, with herds mainly formed by goats that the producers called Creoles, now accepted as a local name.The power of the goat dairy in the extensive production system, is through the grazing, but this alone cannot meet the nutritional needs of the goat. Therefore, if the producers want to increase the production of milk, it is necessary to supplement the grazing goat diet with grains. On this manner, some results report an increase in milk production in grazing ruminants supplemented with an integral diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on the production and composition of milk in grazing local goats supplemented with an integral feed. Two experiments were performed. The first, evaluated the effect of changing from a grazing system to intensive system, in order to challenge the goats to express their productive potential by providing them with an integral feed. In the second, it evaluated the effect in grazing lo...

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The purpose of this study was to determine goat milk physicochemical parameters during the feed scarcity season. An evaluation was made for 398 milk samples from 80 multiparous goats belonging to three different production systems: (S1) mechanized milking grazing pasture and harvested residue (alfalfa) and grain supplemented; (S2) system grazing native pasture; and (S3) system grazing native pasture and grain supplemented. The general averages were: fat (FT) 4.0 ± 0.20%, protein (PR) 3.3 ± 0.05%, lactose (LC) 4.9 ± 0.09%, nonfat solids (NFS) 8.9 ± 0.13%, total solids (TS) 14.5 ± 0.20%, temperature (TM) 24.6 ± 1.06°C, and acidity (pH) 6.7 ± 0.049. Most of the physicochemical components of milk were affected (p < 0.0001) by the production system × month interaction and production system × group × month interaction. The FT content was higher (p < 0.05) in S2 (4.56 ± 0.18) than in S1 (3.64 ± 0.20) and S3 (3.50 ± 0.20). LC differed (p < 0.05) in S2 (5.07 ± 0.08) than in S1 (4.77 ± 0.09) and S3 (4.70 ± 0.09). No differences were observed for the rest of the variables (p < 0.05) among the production systems. The study unveiled a higher content of FT, LC, NFS, PR, and TS for S2 than for S1 and S3. This higher content may be explained because S2 only grazed on herbs and shrubs, in contrast to S1 and S3 which were additionally supplemented with grain concentrates.